Afghan war civilian casualties reached record-high 10,000 in 2014

KABUL, Afghanistan, Feb. 18 (UPI) -- A new record of 10,548 civilians died or were wounded in the war in Afghanistan in 2014 – alongside a number of other new, deadly records.

Civilian casualties were up 22 percent from the previous record in 2013. The number of women and children either killed or wounded reached record highs, according to the United Nations Assistance Mission in Afghanistan. Casualties from suicide attacks, roadside bombs and explosive devices also broke records.

The United Nations has been recording the war in Afghanistan since 2009.

It was also the deadliest year for Afghan security forces since the start of the U.S.-led war in Afghanistan, known as Operation Enduring Freedom.

The withdrawal of Western combat troops and lack of air support are noted as being part of the cause for the rise in casualties.

The nature of the war changed since there are nearly no troops left in Afghanistan from the U.S.-led coalition. Afghan security forces have to battle insurgents in direct ground-combat confrontations.

In 2014, more Afghans civilians were killed or injured in ground engagements than by improvised explosive devices or other methods since 2009.

#UNAMA's @ggagnonn: Women & children particularly hard hit by armed conflict & these increased ground engagements. pic.twitter.com/ivEUK3Pefq

— UNAMA (@_UNAMA_) February 18, 2015

Ground engagements increase the fog of war, which increases the likelihood of civilians being targeted by either insurgency militants or Afghan security forces.

There were 3,605 civilians killed or wounded in ground combat last year. About 43 percent of casualties were attributed to insurgency groups like the Taliban and about 26 percent of casualties were attributed to the Afghan government and its allies.

It is unclear which side is responsible for the remaining 30 percent of ground-combat casualties.

The U.N. cites one account of the Afghan National Army shelling civilians at a wedding on Dec. 31, 2014.

"The wedding ceremony was transformed into a funeral when our house was hit by mortar rounds fired by the Afghan National Army," a relative of a groom at the wedding party said. "We do not know why we were targeted or why we have suffered casualties for nothing."