Civilians among Afghan casualties

KABUL, Afghanistan, March 19 (UPI) -- A woman and child were killed Wednesday by coalition forces engaged in a firefight with enemy militants in Afghanistan, military officials said.

The fighting broke out while coalition soldiers were searching compounds in the Nadar Shahkot district of Khowst province for a militant named Bismullah, Army Maj. Chris Belcher said in a statement.

"Several armed militants, two of whom were barricaded in a building, opened fire on coalition forces after they entered the compound," Belcher said. "Coalition forces returned fire, killing Bismullah, his brother Rahim Jan, as well as several other armed militants."

Bismullah and his brother were known to specialize and weapons facilitation operations, Belcher said.

After the battle, a dead woman was found in one building from which a militant had fired on the coalition troops, and a dead child was found in another building where another barricaded militant was killed, the military official said.

"Our heartfelt condolences go out to the family, friends and loved ones of the deceased woman and child," Belcher said. "Coalition forces take every possible precaution to ensure the safety of non-combatants during the conduct of operations."

Coalition forces later detained two men with suspected ties to improvised explosive devices and weapons facilitation operations.