Fergie's Tech Blog

Wikileaks Slams Arrest, Releases Latest Afghan Death Data

Via Wikileaks.org.

A confidential NATO report from January reveals that civilian deaths from the war in Afghanistan have increased by 46% over the past year.

The 12 page report was authenticated and released today in full by the transparency group Wikileaks.

The report shows a dramatic escalation of the war and civil disorder. Coalition deaths increased by 35%, assassinations and kidnappings by 50% and attacks on the Kabul based Government of Hamid Karzai also more than doubled, rising a massive 119%.

Other significant NATO/International Security Assistance Force figures from the 2009 report are:

• IED related attacks rose 27% and deaths 29%.
• Rifle and rocket fire increased 40%.
• Surface to air fire increased 67%.

Outside of the capital Kabul:

• Only one in two families had access to even the most basic health care
• Only one in two children had access to a school

According to UK media reports, a British Army officer, Colonel McNally, was arrested for passing civilian death toll figures for 2006-2007 to Human Rights Watch analyst and former BBC radio reporter Rachel Reid. Human Rights Watch published a report based around the data last September.

The London Times, stated that American military officials were "seething" over the leaks.

posted by Fergie @ 2/15/2009 10:41:00 PM