Worst year in Afghan insurgency

With a total of 294 coalition military deaths, 2008 has been the worst year of the Afghan insurgency since NATO operations started there.  Civilian deaths are more difficult to ascertain and cause controversy.  It has nonetheless been estimated that, based on media reports, the number of civilian deaths ranges from 4,800 to 7,000, since the invasion began in October 2001.  Another 3,000 have been caused by insurgent operations.  These figures do not include the deaths of Taliban fighters but these are probably over 10,000 based on US and NATO body counts.  The military coalition has lost 1,073 personnel since 2001 of which USA 647, UK (143) and Canada (108) have suffered the worst. In October 2008, the Afghan Defence Minister, Abdul Rahim Wardak, confirmed that the level of violence had increased every year and that 2008 had been the worst of all.