In Afghanistan, drugs seized in 71 million dollars.

At the beginning of February as a result of operation conducted by Afghan and British forces in Helmand province, were seized drugs worth over 71 million dollars. This was reported at BBC News.
The operation, conducted February 6-11, was attended by 700 military personnel. They conducted the raid on four factories, producing drugs. During the raid, according to The Guardian, 20 militants were killed.
As previously reported Reuters referring to the UN Office on Drugs and Crime, the Taliban received in 2008 to 470 million dollars of net profit from operations of cultivation, processing and trade in drugs.
Meanwhile, the number of civilian casualties in Afghanistan in 2008 compared to 2007 increased by 40 percent. This is stated in the report of the UN mission.
According to UN experts in 2008 in Afghanistan, killed 2118 civilians, and in 2007 - 1523. Indicators 2008, the highest since the overthrow of the Taliban regime. The report notes that the 1160 peaceful Afghans in the past year were killed by militants, 828 - from the pro-Government forces, including Western troops. Those responsible for the deaths of another 130 people have not been established. Most of the deaths of innocent civilians (44 percent) occur in the southern parts of the country where the Taliban are particularly strong.
The government of Afghanistan has repeatedly accused foreign troops in its territory, the killing of civilians. In August 2008, Afghan authorities said that dozens of civilians have become victims of air strikes in Herat province. The UN Commission then confirmed the deaths of 90 civilians, including 60 children. The Government of Afghanistan in connection with the ban demanded cause aviudary coalition troops in the country.
Experts estimate that the security situation in Afghanistan has deteriorated, the Taliban are gaining strength again. U.S. President Barack Obama on February 17 signed an order to increase American troop strength in Afghanistan. Presumably, it will send 17 thousand soldiers. Currently, there are serving 33 thousand American soldiers.