However, the operation, about 30 miles from the second city of Kandahar, left dozens of civilian casualties. Local authorities said that 16 people had been killed, including women and children, and 16 had suffered serious wounds.

A coalition statement said an investigation was under way into reports of civilian deaths.

Asadullah Khalid, the governor of Kandahar, who visited some of the wounded in hospital, urged villagers not to shelter Taleban fighters. “These sort of accidents happen during fighting, especially when the Taleban are hiding in homes,” he said. The airstrike caused extensive damage in the village of Azizi, in Panjwayi district, which is made up mainly of mud-walled compounds. There is no electricity and water is drawn from a well.

It is known as a rebel stronghold and has been the scene of fighting in recent days. It is believed that the Taleban had forced their way into villagers’ homes and fired at coalition troops from rooftops.

Local anger, though, was vented on the allied attackers. Attah Mohammad, 60, said: “Oh my God, they killed my kids.” His silver beard was streaked with tears and his hands were covered in blood. “God may take revenge on them. They took everyone from me,” he said, his voice crackling with emotion.

Haji Ikhalf, 40, a villager, said Taleban fighters had taken shelter in a religious school. When the bombing started, they fled into family homes. “Then those homes were bombed. I saw 35 to 40 dead Taleban and around 50 dead or wounded civilians,” he said.

Zurmina Bibi, who was caught in the fighting with her family, cradled her wounded eight-month-old baby as she said that ten people were killed in her home. “There were dead people everywhere,” she wailed.

The death toll seemed certain to rise, with many villagers unable to get to the hospital in Kandahar. Ambulances were denied access to the area.

“We have taken this fight directly to the extremists who threaten the future progress of the people of Afghanistan,” said Lieutenant Colonel Paul Fitzpatrick, a coalition spokesman. “Coalition forces are aware of media reports of civilian casualties and are continuing to review assessments from ground elements in the region.”

Colonel Tom Collins, a US military spokesman, said: “It’s common that the enemy fights in close to civilians as a means to protect its own forces. We targeted a Taleban compound and we’re certain we hit the right target.”

Fighting has been raging across the south of Afghanistan with 265 people, mainly Taleban, killed since Wednesday.

It emerged yesterday that British forces and Apache attack helicopters had been called into action against Taleban militants. On Wednesday the village of Musa Qala in northern Helmand province was taken over by hundreds of heavily armed Taleban militants. In the ensuing fight, 40 Taleban and 13 police were killed. British forces played a part in the fight to repel the Taleban.

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