Heavy bombing by US warplanes in eastern Afghanistan has killed at least 115 civilians over five days, the Afghan Islamic Press (AIP) said.
The Pakistan-based news agency said that the deaths were in villages around the sprawling Tora Bora cave complex, where Osama bin Laden is believed to have a hideout.
Mr Haji Mohammad Zaman, the military commander of eastern Nangarhar province, said yesterday that nearly 100 civilians had been killed in a three-day period.
US officials say they are hitting only military targets and have disputed claims of widespread civilian casualties.
AIPsaid at least 115 civilians were killed and around 50 wounded in the airstrikes on Tora Bora and adjoining areas. There was no independent confirmation of the figures.
AIPsaid the bombardments had angered local officials who said that neither Arab supporters of bin Laden nor Taliban members were in those areas.
AFP