Afghan violence worst since 2001: report

[Nek Muhammad]

KABUL: It would take “a miracle” to win the war and restore viable peace in Afghanistan under the inept government of President Hamid Karzai despite a massive surge in foreign troops, a rights group said on Monday.

The surge had also driven violence to its worst levels since the Taliban’s 2001 ousting, with 14 civilians killed or wounded on average each day, Afghanistan Rights Monitor (ARM) said in a new report.

“Contrary to President Barrack Obama’s promise that the deployment would ‘disrupt, dismantle and defeat’ Taliban insurgents and their al Qaeda allies in the region, the insurgency has become more resilient, multi-structured and deadly,” the group said.

Casualties among Nato and US forces fighting the Taliban hit a record monthly high of over 100 in June, and commanders expect violence to rise amid an anti-insurgent offensive incoming months and as the country prepares for lower house parliamentary elections on September 18.

At least 1,074 civilians had been killed in the conflict this year and more than 1,500 injured, although the number killed in US and Nato air strikes fell considerably due to tough restrictions driving down troop reliance on air power, ARM said.

Blotz also defended NATO’s record in protecting civilians, and said while foreign troops had killed 42 civilians between June 1 and 10 July, 464 died in insurgent bombings and shootings.


source:thenews