AFGHANISTAN: Nearly 700 civilians die in 2008 Afghan violence, says UN
Posted by warvictims on June 30, 2008
By Agence France Pressse
KABUL, June 29, 2008 – Nearly 700 Afghan civilians have lost their
lives in crossfire between insurgents and foreign troops this year, the
United Nations said Sunday.
About 255 people were killed during operations by Afghan, NATO- and
US-led forces against militants while 422 others lost their lives in
attacks by rebels targeting government and military forces, UN’s Relief
Coordinator Sir John Holmes told reporters.
It was not known how another 21 people died, he added.
The figures show a sharp rise in the civilian deaths compared with 430
in the same period last year, Holmes said.
“While the proportion of deaths attributed to pro-government (forces)
has gone down, the absolute figure has increased, due to the rise in the
overall total,” the visiting UN official said.
Most of the casualties were in the country’s south where the Taliban
have been active, he added.
Afghanistan is wracked by an insurgency being waged by remnants of the
Taliban whose regime was toppled in a US-led invasion more than seven
years ago.
Since then, a 70,000-strong international force has been stationed in
the country fighting the rebels.
