Civilians said to be hit in U.S. airstrikes

U.S.-led airstrikes against senior Taliban leaders in southern Afghanistan have left dozens of militants and villagers dead or wounded, Afghan officials said.

The Defense Ministry said its intelligence reports indicated that three militant leaders were among those killed in Thursday’s strikes in Helmand province, and the fate of the top Taliban leader in the south, Mansoor Dadullah, remained unknown.

The U.S.-led coalition would not confirm the account but said it conducted a “precision airstrike against two notorious Taliban commanders.” It gave no word of casualties.