UN: Afghan civilian deaths down but trend eroding

KABUL, Afghanistan (AP) — Afghan civilian deaths dropped 22 percent in the first six months of 2012 compared with a year ago, but the number of civilians killed in targeted assassinations surged, the United Nations said in a report released Wednesday.

The overall reduction was largely due to a decrease in the number killed by insurgents’ homemade bombs and suicide attacks, the report said. The number of civilians who died in NATO attacks including airstrikes also fell.