KABUL - More than 9,000 civilians have lost their lives in the past three years in Afghanistan, a joint report by UN and Independent Human Rights Commission said.
There has been a 15-percent rise in civilian casualties in the country, the report said.
In the past three months more than 420 civilians have lost their lives nationwide, it said.
It said most of the deaths have been caused by Taliban and insurgents.

"One third of the figure have been killed in operations by foreign and Afghan forces and two third of it have been killed in suicide attacks, roadside bombs and direct slaughters by the Taliban and militants," Nader Naderi, a member of Afghanistan's Independent Human Rights Commission (AIHC), said.
Civilians took bulk of the casualties in southern regions, where insurgents are highly active, it said.

The report finds suicide attacks, roadside bombs, bombardments and missile attacks as the main factors behind civilian deaths surge. Involved sides in the conflict should make their all-out efforts to prevent targeting civilians in attacks and operations, it said. (Tolo News)