Afghan Civilian Deaths Up 25 Percent

Afghan civilian deaths in the war went up 25 percent in the first six months of the year, due to increased attacks from insurgents, the United Nations said Tuesday. NATO has made a strong push to lower civilian casualties, with some success, but the war continues to grow more violent. Insurgents were responsible for 72 percent of the 1,271 deaths. Bombs, which are getting more sophisticated, still kill the most people, but insurgents have increased assassinations, particularly over the past few months. Eighteen percent were caused by Western forces, down from 31 percent last year, though air strikes remain the biggest cause of civilian deaths from coalition troops.