ISLAMABAD, Oct 23: The United Nations on Tuesday said the US was bombing residential areas in Kabul, but accused the Taliban militia of being partly to blame because it was hiding troops among those civilian districts.

The UN report came as the Taliban claimed the civilian death toll from the 16-day military onslaught on Afghanistan was steadily rising.

UN spokeswoman Stephanie Bunker said the Taliban had moved forces into residential areas of Kabul.

“Reports are indicating that several bombs have hit residential areas in Khair Khana close to health and feeding centres,” Bunker said at a press conference in Islamabad.

“In addition a residential area called Macroyan has been hit.

“Residential areas and some villages around Kabul are becoming more dangerous because Taliban troops are moving into those areas.”

Macroyan is one of the relatively luxurious areas of the war-ravaged city. The Soviet Union built many apartment blocks there during its 1979-1989 occupation of Afghanistan.

Civilian deaths in both Khair Khana and Macroyan had already been independently confirmed by local people.

At least 10 people, nine of them from the same family, died when a stray bomb struck a neighbourhood of Khair Khana on Sunday. Victims in Macroyan have included a seven-year-old girl.

The Afghan Islamic Press (AIP) also reported on Tuesday that another four people were killed in Khair Khana on Monday night.

Reporters have been able to confirm the deaths of at least 21 civilians in residential areas of Kabul. The Taliban say more than 1,000 civilians have been killed around the country during the air assault.—AFP