International forces in Afghanistan released new data Thursday that they claim show violence trending downward in their favor, contradicting U.N. statistics that the monthly average number of clashes and other attacks is nearly 40 percent more than last year.
NATO said it has made progress by routing the Taliban from their strongholds in the south. But the Taliban have hit back with several high-profile attacks in the capital and assassinations of government officials and senior Afghan leaders.
The U.S.-led coalition reported that insurgent attacks in the first eight months of the year were down 2 percent and that the Taliban are relying more on roadside bombs to fight the war instead of shooting at better-armed international troops.
"Actual enemy-initiated attacks are down and that is what we are observing as an indicator that actually violence trends are going down in our favor," said Brig. Gen. Carsten Jacobson, a spokesman for the coalition.
The coalition said direct fire from insurgents dropped 30 percent in recent months. However, NATO said that roadside bomb explosions rose 5 percent during the time period.