MOSCOW, April 7 (RIA Novosti) – Twelve civilians, including eleven children, have been killed in a NATO airstrike in eastern Afghanistan during a weekend operation, local officials said Sunday.

A woman and children died when houses collapsed on them in the attack in Shigal district, Kunar province during a joint Afghan-NATO operation against Taliban militants, officials said.

The International Security Assistance Force (ISAF) in Afghanistan has confirmed the deaths among the civilians and said it will launch an investigation into the incident.

Six militants, including two senior Taliban leaders, were also killed during an operation in Shigal district on the Pakistani border on Saturday, the Afghan Interior Ministry said.