Steep increase in civilan deaths in Afghanistan - the "Forgotten Front"

New U.N. figures show that the number of civilians killed in Afghanistan in the first half of this year rose 62 percent over the same period last year, marking increased instability and deteriorating conditions in Afghanistan, the "Forgotten Front."



The U.N. report shows that insurgents caused 422 civilian deaths while government or NATO forces caused 255, with 21 deaths unclear. A NATO spokesman said that "those numbers were far, far higher than we would recognize" but "provided no alternative figures." Earlier this month, Joint Chiefs of Staff Chairman Adm. Michael Mullen told staff at a public meeting that in Afghanistan "violence is up this year by every single measure we look at." Thirty-nine coalition forces were killed in Afghanistan this month, making June the deadliest month of the war and marking the first month that coalition deaths in Afghanistan surpassed those in Iraq. Military commanders "believe they need three brigades, or 10,000 troops, to address the situation in Afghanistan, but with the heavy U.S. commitment in Iraq, those numbers are difficult to muster."