12 Afghans killed in Paktia province south of Kabul

12 Afghans killed south of Kabul

KABUL, Afghanistan — At least a dozen people were killed Saturday south of the Afghan capital of Kabul after U.S. troops spotted two insurgents trying to plant bombs, an Afghan official said.

The two were shot dead in Paktia province, district chief Gulab Shah said. Troops saw comrades drag the two bodies away and called in a helicopter gunship which killed 10 more people, whom U.S. officials said were all militants, Shah said.

Shah said Afghan authorities had launched an investigation to make sure the dead were all insurgents.

Civilian deaths are a flashpoint ssue in Afghanistan, where President Hamid Karzai has urged NATO to take all necessary measures to protect civilian lives.