Several civilians - including children - have died in separate violent incidents in Afghanistan.
In southern Helmand province, a suicide bomber Friday detonated explosives near a military compound in Sangin town, killing two children.
Also Friday, the U.S. military said that several other civilians were killed during a battle between Taleban insurgents and Afghan troops backed by U.S.-led coalition forces in the southeast.
The joint force came under attack during a raid on compounds suspected of housing militants in Paktika province. The U.S. military says that several Taleban fighters also died.
Afghan leaders have repeatedly called on the nearly 50,000 foreign troops in Afghanistan to avoid causing civilian deaths.
The U.S.-led coalition and NATO-led forces have blamed the Taleban for launching attacks from within civilian compounds and from populated areas.
Afghanistan is going through its worst period of violence since a U.S.-led invasion in 2001 ousted the Taleban government.
Some information for this report was provided by AFP, AP and Reuters.
