Thousands of Afghans have protested against the United States after an air raid in the country's east a day earlier left at least 15 people dead.

While the US military says that Taliban fighters were killed in Saturday's strike, Afghan officials insist that those killed were civilians.

Angered by the civilian casualties, protesters turned out in large numbers in Laghman province of eastern Afghanistan on Sunday to denounce the air raid.

The protesters also vented their anger at Hamid Karzai, the Afghan president.

Karzai has been the subject of growing criticism for his inability to halt the air raids.

Malik Hazrat, a protest leader, warned: "If the foreign troops do not put an end to their operations, we will launch jihad."

Karzai has also deplored the "civilian deaths" and demanded better co-ordination with the US army.

He warned that the deadly air raids were "strengthening the terrorists" and also weakening Afghan sovereignty. 

A spokesman for the US military said it intended to investigate the incident.