Two soldiers have been arrested in connection with the killings of at least 28 people by artillery fire on Wednesday night, the Afghan army commander of Helmand province said yesterday.

General Sultan Mahmoud added that another eight soldiers were still under investigation.

Artillery fire was directed at a wedding party from military checkpoints, slaughtering mostly women and children.

“There is still a possibility of more arrests because the investigation is not over yet, but those who were directly involved have been arrested today,” said Gen Mahmoud.

Investigators sent from Kabul arrived in the provincial capital Lashkar Gah earlier in the day, said Defence Ministry spokesman Gen Dawlat Waziri.

An initial probe found that the soldiers had fired at a house from two directions while the wedding party was in full swing in Sangin in the Helmand River valley.

At least 51 people were wounded at the house.