Caught in the crossfire

tauringhuang.

Sep 17th 2008
From Economist.com

Civilian deaths in Afghanistan reach a new high


WHILE security in Iraq is getting a little better, in Afghanistan it continues to worsen. On Tuesday September 16th the UN reported that 1,445 civilians had been killed in the first eight months of 2008, 40% more than in the same period in 2007, as armed conflict between the coalition forces and the Taliban increased. Some 330 died in August, the highest monthly death toll since 2001. More than half have died at the hands of insurgents, mostly in bombings. But around 577 people were killed by pro-government forces, two-thirds of these in air strikes. Last month, an American attack killed up to 90 civilians, enraging many Afghans.