World Bulletin / News Desk

Civilian casualties in Afghanistan hit a record high in 2016, the UN said Monday, with nearly 11,500 people -- one third of them children -- killed or wounded as Afghan forces struggle to contain growing insecurity.

Fighting between security forces and militants, especially in populated areas, remained "the leading cause of civilian casualties", a grim indicator of rising violence more than two years after the NATO combat mission ended, the UN report said.