Afghan civilian casualties jump 24pc in year to June: UN

Civilian casualties in Afghanistan soared by 24 per cent in the first half of 2014, according to UN figures released on Wednesday, revealing worsening nationwide violence as US-led troops leave after more than a decade fighting the Taliban. Ground combat is now causing more deaths and injuries than improvised explosive devices (IEDs) in a worrying sign of spreading conflict, with women and children increasingly caught in the crossfire, the UN report said, according to AFP.