By Hollie McKay
It has been 16 years since the U.S. launched the War on Terror in Afghanistan, yet civilians still are bearing the brunt of the bloodshed.
Other officials suggested the number of civilian casualties is even higher, up to 120 per day.
Mahmoud Saikal, the Permanent Representative of Afghanistan to the United Nations, told Fox News that the war-embattled nation each day amid the insurgency is losing on average 70 to 80 civilians — only a small percent of whom are military.
Other officials suggested the number of civilian casualties is even higher, up to 120 per day.
Saikal also noted — affirming what President Ghani previously has stated — that Afghanistan is fighting some “20 different terrorist groups” on its soil on any given day.
The U.S. recently declared it was increasing its troop commitment to Afghanistan, and it is expected that around 3,000 more troops will be deployed there in coming weeks. The decision came after months of deliberations — of which President Trump demanded answers as to why the security situation was so dire despite the trillions of dollars spent and lives lost in the seemingly intractable conflict.
Full report here.