NATO Says Its Forces Killed 97 Afghan Civilians In 2008 (Reuters)

{mosimage}  BRUSSELS, Jan 28 (Reuters) -- NATO-led forces killed nearly 100 civilians in operations against militants in Afghanistan last year, the alliance said Wednesday, while blaming insurgents for the deaths of 10 times that number.

 Civilian casualties have eroded public support for President Hamid Karzai's government and foreign troops backing it. It has also caused a rift between Karzai and his Western allies more than seven years after U.S.-led and Afghan forces overthrew the Taliban government.

  In the past, NATO has not given any estimate of the number of civilian deaths caused by the 55,000-strong International Security Assistance Force (ISAF) it leads in the country, but spokesman James Appathurai said it had completed an assessment.

  "According to our military assessment ... in 2008 NATO ISAF was responsible for 97 civilian casualties (fatalities)," he said. He blamed the Taliban and other militants for 973, civilian deaths -- 10 times that number.

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