Karzai's rare trip outside the capital Kabul comes as the US-headed coalition disputes Afghan and UN findings that more than 90 civilians, most of them children, were killed in the August 22 strikes in Herat province.

The coalition has said its investigation showed between five and seven civilians were killed along with 30-35 Taliban, including an important commander.

Karzai held closed talks with elders and officials after flying in from Kabul. He spoke in strong terms against civilian casualties in military operations, Herat province governor Mohammad Hussain Anwari told AFP.

"The president promised to bring to justice to those elements who provided false information for the troops which resulted in the civilian bombing," said Anwari, who was at the meeting.

"He has given firm orders to security forces to find those elements giving false information."

Locals in the affected village, Azizabad in Shindand district, say the Afghan and international special forces who were involved in the operation may have been deliberately misled.

Villager Gul Ahmad, who said he had lost several relatives, appreciated Karzai's visit.

"But the president must arrest the four people that we think spy for foreign forces and provided them with false information and surrender the guys to us for punishment," he told AFP.

Karzai has already sacked two senior army commanders and his cabinet has demanded a review of the regulations under which international forces operate in Afghanistan.

If the disputed toll of more than 90 dead is confirmed, it would be one of the deadliest incidents involving civilians killed in military since international troops arrived to oust the extremist Taliban regime in late 2001.

Hundreds of civilians have been killed in military action against Taliban insurgents and hundreds more in rebel attacks.

Afghanistan's top rights body estimates 900 civilians have died in insurgency-linked violence this year alone, and has warned casualties by the military are testing popular support for the government and its allies.

A statement from Karzai's office said the president had made the trip to Shindand to "share the grief" of the relatives of victims.

"Today, I and my colleagues have come here to Shindand to pray for the martyred and to share your sorrows," he told them, according to the statement.

Karzai also referred to a routine video conference with President George W. Bush on Thursday in which the US leader expressed regret over Shindand.

"I also thanked him for the concern and said such incidents should stop in the future," the Afghan president was quoted as saying.

He announced that the government would pay for relatives of the dead to make the Islamic pilgrimage to the holy city of Mecca and be given residential and agricultural land, the statement said.

Azizabad resident Shair Zaman said Karzai's visit was welcome, but he added: "What is most important is that such air strikes and killing of civilians should stop."

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