 Mr Gates said more must be done to protect civilians |
The US must do more to limit civilian casualties in Afghanistan, the Defence Secretary Robert Gates has said after meeting President Hamid Karzai.
Mr Gates said he regretted the loss of innocent lives and would be discussing the subject with the US military.
The issue of civilian casualties has caused increasing anger in Afghanistan.
Earlier this month US forces were embarrassed by the emergence of video evidence indicating scores of civilian deaths in the province of Herat.
They said they would review an inquiry into the air raid last month which has been blamed for the deaths.
The US initially said that no more than seven civilians died in the attack, but the Afghan government and the UN said up to 90 people were killed, including many women and children.
'Condolences'
"You have my word we will do everything in our power to target our common enemy while protecting the good people of Afghanistan," Mr Gates said after his meeting with President Karzai.
"I extend my sincere condolences and personal regret over the recent loss of innocent lives as a result of coalition air strikes."
In the latest violence, the US-led coalition says a bomb attack killed four of its soldiers and an Afghan national in the east of the country.
About 200 international soldiers have been killed in Afghanistan so far this year, about the same number as died during the whole of last year.
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