KHOST, Afghanistan, Oct 22 (Reuters) - Foreign troops have killed eight Afghan soldiers in a mistaken air strike during an operation in the southeastern province of Khost, an official said on Wednesday.

The overnight incident happened after helicopter gunships pounded an Afghan army post on a road in Dowa Manda district of the province, a Taliban stronghold, district chief Lutfullah Babakarkheil said.

"Last night, foreign forces killed eight soldiers and wounded four more in an aerial attack," he told reporters.

Both NATO and U.S.-led troops operate in Khost and have yet to comment about the report.

The report comes amid increasing violence this year in Afghanistan where hundreds of civilians and some Afghan forces have been killed by foreign forces hunting the al Qaeda-backed militants.

(Reporting by Elyas Wahdat; Writing by Sayed Salahuddin; Editing by Bill Tarrant)

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