NATO and US casualties on the rise in Afghanistan

On Sunday the US/NATO force in Afghanistan suffered the largest number of casualties in a 24-hour period in more than three years.

Nine American troops were killed and as many as 15 were injured in a day-long battle with insurgents who attacked a US base in Dara-e-Pech in the eastern province of Kunar. Another soldier died in a roadside bombing in the volatile Sangin district in southern Helmand province.

James Cogan is giving an account of the latest developments in: “US/NATO casualties climb in Afghanistan”, an article on the WSWS:
http://www.wsws.org/articles/2008/jul2008/afgh-j15.shtml

See also
As Vice President Biden warns of an "uptick" in casualtiesAfghanistan civilians killed in US military raid
http://www.wsws.org/articles/2009/jan2009/afgh-j26.shtml

Civilian and military deaths in the Afghanistan War

The civilian deaths and military casualties came this year at new highs in the war in Afghanistan. June was the deadliest month for U.S. troops in the country since the war there began in late 2001. Civilian deaths has increased by 62 percent this year compared with the first six months of 2007.

“The figures are further evidence of the expanding insurgency against the US military and the NATO-led International Security Assistance Force (ISAF), and the desperate character of the fighting over recent months.”

James Cogan is reporting for the WSWS: “Civilian and military deaths at new highs in Afghan war”:
http://www.wsws.org/articles/2008/jul2008/afgh-j07.shtml

Figures released June, 29, 2008 by the UN Assistance Mission in Afghanistan (UNAMA) indicate that there have been 698 civilian casualties so far this year, compared to 430 for the same period in 2007.

The UN relief chief, John Holmes, says the “Afghan situation is worsening”, and he is urging a new approach.