KABUL, Afghanistan (AP) — An Afghan official says hundreds of villagers have blocked a major highway in eastern Nangarhar province to denounce the killings of civilians during an ongoing military operation against militants there.
Wednesday's rally is taking place on the road linking the provincial capital, Jalalabad, and the Torkham border crossing with neighboring Pakistan.
The Nangarhar governor's spokesman, Attahullah Khogyani, says an investigation is underway to find out exactly how many civilians have been killed in the Rodat district.
The Rodat clashes are the second this week that have claimed civilian lives.
Villagers in Surkh Rod brought five bodies of their people to the district governor's office, claiming thy were killed during a nighttime raid by Afghan forces.
Both the Taliban and Islamic State militants are active in eastern Afghanistan, especially in Nangarhar.
