"Though facts are unclear at this point, we take very seriously our responsibility to protect the people of Afghanistan and to avoid circumstances where noncombatant civilians are placed at risk," Cmdr. Jeff Bender, a U.S. spokesman said in a statement.
"If innocent people were killed in this operation, we apologize and express our condolences to the families and the people of Afghanistan," he said. The military said today that the probe would be carried out jointly with Afghan authorities.
Afghan officials said they were not entirely sure what had happened but that civilian fatalities had occurred.
Karzai, at his news conference, said civilian deaths had become "a matter of tension" between the Afghan government and its Western allies.
More than 1,200 Afghan civilians have been killed this year, according to Afghan officials and human rights groups. Most died in insurgent attacks such as suicide bombings, but accidental strikes by foreign forces caused hundreds of the deaths, Afghan authorities said.
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laura.king@latimes.com
