Civilian casualties up by 24 pc in 1st half of 2014 (Video)

KABUL (Pajhwok): Civilian casualties in the country rose by 24 percent in the first half of the current year, the United Nations Assistance Mission in Afghanistan (UNAMA) said on Wednesday.

From January 1 to June 20, UNAMA documented 4,853 civilian casualties, up 24 per cent over the same period in 2013. Included in the toll were 1,564 civilian deaths and 3,289 injuries, showing 17 and 28 per cent increase respectively.

The Mid-Year Report on Protection of Civilians in Armed Conflict says ground combat is causing more deaths and injuries than improvised explosive devices (IEDs). Women and children were increasingly caught in the crossfire.