The Lashkar Gah massacre.

Over 100 women and children were killed in bombing raids by Western forces in Lashkar Gah.

Residents told journalists women and children were among up to 300 people killed in the raids on Thursday in the remote district of Baghran, which lies to the north of Lashkar Gah.

Haji Hakim Jan, 27, said he lost four of his brothers in the attack.

"I had another brother of mine and an eight-year-old sister wounded in the bombing," he said

He said he believed the deaths would alienate civilians from Western troops and make people join the Taliban.

If confirmed, the deaths would be the highest civilian casualties caused by foreign troops since the overthrow of the Taliban government in 2001.

The US military said in a statement late on Thursday that coalition forces had conducted a "precision" air raid against civilians in the hope of getting a few Taliban.