Four Children Killed in Afghanistan Firefight

Caught up in battle between Taliban and international forces

A firefight that raged for an hour between international forces and the Taliban in eastern Afghanistan killed four children who were in the area grazing their sheep and goats, local officials said.

The international forces apologized for the episode Tuesday and said an investigation was under way, but because bullets were flying from both sides, the international military stopped short of taking responsibility for the children's deaths, which occurred on Sunday.

"In addition to the insurgents killed during the operation, ISAF may be responsible for the unintended, but nonetheless tragic, death of three Afghan civilians," read a statement from the International Security Assistance Force.