While the defence ministry said there had been no civilian deaths in the overnight operation in Logar province, Reuters television footage taken in the village, Sejewand, showed the bodies of at least three children.

Afghan President Hamid Karzai has previously criticised special forces raids in Afghan villages, particularly those in which civilians are killed.

An Interior Ministry statement said 23 Taliban fighters were killed and 26 captured during the fighting in Sejewand.

Logar police official Rais Khan Seddiq said the operation was undertaken by Afghan commandos, assisted by international special forces, in order to rescue two Afghan soldiers captured the previous day by the Taliban.