'Afghanistan's Security Environment', United States Government Accountability Office, 5 November 2009
EXCERPT: "Afghanistan’s security situation has deteriorated significantly since 2005, affecting all aspects of U.S. and allied reconstruction operations. As we reported in April 2009, the rise in enemy-initiated attacks on civilians and on U.S., Afghan, and coalition security forces has resulted from various factors, including a resurgence of the Taliban, the limited capabilities of Afghan security forces, a thriving illicit drug trade, and threats emanating from insurgent safe havens in Pakistan. Since 2005, attacks on civilians, as well as on Afghan and coalition forces, have increased every year. The most recent data available, as of August 2009, showed the highest rate of enemy initiated attacks since Afghanistan’s security situation began to deteriorate. Overall, nearly 13,000 attacks were recorded between January and August 2009—more than two and a half times the number experienced during the same period last year and more than five times the approximately 2,400 attacks reported in all of 2005."
Read the full report [pdf].
Related posts:
'Taliban kill nine in UN staff assault', 28 October 2009
'Insecurity continues to plague Afghanistan: UN', 29 September 2009
'Taliban widen Afghan attacks from base in Pakistan', 24 September 2009
'Deadliest bomb in over a year, at least 40 killed', 26 August 2009
'1013 civilian deaths in the first six months of 2009', 31 July 2009
