KABUL: Violence has grown “slightly” in Afghanistan over 2007 but there has also been an improvement in efforts to defeat the Taliban-led insurgency, the United Nations mission said on Monday.

“The violence is slightly stronger this year, the number of suicide attacks slightly larger,” UN deputy special representative to Afghanistan, Chris Alexander, told reporters.

“But I will insist that the quality of the efforts, military efforts and civilian efforts, to counter the insurgency is improving and has improved.” The hardline Taliban launched their campaign after being forced out of government in late 2001.

This year, the violence has claimed around 6,000 lives, including about 210 foreign soldiers, and there have been some 130 suicide blasts, including the worst in Afghanistan’s history which killed nearly 80 people. To help combat the increasing Taliban threat to the first democratically elected government, more than 55,000 foreign soldiers mainly under Nato command are fighting alongside and training the growing Afghan forces.—AFP