Kabul, 10 Dec. (AKI) - Six police and a civilian were killed on Wednesday in a US-led raid on a police station in southern Afghanistan. Authorities said that US forces had mistakenly killed the victims after police fired on the Americans during an operation.

A US military statement said the deaths early Wednesday resulted from a "tragic case of mistaken identity on both parts."

Thirteen others were reportedly wounded in the air raid which hit a police station in the troubled province of Zabul.

Deputy provincial police chief Ghulam Jailani Khan said the bomb had struck just before dawn and destroyed the police station.

The statement said the police fired on US forces after the troops battled and killed an armed militant close to a police station in Qalat, the capital of Zabul.

Afghan and US officials were travelling from Kabul to the scene of the attack to conduct an investigation.