Clash, erupted between Afghan National Army and militants Saturday, claimed the lives of two Afghans and injured 17 more in northern Afghan province of Kunar, said a statement of the NATO-led International Security Assistance Force (ISAF) issued on Sunday.

"Two Afghans were killed and another 17 were injured in the Pech District of Kunar province June 20, when they were caught in the crossfire of an unprovoked insurgent attack on an Afghan National Army outpost," the statement said.

It added that no Afghan troops or ISAF forces were injured in the attack while the injured ones were treated and evacuated by Afghan National Security Forces (ANSF) and International Security Assistance Force (ISAF) forces.

However, it did not disclose whether those, killed or wounded in riot, were all civilians.

Conflicts and violence have left over 2,100 civilians dead in Afghanistan in 2008, which reached a record high since the fall of Taliban regime in 2001. It is predicted the war-torn country would see the escalating of riot in 2009 as the surge of international troops reinforcement and approaching of Presidential elections.

(Xinhua News Agency June 21, 2009)