WASHINGTON: Afghanistan troop casualties climbed 79 percent during key fighting months this year as the still-resistent Taliban kept up the pace of its attacks and Nato forces moved into a support role in preparation to end their combat mission, the Pentagon said on Friday.
The data came in a Defence Department report to Congress that also showed Nato casualties falling 59 percent during the April-September period under review. The Pentagon did not provide the number of casualties for either year. Despite the jump in Afghan casualties and high attrition rates in the Afghan army, the report was broadly upbeat about the Afghan National Security Forces, or ANSF. It said they had proven their ability to hold hard-won gains from the 12-year-old war, even as Nato forces pulled back from the front lines. It also cautioned that Afghan forces would be at risk without continued international support after Nato wraps up its combat mission at the end of 2014.
“After 2014, ANSF sustainability will be at high risk without continued aid from the international community and continued coalition force assistance,” the report said.
“With assistance, however, the ANSF will remain on a path towards an enduring ability to overmatch the Taliban.”
The report comes ahead of the assembly later this month of Afghan tribal elders, who are due to weigh a security pact with the US, including a contentious provision giving immunity to US forces. Without the pact, the US has threatened a complete pullout after 2014. Reuters
