NATO Kills Seven Security Guards

KABUL (BNO NEWS) -- Coalition forces on Saturday killed seven armed members of a private security firm during an operation in eastern Afghanistan, the NATO-led International Security Assistance Force (ISAF) said.

ISAF said Afghan and coalition forces were near a compound in Paktiya when a male carrying an AK-47 exited an SUV and approached them. "The security force assessed the individual to be hostile and shot him," ISAF said, without giving details as to why he was deemed to be hostile.

After the male was shot, other armed members of the private security firm engaged the soldiers. ISAF said a total of seven security firm members were killed.

"The security force takes civilian casualty allegations seriously and is currently accessing who the individuals were, why they were armed and why they were in that area at that time of the morning," ISAF s