In Afghanistan, two civilians were killed today in southern province of Kandahar when foreign troops fired on them in suspicion. An Afghan official said NATO soldiers opened fire after a car with brake failure sped towards a checkpoint set up by foreign and Afghan troops, who thought the vehicle was part of a suicide attack. He said two civilians were killed and four wounded by bullets that hit more than one car. NATO-led forces said they had opened fire in self-defence after a civilian car approached them and struck at least three members of a foot patrol. Civilian casualties caused by foreign troops have long been a source of tension between Afghan President Hamid Karzai and his Western allies. The deaths come just days after a U.S. soldier charged with killing unarmed Afghan civilians was sentenced to 24 years in prison.