JALALABAD, May 30: The US military said coalition and Afghan troops killed six Taliban and arrested four in Nangarhar on Wednesday, though a provincial official and residents said the casualties were villagers.

According to a coalition statement there were no coalition or civilian casualties during the clash in the mountains of the province.

Dadak Zalmai, the chief of Khogiani district, said there was a pre-dawn raid on a house in his district.

“The troops killed three civilians and took four with them,” he said.

Several residents said seven civilians, including women and children, were killed and eight wounded in the raid.

Meanwhile, Taliban leader Mullah Mohammad Omar demanded formation of an independent panel of Afghans, the Red Cross and journalists to investigate civilian deaths.

In a statement read to Reuters by a Taliban commander, he said foreign troops were most to blame for civilian casualties.

—Reuters