by The Canadian Press
KABUL — The United Nations says the number of Afghan civilians killed in insurgent attacks and air strikes by foreign troops has risen almost 40 per cent this year.
The UN says the Taliban has been responsible for 800 or some 55 per cent of the 1,445 Afghan civilian deaths reported through the end of August. U.S., NATO and Afghan forces are responsible for the other 645 civilian deaths, or 45 per cent.
The UN says 395 of the civilian deaths caused by pro-government forces – about 60 per cent – have occurred in U.S. and NATO air strikes.
A total of 1,040 Afghan civilians died in the same eight-month period last year.
According to the UN statement, 330 civilians died in August alone, including about 92 killed in a U.S.-led raid on the village of Azizabad.
“This is the highest number of civilian deaths to occur in a single month since the end of major hostilities and the ousting of the Taliban regime at the end of 2001,” UN human rights chief Navi Pallay said in a statement.
“There is substantial evidence indicating that the Taliban are carrying out a systematic campaign of intimidation and violence aimed at Afghan civilians they believe to be supportive of the government, the international community and military forces,” Pillay said.
President Hamid Karzai for years has pleaded with U.S. and NATO forces to reduce the number of civilians killed in their operations.
After the bombing in Azizabad, the government announced it would review its “status of force” agreement with the U.S. and NATO and review whether to demand an end to air strikes and other operations in Afghan villages.
The Interior Ministry, meanwhile, said insurgents have killed 720 police in the last six months, compared with about 925 police deaths in all of 2007.
Afghanistan’s 82,000 police have less training and firepower than the Afghan army, making them a favourite target for the rebels. The police also travel in small groups through some of Afghanistan’s most dangerous territory.
Meanwhile, NATO’s International Security Assistance Force said its forces killed 10 insurgents in Wardak province on the Kabul-Kandahar highway on Sunday. Insurgents attacked the soldiers with a rocket, and NATO soldiers responded with artillery and fighter aircraft, NATO said.
The battle took place about 65 kilometres southwest of Kabul.
More than 4,200 people – mostly militants – have died in insurgency related violence this year, according to an Associated Press tally of figures from Afghan and western officials.
Source: http://canadianpress.google.com/article/ALeqM5iqGNq8q-WppUyO14R7bS4nicRzKg
