Civilian deaths in Afghan war up 15% this year: UN report

The Afghan war has claimed 15% more civilian lives in the first half of this year than in the same period a year ago, the United Nations has said in a report.

The report said that 1,462 civilian deaths have been documented from January to June, and insurgents caused four-fifths of the deaths.

“Afghan children, women and men continue to be killed and injured at an alarming rate,” The Los Angeles Times quoted Staffan de Mistura, head of the UN mission in Afghanistan, as saying.

The report also said that May saw 368 civilian deaths, the largest number since the UN began tracking non-combatant fatalities five years ago. June had nearly as many, with 360.