Q+A-Civilian casualties in Afghanistan

KABUL (Reuters) - President Hamid Karzai is "very serious" about a demand for foreign forces in Afghanistan to halt air raids to avoid civilian deaths, even though it was rebuffed by a top U.S. security official, his spokesman said on Monday.

Afghans are furious about the bombing of two villages in Western Farah province during a drawn-out battle last week, when homes full of civilians were hit. Karzai put the death toll at up to 130 people.

Here are a few facts about civilian deaths in Afghanistan.

HOW BAD IS THE PROBLEM?

The growing strength of the insurgency across much of Afghanistan has led to fiercer fighting and a fast-rising civilian death toll from operations by foreign troops.

Civilian deaths caused by pro-government forces, including U.S., NATO and Afghan security forces, rose nearly a third in 2008 from a year earlier to 828, the United Nations said.

Airstrikes accounted for 552, or well over half, the total.

The deaths of ordinary Afghans are undermining support for the U.S. and NATO-led mission which was originally welcomed in parts of the country for toppling the Taliban in 2001.