Kabul  - NATO soldiers unit killed at least four civilians and wounded four others in Afghanistan's Paktika province, the International Security Assistance Force (ISAF) admitted Sunday.

"The accident occurred last night in the Barmal district of Paktika when an ISAF unit fired two mortar rounds, which landed nearly 1 kilometre away from the intended target," an ISAF statement issued in Kabul said.

"Shortly afterwards wounded civilians presented themselves for treatment at an ISAF base, and a helicopter medical evacuation mission was immediately launched to assist," it said (dpa)