Seven civilians were killed during a battle in eastern Afghanistan in which coalition forces used air support and artillery fire against suspected insurgents, the US military said on Sunday.
Taliban fighters meanwhile attacked three police posts late Saturday, leaving 14 insurgents dead or wounded, while soldiers killed four more separately, officials said.
The battle that killed the civilians erupted late Saturday in Kunar province where coalition and Afghan troops last week launched one of their biggest operations in months against Taliban insurgents.
During a "close-combat firefight" with about eight to 10 insurgents, "coalition forces used close-air support, artillery and direct fire to suppress fire from insurgents in a house and a cave," a military statement said.