U.S.-led forces in Afghanistan say Friday they inadvertently killedfour women and a child while battling militants in central Afghanistan.
AU.S. military spokeswoman, Lieutenant Colonel Rumi Nelson-Green, saysthe civilians were killed Thursday as troops moved in on a key Talibanmilitant in the Giro district of central Ghazni province.
Shesays armed militants threatened coalition forces, which responded withsmall-arms fire, killing several Taliban as well as the women and thechild. Three militants were arrested.
The U.S. military called the deaths "inadvertent" and promised a full investigation.
About2,500 people, including civilians, have been killed so far thisyear during fighting between coalition forces and militants.
Meanwhile, officials say a coalition soldier died Friday in western Afghanistan when his convoy was hit by a bomb.
Morethan 500 U.S. troops have been killed in Afghanistan since 2001, whenthe U.S. military helped oust the Taliban-led government.
Pentagonofficials say U.S. Defense Secretary Robert Gates has endorsed a$20-billion plan that would nearly double the size of the Afghan armyto 120,000 troops over the next five years. The plan also gives U.S.Army General David McKiernan broader control over U.S. forces inAfghanistan.
General McKiernan currently commands 45,000 troopsin the NATO-led coalition serving in Afghanistan. The proposal wouldalso give him control of 19,000 U.S. troops serving outside ofNATO.