Radio New Zealand - Te Reo Irirangi o Aotearoa

Officials in Afghanistan say military operations by international forces in the east of the country on Saturday resulted in the deaths of 10 civilians, eight of them children.

President Hamid Karzai Karzai said the deaths occurred in eastern Kunar province, which borders Pakistan,two days ago.

The province's governor, Fazlullah Wahedi, told the BBC he had sent three aides to investigate the report. They were unable to reach the site but brought accounts of the night-time attack from local villagers.

NATO denied any knowlege of the deaths and said they had no record of any military operations in that area.