One civilian was killed and four wounded in crossfire between coalition forces and Taliban militants in eastern Afghanistan on Friday, while another civilian was killed in a rebel rocket attack against Afghan forces in southern region, officials have said, according to DPA. Taliban militants attacked a convoy of Afghan and US-led coalition forces in the Pech district of eastern Kunar province on Friday morning, resulting in deaths of one civilian and injuries to four others, the US military said in a statement. "Not only did they (militants) attack the joint patrol, but also the local village and surrounding corn fields as well," the statement said, adding that the Afghan forces returned fire, but "at no time did they fire weapons into the corn fields or the village," where the civilians were hurt. The incident is under investigation, the statement said, adding that no coalition soldiers were hurt in the attack. Meanwhile, insurgents fired a rocket at Afghan forces in the Garmsir district of southern Helmand province on Friday morning, NATO said in a statement. The rocket missed the troops, but shrapnel hit an eight-year-old Afghan boy in the chest, the statement said, adding that the child died despite efforts by NATO forces in the area to treat him. Afghan civilians often get caught in the crossfire between the international military forces or Afghan soldiers with Taliban militants. Around 1,500 civilians are among more than 4,000 people who have lost their lives in Afghanistan conflict so far this year.
