A provincial governor said on Monday that a NATO airstrike hit three vehicles in southern Afghanistan, killing 27 civilians, including women and children.

Sultan Ali Uruzgani told DPA that the incident took place Sunday in Dai Kundi province when three cars carrying the civilians were targeted from the air.

Adding further he said," In this attack, 27 people were killed, while ten others were injured."

The vehicles were en route to the southern province of Kandahar.

The NATO-led International Security Assistance Force (ISAF) said its forces targeted a group of suspected insurgents "resulting in a number of individuals killed and wounded".

ISAF said in a statement," After the joint ground force arrived at the scene and found women and children, they transported the wounded to medical treatment facilities."

It further said that an investigation was underway. (With Input from Agencies)