Tani (Afghanistan), May 21 (Reuters): Three Afghan civilians were killed and two wounded in a pre-dawn swoop by US helicopter gunships in Afghanistan’s southeastern province of Khost today, angry villagers said.

But the US military challenged residents’ version of events, saying it killed three suspected Islamic militants in “tactical raids” and detained 23 others. Four US soldiers were wounded in the firefight, but none seriously.

Khost’s mayor, Jalil Ahmad Hasani, said the air attack took place in the village of Tani, located some 160 km southeast of Kabul. “The report we have indicates that three civilians, including two women, have been killed in the aerial bombardment and several others wounded,” he said.

Villagers at the scene said no US patrol had been fired on, adding that Afghans had wrongly identified the house to the Americans as a hideout for al Qaida or Taliban.

“The Americans acted on wrong information and bombed our village,” said Ayoub, whose father was wounded. “We had a family feud and I think the Americans have taken the other side’s word for it that Taliban and al Qaida people were hiding here.” Residents confirmed that three people, including two women, were killed when their house came under fire from four helicopter gunships.