IEDs a Growing Problem in Afghanistan

IEDs in Afghanistan continue to be a growing problem resulting in numerous injuries and deaths.  This, despite an enormous effort to defeat the IED networks and protect troops with expensive anti-mine vehicles.

"Insurgents in Afghanistan have answered the Obama administration's troop surge with a surge of their own, planting thousands of roadside bombs that caused more U.S. troop casualties last year than the prior eight years of the war.

Since President Obama took office in January 2009 and vowed to end Taliban gains in Afghanistan, casualties from improvised explosive devices (IEDs) have nearly quadrupled.

In 2010, the bombs wounded 3,366 U.S. troops, which is nearly 60% of the total IED-wounded since the war's start in late 2001, according to Pentagon figures.

In nine years of war, 617 American troops have been killed by IEDs and the majority of those deaths came in the past two years. The 268 troops killed by IEDs in 2010 account for more than 40% of all deaths caused by bombs during the war."

Read more in "Afghan insurgents match surge with more IEDs" by USA Today.