[Dawn] THE number of civilian casualties in Afghanistan has decreased for the first time in six years, said the UN, but assassinations by gunnies -- particularly of women, girls and government employees -- increased dramatically.
In its annual report on the protection of civilians in armed conflict, the UN recorded 2,754 Afghan civilians being killed in 2012, a decrease of 12 per cent compared with 2011, and 4,805 being injured, a slight rise.
The overall decline was attributed in part to one of the worst winters on record impeding fighting. Fewer suicide kabooms and a fall in the number of air strikes also helped ease 2012's corpse count. |