KABUL, Oct 26 (Reuters) - NATO warplanes have killed at least 50 civilians, mainly women and children, in bombing in southern Afghanistan during a major Islamic holiday, local officials and tribal elders said on Thursday.

They said the deaths occurred on Tuesday, the second of three days of holidays in Afghanistan marking Eid al-Fitr, the end of the Muslim fasting month.

"It was late at night, that might be the reason they didn't know where to bomb," provincial assembly member Agha Lalai said.

NATO says it has received credible reports several civilian were killed during heavy fighting in Kandahar province on Tuesday in which at least 48 rebels died. Afghan authorities are investigating.

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