MAHMOOD RAQI/CHAGHCHARAN (PAN): At least nine civilians have been killed and 25 others wounded in a missile strike in central Kapisa province while two arms smugglers were arrested in northwestern Ghor, officials said on Monday.

The deputy police chief of Kapisa said two missiles landed in a bazaar in Tagab district at 11 am, killing nine innocent people and injuring 28 others.

Colonel Ataullah Wahab Kohistani told Pajhwok Afghan News it was unclear from where and by whom the missiles were fired. But he said the apparent target was a French military base near the bazaar.

Locals, however, claimed the toll was much higher. Eyewitness Sherullah claimed seeing 25 dead bodies at the scene.

The NATO media office in Kabul confirmed the attack, saying some soldiers of International Security Assistance Force (ISAF) were among the injured.

A security official in Ghor province, meanwhile, said that two arms and drug smuggler had been netted. Gen. Abdul Baqi Nuristani, provincial police chief, said Abdul Rasool was arrested while smuggling weapons to Helmand.

Nuristani added the detainee, a resident of Badghis province, had placed one RPG, a Klashnikov assault rifle and a handgun beneath the seats of the vehicle he was traveling in.

He added a drug smuggler was apprehended in a separate police operation in Sagher district. Seven kilos heroin, a Klashnikov and a handgun were recovered from his possession, he concluded.

ss/mud