Asia-Pacific

UN: Afghan citizens killed, injured rising sharply

(Agencies)
Updated: 2010-08-10 15:31

KABUL, Afghanistan - The number of civilians killed or wounded in the Afghan conflict rose 31 percent in the first six months of the year, and anti-government forces caused about three-quarters of the casualties, the United Nations said in a report Tuesday.

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"The human cost of this conflict is unfortunately rising," Staffan De Mistura, the top UN envoy in Afghanistan, said about the report released in Kabul. "Civilian casualties are increasing substantially."

According to the UN report, 1,271 Afghans died and 1,997 were injured in the first six months of the year.

The UN in Afghanistan said anti-government forces were responsible for 76 percent of the casualties - up from 53 percent last year.

The report said that 386, or 12 percent, of the Afghan casualties were due to US, NATO and other pro-government forces.

Overall, the report said that the number of children killed or wounded has risen 55 percent over the same six-month period last year, with 176 children killed and 389 injured.