NATO forces kill Afghan president's cousin by mistake

KABUL. March 10. KAZINFORM NATO forces in Afghanistan have mistakenly killed a cousin of the country's president, Hamid Karzai, in the southern Kandahar province, local media said on Thursday; Kazinform refers to RIA Novosti.

"Haji Yar Mohammad Khan was mistakenly killed as foreign troops pursued insurgents in the Karz area of Dand district," the Pajhwok Afghan News agency reported, citing the president's half-brother, Ahmad Wali Karzai.

A spokesman for the local governor confirmed the report, but declined to give any further details of the incident, which took place late on Thursday.

Hundreds of civilians are killed annually in Afghanistan by airstrikes and artillery fire targeting Taliban militants. At least 440 civilian deaths were attributed to the U.S.-led coalition last year, down 26% from the previous year, according to a UN report.