NATO commanders will move to restrict air strikes on residential areas in Afghanistan, following a number of civilian deaths in raids.

The commitment came Sunday, days after a strike in Logar province, which Afghan officials say killed 18 civilians.

"Given our commitment to protect Afghan civilians, restricting the use of air-delivered munitions against insurgents within civilian dwellings is a prudent and logical step in the progression in the campaign," Jamie Graybeal, a NATO spokesman in Afghanistan, said in an email cited by The New York Times.

A day earlier Afghan President Hamid Karzai met General John Allen, commander of NATO's International Security Assistance Force (ISAF) -- and following the meeting said the US officer had "promised ... not to carry out air strikes on public residential areas."

In a statement, Karzai's office noted that the general had "once again officially apologized for civilian casualties" and that "after agreeing with the demands of the president" Allen had said NATO forces "will completely stop such operations."