Sofistas

Asia

4 February 2012 Last updated at 06:34 GMT

Afghan civilian deaths rise for fifth year, says UN
The number of civilians killed and injured in the Afghan conflict has risen for the fifthyear in a row, a UN report reveals. The UN Assistance Mission in Afghanistan (Unama) documented 3,021 civilian deaths in 2011 compared with 2,790 in 2010 and 2,412 in 2009. Most deaths were caused byinsurgents, the report found. It said improvised explosive devices (IEDs) were being used more widely and suicide attacks had become deadlier. However, it also said that civilian deaths from air strikesin support of the Afghan government rose in 2011. "Afghan children, women and men continue to be killed in this war in ever-increasing numbers," said Jan Kubis, UN Special Representative forSecretary-General Ban Ki-moon. "For much too long Afghan civilians have paid the highest price of war. Parties to the conflict must greatly increase their efforts to protect civilians to prevent yet anotherincrease in civilian deaths and injuries in 2012." 'Real suffering' The 2011 Annual Report on Protection of Civilians in Armed Conflict said a total of 11,864 civilian lives had been claimed by theconflict since 2007. In 2011, "anti-government elements" were blamed for 2,332 or 77% of civilians killed - up 14% from 2010, the report said. There were 410 civilian deaths (14%) that resulted from theoperations of pro-government forces, a fall of 4% from 2010. Another 279 civilian deaths (9%) could not be attributed to either side in the conflict, the report added. "Improvised explosive deviceswere the single largest killer of Afghan children, women and men in 2011, taking the lives of 967 civilians, or nearly one in three (32%) of all civilians killed in the conflict," the report said. "Amongthe tactics of pro-government forces, aerial attacks caused the greatest number of Afghan civilian deaths in 2011 attributed to these forces." The report said 187 civilian deaths were attributed to...