16 September 2012 Last updated at 07:29 ET
At least eight women have died in a Nato air strike in Afghanistan's eastern province of Laghman, say local officials.
Nato says it killed 30 armed insurgents but has conceded civilians may also have died.
The remote region in which the strike took place is out of the reach of central government, correspondents say.
It comes hours after four soldiers with the Nato forces were killed in an attack by suspected Afghan police.
The attack in southern Zabul province brought to 51 the number of Nato troops killed in "insider attacks" this year.
'Collecting wood'Local officials in Laghman told the BBC at least eight women had died, while provincial council member Gulzar Sangarwal said nine were dead.
Major Adam Wojack, a spokesman for the Isaf international forces, says between five and eight civilians could have been killed.
He told the BBC's Newshour programme that Isaf had been targeting Taliban fighters with precision bombs.
He said that the air strike may have inadvertently killed civilians, which would be a "tragic loss of life".
The Laghman governor's office said a number of civilians had gone to the mountains to collect wood and nuts from a forest in the Noarlam Saib valley, a common practice in the area.
The mountainous, highly forested terrain remote from government control make the area attractive to Taliban and other insurgent groups, correspondents say.
At least eight women have died in a Nato air strike in Afghanistan's eastern province of Laghman, say local officials.
Nato says it killed 30 armed insurgents but has conceded civilians may also have died.
The remote region in which the strike took place is out of the reach of central government, correspondents say.
It comes hours after four soldiers with the Nato forces were killed in an attack by suspected Afghan police.
The attack in southern Zabul province brought to 51 the number of Nato troops killed in "insider attacks" this year.
'Collecting wood'Local officials in Laghman told the BBC at least eight women had died, while provincial council member Gulzar Sangarwal said nine were dead.
Major Adam Wojack, a spokesman for the Isaf international forces, says between five and eight civilians could have been killed.
He told the BBC's Newshour programme that Isaf had been targeting Taliban fighters with precision bombs.
He said that the air strike may have inadvertently killed civilians, which would be a "tragic loss of life".
The Laghman governor's office said a number of civilians had gone to the mountains to collect wood and nuts from a forest in the Noarlam Saib valley, a common practice in the area.
The mountainous, highly forested terrain remote from government control make the area attractive to Taliban and other insurgent groups, correspondents say.