Residents of Helmand in the south of Afghanistan claim that many civilians were killed and wounded in airstrikes by Afghan forces in the Nahr-e-Siraj district in the province on Friday. 

The residents said that the incident happened after an Afghan Army base fell to the Taliban and local people flocked to the scene “for looting” and there were there when the airstrikes were conducted. 

The base is located in Yakhchal village in Nahr-e-Saraj district along 601 Highway that connects Kabul with southern and southwestern provinces.

The Afghan Army's 215 Maiwand Corps in a statement confirmed that some civilians, who joined the Taliban to "loot" an army base, were killed and wounded in Afghan forces airstrikes in Nahr-e-Saraj district in Helmand on Friday morning.

The statement said 20 Taliban were also killed in the airstrikes but did not provide details on civilian deaths in the incident.

Taliban has claimed that said as many as 30 civilians have been killed in the airstrike.