Civilian casualty in Afghanistan

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Richard Blanchette, chief spokesman, NATO forces in Afghanistan, said, "This is a highly emotional event, like when a soldier is going down there and you see the bodies of innocent people, it really touches you. We have children, we are deployed here, we are soldiers, but we understand that we are here to protect the people and if an unfortunate event has taken place, we will draw the lesson because we really do not want this to happen again."

Dan McNorton is the United Nations spokesman in Afghanistan.

He says over 2,100 civilian causalities were recorded in the warn-torn country last year.

Dan McNorton, United Nations spokesman in Afghanistan, said, "2008 saw an increase in the number of civilian casualties caused in Afghanistan. 2008 was unfortunately the worst year for civilian casualties and the impact that the armed conflict is having on Afghanistan and its people is certainly marked."

President Barack Obama announced on Tuesday he was deploying an additional 17-thousand U.S. forces to Afghanistan to bolster the 33-thousand already in the country.

His move would put several thousand troops in place in time for the increase in fighting that usually occurs with warmer weather and ahead of national elections in August.

But the plan also increases the chances that more civilians could be killed.

Editor:Zhang Yun