NATO was accused of killing eight women Sunday in an air strike.

NATO was accused of killing eight women Sunday in an air strike.

The US-led International Security Assistance Force initially said an air strike targeted around 45 insurgents, but later expressed its sincerest condolences over "possible ISAF-caused civilian casualties" numbering five to eight.

Civilian casualties have strained relations between the United States and Afghan President Hamid Karzai. In June, ISAF ordered an end to air strikes on homes, except as a last resort.

Sunday's attack came shortly before dawn, in Alingar district of Laghman province, east of Kabul, as women set off to collect fire wood, said Afghans.

"In this raid, eight women are killed and another eight women are wounded," provincial spokesman Sarhadi Zwak told Agence France Presse.

A crowd of tribesmen carried bodies to the provincial capital, Mihtarlam, shouting "death to America, death to the Jews" outside the governor's office, an AFP reporter said.

Karzai expressed sadness over the deaths and condemned the killing of eight women, and what his office said were seven other women wounded, ordering a delegation to travel to the area to investigate.

Two US Marines were killed and several others wounded late Friday, when at least 15 gunmen, dressed in US Army uniforms, stormed the airfield.

Six US AV-8B Harrier fighter jets were destroyed and two significantly damaged; three coalition refueling stations destroyed and six aircraft hangars also damaged.

The gunmen claimed the assault was to avenge a US-made film insulting to Islam that has sparked deadly riots across the Muslim World.