Deadliest Year Yet for Troops in Afghanistan

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November 30, 2007 1:52 PM

It's been a bad year in Afghanistan, the deadliest for international troops in that country, as 223 U.S. and NATO soldiers have been killed so far this year, 111 of them Americans. 

Already, 13 more U.S. soldiers have died in Afghanistan this year than in all of last year. This is almost an even split with NATO with regards to fatalities. As the NATO mission increased over the last two years, they've begun taking heavy losses: 31 killed in 2005, 93 in 2006 and 110 so far this year.

The decreasing numbers of U.S. fatalities in Iraq are getting closer to the number of U.S. casualties in Afghanistan, 37 in Iraq this month and 11 in Afghanistan. This has been the trend for two straight months. Take into consideration that in Iraq, there are 162,000 U.S. troops, as opposed to 26,000 U.S. troops in Afghanistan. If the U.S. numbers continue to dip, they will more clearly reflect what's been apparent all year, Afghanistan is a very dangerous place for U.S. troops.   

The Blotter recently reported on U.S. troops stationed in the Korengal Valley of Afghanistan.

U.S. fatalities in Iraq peaked at 126 in May and for two straight months have dipped below 40. Monthly U.S. fatality counts in Afghanistan have been in the low teens for most of the year. 

Here's the annual fatality breakdowns since the U.S. and NATO went into Afghanistan in 2001.
2001 --12  total  (12 U.S.)
2002 --69  total  (49 U.S.)
2003 --57  total  (48 U.S.)
2004 --58  total  (52 U.S.)
2005 --130 total  (99 U.S.)
2006 --191 total  (98 U.S.)
2007 --223 total (111 U.S.)

American deaths in Afghanistan due to hostile fire outnumber non-hostile deaths by a rate of about 2.5 to 1. Here's a monthly fatality breakdown compiled from a Department of Defense list for all fatalities since 2001.      
January -- 0 fatalities
February -- 14 total = 2 hostile and 12 non-hostile (helo accident killed 8)
March -- 5 total = 1 hostile, 4 non-hostile
April -- 8 total = 5 hostile, 3 non-hostile
May -- 11 total = 10 hostile, 1 non-hostile
June  -- 12 total = 11 hostile, 1 non-hostile
July -- 14 total = 13 hostile, 1 non-hostile
August -- 17 total = 13 hostile, 4 non-hostile
September -- 9 total = 7 hostile, 2 non-hostile
October -- 10 total = 7 hostile, 3 non-hostile
November -- 11 total

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