In other news from Afghanistan, the outgoing head of the UN mission is warning the US not to let its military escalation sideline Afghanistan’s civilian and humanitarian needs. In a farewell address to the UN Security Council, Kai Eide said he is concerned Afghanistan’s civilian needs will go unaddressed.

Kai Eide: “I am worried about negative trends. I am worried about growing impatience in the public opinion of donor countries and troop-contributing countries. I am worried about increasing frustration in the Afghan public over what they see as expectations that have not been met. And I am worried about the difficulties of the international and Afghan forces in putting the insurgency on the defensive.”