(AP) – The United Nations said on Wednesday that an increasing number of women and children were getting hurt or killed in Afghanistan’s war against the Taliban and other insurgents. The total number of casualties in the almost 14-year conflict was up one percent in the first half of this year, compared to the same period last year, a new U.N. report said. However, the number of women casualties rose by 23 percent and children 13 percent. Danielle Bell, director of the Human Rights Unit at the U.N.’s Assistant Mission in Afghanistan, said the alarming rise in casualties among women and children was due to ground fighting. UNAMA attributed 70 percent of civilian casualties to insurgent forces.
