Afghan elders wounded in the US attack. (Reuters)

KANDAHAR – Up to 76 people, many believed to be civilians, were killed in American strikes on a village in southern Afghanistan.

"They started to bomb our village at midnight and continued up to this morning," Attah Mohammad, an elderly man, told Agence France-Presse (AFP) on Monday, May 22, at the main hospital in Kandahar city.

He said 24 members of his family, including young children, were killed in the US operation in Kandahar's Panjwai district.

A 45-year-old man named Nasratullah said he was having dinner with his in-laws at the time of the strike.

"Suddenly the bombardment started -- there was big fire in our place. I managed to escape but I don't know what happened to my in-laws," he said.

An 18-year-old with wounds to his face and chest gave a similar account.

"One hit my house. I was wounded and my two brothers were killed," said Azizullah, adding he had seen scores of dead and wounded on his way to hospital.

Bloodied men, women and children streamed into a nearby hospital using vehicles that withstood the bombing.

A doctor said security forces had not allowed ambulances into the sealed-off area to fetch the wounded.

Contradictory

A Taliban spokesman said none of their fighters was killed on Monday, reported Reuters.

All of the casualties were civilians, he said.

Kandahar Governor Khalid Assadullah said 16 of the dead were civilians.

"More than 60 Taliban have been killed and many wounded. Sixteen civilians have also died and 15 are hurt," he said.

The US military, however, seemed to contradict his account.

It said 20 Taliban followers had been confirmed killed in addition to up to 60 unconfirmed fatalities.

"Air strikes were used to destroy a large enemy weapons cache and several Taliban compounds," the army said in a statement.

It did not say how many troops were involved or what type of aircraft were used.

Warplanes were reported to have dropped bombs on an Islamic school and homes in the region.

The new fatalities were the latest in a dramatic upsurge in fighting in southern Afghanistan over the past week.

Up to 300 people were killed in attacks on Afghan and foreign forces since Wednesday, May 17.

NATO is expanding its force from 9,000 to 16,000, in preparation for taking over security responsibilities in the south from US-led forces.

The United States has 23,000 troops in Afghanistan, the highest number since it invaded the country to oust the Taliban regime in late 2001.