Afghan civilian death toll increases
Source: Agencies |
May 3, 2010, Monday
|
Print Edition
Print Edition
CIVILIAN casualties are rising in Afghanistan as United States and NATO reinforcements stream into the country as part of a military buildup to combat the resurgent Taliban, the Interior Ministry said yesterday.
There were 173 civilian deaths from violence in Afghanistan from March 21 to April 21, marking a 33 percent increase over the same time period last year, the ministry said. A recent report by the US office overseeing Afghanistan's rebuilding confirmed the increase.
The ministry did not provide a breakdown of who was responsible for the fatalities.
Civilian deaths at the hands of US and other international forces are highly sensitive in Afghanistan, although the UN says the Taliban is responsible for most civilian casualties. Still, the backlash could undermine US strategy ahead of a summer military operation in Kandahar, a key southern city that is the spiritual home of the Taliban.
The goal of the US-led operation is to flood in troops, rout the militants and rush in new governance and development projects to win the loyalty of Kandahar's half-million residents.
Protests
Public outrage over civilian deaths prompted the top commander General Stanley McChrystal last year to tighten the rules on the use of air strikes and other weaponry if civilians are at risk.
There are fears that the problem could get worse with 30,000 US and NATO reinforcements heading to Afghanistan to take on the Taliban in the south.
Several recent operations have sparked protests in Afghanistan.
Last Thursday, the French military said its troops mistakenly killed four Afghan civilians and seriously injured one during a clash with insurgents east of Kabul on April 6. On April 20, NATO troops fired on a vehicle that approached their convoy in eastern Afghanistan, killing four unarmed Afghan civilians.
"Preventing Afghan casualties remains our goal despite recent setbacks," said Lieutenant Colonel Todd Vician, a NATO spokesman in Kabul. He added that military operations have increased this year, with many taking place in population centers.
Also yesterday, a British service member died after an insurgent attack in southern Afghanistan, the Ministry of Defense announced.
There were 173 civilian deaths from violence in Afghanistan from March 21 to April 21, marking a 33 percent increase over the same time period last year, the ministry said. A recent report by the US office overseeing Afghanistan's rebuilding confirmed the increase.
The ministry did not provide a breakdown of who was responsible for the fatalities.
Civilian deaths at the hands of US and other international forces are highly sensitive in Afghanistan, although the UN says the Taliban is responsible for most civilian casualties. Still, the backlash could undermine US strategy ahead of a summer military operation in Kandahar, a key southern city that is the spiritual home of the Taliban.
The goal of the US-led operation is to flood in troops, rout the militants and rush in new governance and development projects to win the loyalty of Kandahar's half-million residents.
Protests
Public outrage over civilian deaths prompted the top commander General Stanley McChrystal last year to tighten the rules on the use of air strikes and other weaponry if civilians are at risk.
There are fears that the problem could get worse with 30,000 US and NATO reinforcements heading to Afghanistan to take on the Taliban in the south.
Several recent operations have sparked protests in Afghanistan.
Last Thursday, the French military said its troops mistakenly killed four Afghan civilians and seriously injured one during a clash with insurgents east of Kabul on April 6. On April 20, NATO troops fired on a vehicle that approached their convoy in eastern Afghanistan, killing four unarmed Afghan civilians.
"Preventing Afghan casualties remains our goal despite recent setbacks," said Lieutenant Colonel Todd Vician, a NATO spokesman in Kabul. He added that military operations have increased this year, with many taking place in population centers.
Also yesterday, a British service member died after an insurgent attack in southern Afghanistan, the Ministry of Defense announced.
- About Us
- |
- Terms of Use
- |
-
RSS - |
- Privacy Policy
- |
- Contact Us
- |
- Shanghai Call Center: 962288
- |
- Tip-off hotline: 52920043
- 娌狪CP璇侊細娌狪CP澶05050403鍙-1
- |
- 浜掕仈缃戞柊闂讳俊鎭湇鍔¤鍙瘉锛31120180004
- |
- 缃戠粶瑙嗗惉璁稿彲璇侊細0909346
- |
- 骞挎挱鐢佃鑺傜洰鍒朵綔璁稿彲璇侊細娌瓧绗354鍙
- |
- 澧炲肩數淇′笟鍔＄粡钀ヨ鍙瘉锛氭勃B2-20120012
Copyright 漏 1999- Shanghai Daily. All rights reserved.Preferably viewed with Internet Explorer 8 or newer browsers.
