26 civilians killed in May Afghan airstrikes -US

WASHINGTON, June 19 (Reuters) - The U.S. military said on Friday roughly 26 civilians died in U.S.-led airstrikes in western Afghanistan in early May, far fewer than other estimates, but acknowledged that a higher death toll was possible.

"This investigation does not discount the possibility that more than 26 civilians were killed in this engagement," the U.S. Central Command said in a report on the air strikes, which heightened tensions between Kabul and Washington over a rising civilian death toll across Afghanistan.