NATO deaths in Afghanistan pass 100 for 2012
AFGHANISTAN: The number of NATO troops killed in Afghanistan so far
this year has passed 100, according to an AFP count on Wednesday based
on the independent icasualties.org website.
The icasualties total for 2012 stood at 98 but the NATO-led
International Security Assistance Force (ISAF) in Kabul has over the
past two days announced four deaths, taking the total to over 100.
The latest battle-related fatalities included a service member killed
by an improvised explosive device in the south, one by a similar blast
in the east and one by an insurgent attack, again in the east. The
nationalities of the dead were not identified, in line with ISAF policy.
ISAF's international joint command declined to confirm the total
figure. “The longstanding policy of ISAF is not to confirm any
consolidated number of casualties over a given timeframe,” said a
spokesman.The hardline Islamist Taliban has been fighting an insurgency
against President Hamid Karzai's government and its Western allies since
it was ousted from power in a US-led invasion following the September
11, 2001 attacks. The war has cost the West hundreds of billions of
dollars and almost 3,000 lives so far. The United States has suffered
the most deaths at 1,924, according to icasualties, with Britain next on
407. The 2012 fatality rate is slightly slower than last year, when 109
troops had been killed by the end of March, again according to
icasualties.org.
ISAF currently has around 130,000 troops in Afghanistan, but
responsibility for security across the country is due to be handed over
to Afghan authorities and most foreign troops withdrawn by the end of
2014. AFP
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