Behind the Numbers

(Fox News) - NATO and the government of Afghanistan say civilian casualty figures that follow coalition action are often exaggerated or fabricated.

The BBC reports officials say this is done by insurgents trying to put public pressure on the U.S. and its allies. They say coalition operations are often followed by false reports of as many as 200 civilian deaths.

One Afghan general says the Taliban regularly forces villagers to phone media outlets with inflated figures — under threat of beheading if they do not comply.