At least 24 security workers at a construction site in Afghanistan's Ghazni province have been killed in suspected US air raids.

The deputy governor of the province southwest of the capital Kabul called Sunday's incident a "brutal attack".

A provincial government source told the Reuters news agency that US-led forces had called in an air raid after fighters attacked several posts operated by the security company that guards the road construction project.

The US military said it called in the aerial bombardment after its forces came under fire, but cannot at this time confirm the identity of the victims.

The latest air raids come just days after the Afghan government said an attack by US-led forces killed nine Afghan soldiers in the southeastern province of Khost.

Hundreds of civilians have been killed in operations by Nato and US-led international forces this year, according to Afghan officials and aid groups.

The Taliban has reportedly said that it will only free the captives once the construction project, which is funded by the US, is abandoned.

Taliban fighters have picked up there attacks in recent months and the United Nations has warned people not to expect the usual lull in violence over the winter months.

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