Radio New Zealand - Te Reo Irirangi o Aotearoa

Afghan civilian death toll rises for fifth year - UN

Updated at 9:17 pm on 4 February 2012

A United Nations report reveals that the number of civilians killed and injured in the Afghan conflict has risen for the fifth year in a row.

The UN Assistance Mission in Afghanistan documented 3021 civilian deaths in 2011 compared with 2790 in 2010 and 2412 in 2009 reports the BBC.

Most deaths were caused by insurgents, the report found.

It said improvised explosive devices were being used more widely and suicide attacks had become deadlier.

However, it also said that civilian deaths from air strikes in support of the Afghan government rose in 2011.

The 2011 Annual Report on Protection of Civilians in Armed Conflict said a total of 11,864 civilian lives had been claimed by the conflict since 2007.

Copyright © 2012, Radio New Zealand