An Afghan police official says border police have shot and killed seven civilians after mistaking them for insurgents.
Abdul Raziq, head of the border police, told reporters the incident occurred in Kandahar's Shubarak district in southern Afghanistan near the border with Pakistan.
The civilians were gathering wood when they were spotted by a six-member border police patrol.
Raziq said the officers involved have been detained for questioning, and the incident is under investigation.
Afghan troops and NATO forces have been fighting a fierce insurgency in Afghanistan.
Last year was the deadliest for Afghan civilians and international troops in Afghanistan since the U.S.-led invasion in late 2001 toppled the Taliban
Some information for this report was provided by AFP and AP.
