Five children killed

From Australia:

Five Children Killed In Afghan Shoot-Out With Taliban

CANBERRA, Feb 13 (Reuters) - Five children have been killed after a shoot-out between Taliban insurgents and Australian soldiers in Afghanistan, the Australian Defense Force said.

The incident happened on February 12 in Oruzgan Province, where Australia's special forces were clearing a number of houses in the hunt for insurgents, defense officials said in a statement.

"Current reporting indicates that those killed include a suspected insurgent and, sadly, local nationals including five children killed, and two children and two adults injured," it said... (link)

The statement released by the Australians is careful not to state whether the foreign troops actually killed the children. However, the Australian military expects they will be giving compensation to the families of the children, which seems like a tacit admission of guilt.

Reporting from Afghanistan, another Reuters report states: "The Afghan Defence Ministry said one woman and two children were killed and eight other people wounded in the attack."

February's toll:

February 5-6: US-led coalition forces in Zabul kill 6 civilians in an attack which targeted insurgents, say Afghan officials.
February 6: US-led coalition forces shoot and kill one man and wound a woman and child at a checkpoint in Khost province.
February 11: A provincial spokesman says NATO airstrikes kill four civilians in Logar province.
February 12: Five children are killed as Australian special forces battle militants while searching a house in Uruzgan province.