Strikes in Afghanistan decline as flights rise

[unhappycamper]

More missions, fewer bombs
Strikes peaked in June


Strikes in Afghanistan decline as flights rise
By Bruce Rolfsen - Staff writer
Posted : Monday Nov 17, 2008 18:24:05 EST

As criticism increased that airstrikes in Afghanistan were killing too many civilians and endangering the support for U.S. troops there, the number of bombs dropped by Air Force, Navy and other coalition warplanes declined.

Air Forces Central figures show that since June, the number of bombs dropped by fighters and bombers decreased each month, even as ground combat increased.

The number of bomb strikes peaked in June at 646. By October, the monthly total had declined to 182.

At the same time, ground combat became more deadly. From June through October, 96 U.S. servicemen died in combat in Afghanistan, compared with 51 in the same months last year, according to the Defense Department.

While bomb strikes were less frequent, there was no let up in close-air support flights.


Rest of article at: http://www.airforcetimes.com/news/2008/11/airforce_afghan_airstrikes_111708w/%2e