The head of the provincial council in Logar has claimed that a pre-dawn NATO airstrike on a tribal elder's house killed the man and 16 of his family members in addition to seven Taliban commanders who had gathered in the house to meet him.

Coalition forces tipped off to the meeting surrounded the house and demanded the commanders surrender. The Taliban then opened fire, prompting the coalition forces to call in the strike, Al Jazeera's Qais Azimy reported.

NATO has so far denied the deaths, saying only two civilians were lightly injured.