Pentagon Report: US Failed to Establish Security in Afghanistan

The US has failed to establish security in Afghanistan nine years after the US-led invasion of the country, the Pentagon admitted in a report in contrast to more upbeat declarations of US officials.

Violence is at an all-time high in the nine-year-old, with combat incidents up 300 percent since 2007 and 70 percent since last year, AFP quoted the report on Tuesday.

"Progress across the country remains uneven, with modest gains in security, governance, and development in operational priority areas," the report said.

In spite of the presence of approximately 150,000 US and other foreign troops, no improvement has been made in the security situation in Afghanistan.

The foreign presence in Afghanistan has already come under fire over the mounting civilian casualties.

Hundreds of civilians have lost their lives in various parts of Afghanistan in the US-led airstrikes and ground operations over the past few months.

According to the United Nations, there has been a 30 percent rise in the number of civilian casualties in the first half of 2010 compared to the same period last year.