UN bemoans Afghan civilian killings

The United Nations in a new report bemoaned the "extreme" number of civilian casualties in Afghanistan's protracted war, saying 2,798 Afghan civilians died in the first nine months of this year, while another 5,252 were wounded.

The report released Wednesday by the UN Assistance Mission in Afghanistan blamed most of the deaths and injuries on insurgent suicide attacks and improvised explosive devices.

"As there can be no military solution to the fighting in Afghanistan, the United Nations renews its call for an immediate and peaceful settlement to the conflict," said Tadamichi Yamamoto, UNAMA chief in Kabul.

Particularly worrisome is the targeting of ethnic and religious minorities, he said.

In recent months the Islamic State affiliate has taken credit repeatedly for brutal assaults on Afghanistan's minority Shiites.