KABUL, Afghanistan, July 25 (UPI) -- A British helicopter's gunfire wounded five Afghan children, Britain's Defense Ministry said Monday.
Officials told The Guardian stray bullets from the Apache helicopter apparently struck the children, who were working in a field, during an attack on insurgents in the Nahr-e-Saraj district of Helmand province Saturday.
The children were taken to Camp Bastion, the main British base in Helmand, for treatment.
The British are investigating the incident and are likely to offer financial compensation to the children's families, the report said.
The Defense Ministry and the International Security Assistance Force expressed regret.
The ISAF also said Monday it is investigating an incident in Sayyidabad district, Wardak province, that killed four civilians.
A coalition patrol hit an explosive while clearing a road, the force said. One civilian was killed and several soldiers were wounded. Then a gunbattle broke out with insurgents and three civilians were killed.
