7 Afghan family members killed as mortar shell hits house

Kabul : Seven members of a family were killed and another was wounded following a mortar landing on a house in Afghanistan's southern province of Uruzgan, an official said Tuesday.

"The incident occurred at noontime, when government forces were launching a military operation against Taliban militants in Abrudi area of the provincial capital Tirin Kot city, resulting in the death of seven people including three women and three children and injuring another member of the same family," Aminullah Tukhi, head of the provincial hospital, told Xinhua.

Meanwhile, locals confirmed the mortar was shelled by the government forces during the raid, but it struck the house.

Security forces were not immediately available for comment on the incident.