Originally published by the Voice of America (www.voanews.com). Voice of America is funded by the US Federal Government and content it exclusively produces is in the public domain. July 1, 2007 At Least 45 Civilians, 62 Taleban Killed by NATO, US-led Air Strikes ---------------------------------------------------------------------- in Afghanistan -------------- http://enews.voanews.com/t?ctl=1800D69:A6F02AD83191E1601613E2D2E2EA8EFC9574F7DCC14957C0 Afghan President has accused NATO and US-led forces of carelessly killing 90 civilians in recent operations against Taleban An Afghan child, who allegedly was injured by a U.S .-led coalition's air strikes, lies in a bed at a hospital in Helmand province, south of Kabul, Afghanistan, 30 June 2007Afghan officials say an investigation into NATO and U.S.-led air strikes in southern Afghanistan shows that 62 Taleban and 45 civilians have been killed. The toll was the latest in a series of conflicting reports about how many people died when fighter jets pounded militants in a village in southern Helmand province late Friday. A NATO spokesman has acknowledged that some civilians were killed in Helmand province, but has said the death toll is nowhere near as high as Afghan officials have claimed. The figures were provided to an investigation team by local officials. They were impossible to independently verify because the area is remote and difficult to reach. " hspace=2 src="/english/images/AP_NATO_Afghan_death_civilians__1jul07.jpg" width=210 vspace=2 border=0> An Afghan boy cries after his two uncles were killed as his father is detained during a U.S.-led coalition and Afghan troop raid in Khogyani district of Nangarhar province, east of Kabul, Afghanistan on Friday, 29 June 2007The militants had sought cover in the village after intense fighting with foreign troops. The U.S. ambassador to Afghanistan, William Wood, has said Taleban militants are to blame for many civilian casualties because they involve civilians in attacks. Afghan President Hamid Karzai has accused NATO and U.S.-led forces of carelessly killing 90 civilians in recent operations against the Taleban. Some information for this report was provided by AFP, AP and Reuters.