‘Afghan forces’ casualties climbing in 2016’

KABUL — Afghan forces are suffering rising levels of battlefield casualties this year after unprecedented numbers of police and soldiers were killed and wounded in 2015, the top US commander in Afghanistan said. US Army General John Nicholson, in some of his first remarks since the United States last week scaled back its withdrawal plans, told a small group of reporters that the rising casualties were largely the result of Taliban attacks on fixed Afghan positions. “This year, we’re seeing more tactical success (by the Afghans) on the battlefield but more casualties as well,” Nicholson said late on Saturday when asked about how Afghan forces were faring this year compared with 2015. He did not disclose figures. A spokesman said on Sunday that Nicholson was referring to an increase so far in 2016 compared with the same period in 2015, and noted how fighting was more intense due to the milder winter this year. “It’s when they’re in a defensive posture, such as in checkpoints being overrun, is where the majority of the casualties are occurring,” Nicholson said. More than 5,000 forces in Afghanistan were killed in action and over 14,000 were wounded in 2015, when the Taliban staged a series of attacks that upended US assumptions about the ability of Afghan forces to secure the country after more than 14 1/2 years of war. — Reuters