KABUL, May 16 (Xinhua) -- Afghan Defense Ministry investigating team has confirmed the death of 140 civilians during NATO air strikes in Balablok district of Farah province west of Afghanistan early this month, a press release issued here Saturday said.

    "In line with the president order, a joint delegation under General Shahzada, after visiting Balablok and probing the case, confirmed that 140 civilians had been killed and 25 others sustained injuries," the press release asserted.

    The delegation which includes members of parliament, officials from Interior Ministry and National Security Directorate and returned Friday to Kabul also expressed their sympathy to the victims' families.

    During the visit to the affected area, the delegation paid 100,000 Afghanis (2,000 U.S. dollars) to the family of those killed in the aerial bombardment and 5,000 Afghanis to the families of those injured, the press release further said.

    However, it denied the use of chemical weapons in the area, saying it has not found any evidence to prove the use of chemical weapons during the bombardment.

    Earlier reports had suggested using White Phosphorus during the bombardment on the village of Garani and surrounding areas in Balablok district.

    Nevertheless, the incident has broken the record of civilian fatalities since the ouster of Taliban regime by a US military invasion in late 2001.