NATO probes two Afghan civilian casualties

KABUL (Reuters) - NATO-led forces are investigating whether they mistakenly killed two civilians in southern Afghanistan, the alliance's International Security Assistance Force said on Saturday.

Afghan and NATO-led troops fired mortars at an insurgent they believed was observing their operations near an Afghan army base in Uruzgan province on Friday, but one of the mortar rounds fell short, the force said in a statement.

The statement said villagers had reported two civilians killed. ISAF had notified local officials and launched a joint investigation.

ISAF includes more than half of the 62,000 American troops in Afghanistan as well as more than 30,000 troops from other countries, under command of a U.S. general.

Civilian casualties caused by foreign troops have infuriated ordinary Afghans and the government of President Hamid Karzai.

The new commander of U.S. and NATO forces, General Stanley McChrystal, issued new guidelines last month designed to reduce civilian casualties.

(Reporting by Peter Graff; Editing by Nick Macfie)