There have been 10,548 civilian casualties, including almost 3,700 deaths, in Afghanistan last year, the highest number of civilian deaths and injuries recorded in a single year since 2009, the UN Assistance Mission in Afghanistan (UNAMA) said.
"The 22 per cent rise in civilian casualties in 2014 resulted mainly from increased ground engagements across Afghanistan in which parties to the conflict also increasingly used high explosive weapons systems, such as mortars, rockets and grenades in civilian-populated areas — with devastating consequences for civilians," the UNAMA report said.
The news come after the United States and NATO troops officially concluded their combat mission in Afghanistan at the end of 2014 and handed security responsibility over to Afghan forces. Following the withdrawal of international troops from the country, the Taliban stepped up its insurgent activities in Afghanistan.
