Aug. 24 (Bloomberg) -- U.S.-led coalition forces in Afghanistan are investigating whether civilians were killed during clashes in a western province last week, after President Hamid Karzai's government said 76 villagers died.

Fighting broke out Aug. 22 in Herat when coalition soldiers and Afghan National Army commandos came under fire from insurgents during a mission to capture a Taliban commander, the coalition said in an e-mailed statement.

Forces are ``aware of allegations'' that civilians may have been killed in the battle and have begun a probe, the coalition said yesterday. ``All allegations of civilian casualties are taken very seriously.''

Karzai has repeatedly criticized NATO and the U.S. military for civilian deaths, as they battle Taliban rebels trying to topple his government. The United Nations estimates that 698 civilians were killed as of late June this year in Afghanistan, up from 430 during the first six months of last year. Militants killed 422 civilians, while Afghan and international forces killed 255, with 21 undetermined, according to the world body.

The UN has ``always made clear that civilian casualties are unacceptable,'' UN envoy Kai Eide said in a statement yesterday. ``They undermine the trust and confidence of the Afghan people.''

A thorough investigation should be held to establish the facts ``before we jump to any conclusions,'' he said.

The coalition said 30 insurgents were killed in the fighting in Herat's Shindand district, as soldiers fought off the rebel ambush with small-arms fire and called in an air strike.

Hurled Stones

The Afghan Interior Ministry said 76 civilians, most of them women and children, were killed, Agence France-Presse reported. Villagers staged a protest yesterday and hurled stones at Afghan troops, the news agency said, citing General Akram Yawar, the police chief for western Afghanistan.

Shots were fired into the air to disperse the crowd and four people were wounded, AFP cited him as saying.

Demonstrators torched a police car and check post and blocked the main road to Herat for several hours, AFP reported, citing its correspondent.

Insurgents are stepping up attacks as North Atlantic Treaty Organization forces and the U.S.-led coalition seek to contain supporters of the Taliban regime that was ousted in late 2001. The monthly death toll for international forces in Afghanistan has topped that in Iraq.

Suicide bombings in Afghanistan have risen sevenfold during the past two years, according to the UN, and Taliban fighters are increasingly carrying out attacks in the capital.

To contact the reporter on this story: Ed Johnson in Sydney at ejohnson28@bloomberg.net.

Last Updated: August 23, 2008 21:53 EDT