Kabul, Afghanistan ? President Hamid Karzai on Saturday urged his countrymen to help U.S. soldiers track down suspected terrorists in southern Afghanistan, and asked American forces to take special care to avoid civilian casualties in their operations.

Karzai made the remarks to a group of village elders from the southern Baghran district of Helmand province, the scene of U.S. air and ground assaults on suspected Taliban hide-outs in the mountainous area this week, a statement from his office said.

The elders had come to the capital to complain about alleged deaths of several civilians in the assault. The U.S. military said it could not confirm any civilian casualties and said the fighting took place away from populated areas. Regional officials are investigating.

On Friday, U.S. military spokesman Col. Roger King said troops searching mountains in the province have seen evidence that enemy fighters have been in the area. About 30 to 100 rebels were hiding in Baghran, he said.

Karzai asked the local elders to help find the suspected terrorists by telling authorities about their movements in the area, according to a Pashto-language statement from his office after the meeting.

“The people of Baghran should cooperate with the international community’s forces who are working in Afghanistan for their betterment,” he said. “It is in citizens’ own interest to give information about terrorists who are seen in the villages.”

Also Saturday, Karzai asked U.S. officials to take “special care” before launching their operations to make sure their intelligence is correct.