At least ten civilians, including four children, have been killed in a NATO airstrike in eastern Afghanistan, Afghan provincial officials said Sunday.

At least ten civilians, including four children, have been killed in a NATO airstrike in eastern Afghanistan, Afghan provincial officials said Sunday.

"At least four women, four children and two civilian drivers were killed in a NATO airstrike in Wattapur district of Kunar province," Kunar Police Chief Abdul Habib Sayedkhil stated.

Shujaul Mulk Jalala, Kunar Provincial Governor said that 12 civilians and four insurgents had been killed.

"At least 12 civilians -- four women, four children and four men were killed in an airstrike of foreign forces in Wattapur district of Kunar province yesterday," he said.

"I can confirm that four armed insurgents belonged to Al-Qaida were also killed in the airstrike."

Afghan President Hamid Karzai condemned the airstrike.

"Hamid Karzai considers attacking women and children against all accepted international norms and strongly condemns it," the statement said after the airstrike Saturday in Kunar province.

Civilians casualties in NATO operations have long been a source of tension between the Afghan government and the US-led NATO occupation troops.