Canadian casualties in Afghanistan totalled 2,013 by December 31, 2010, according to figures released this month by the Department of National Defence in Ottawa.
The total number of deaths —- both those killed in combat and non-combat deaths totalled 154.
Notes on the DND website explain:
"Wounded in Action statistics include injuries of military personnel directly attributable to combat action that required medical/dental intervention. It includes:
* injuries from IEDs [Improvised Explosive Devices], mines, rocket attacks, and direct combat with an enemy force or terrorist element;
* personnel injured in friendly fire incidents [i.e. fire from from our own side] related to combat action; and
* acute psychological trauma directly attributable to combat action that required medical intervention."
The Wounded in Action statistics do not include "traffic accidents, accidental discharges of a weapon, and other accidental injuries not related to combat action.
"Non-Battle Injuries statistics include those injured as a result of traffic accidents, the accidental discharge of a weapon, and any other accidental injuries not related to combat. It also includes those members reported ill, repatriated for compassionate reasons, repatriated for medical reasons, or returned to duty after being assessed by a medical officer."
DND releases information about military personnel killed in action as those deaths occur, but withholds overall casualty figures until after December 31st each year claiming "operational security concerns."
For a detailed report on the human cost of the war for Canadians see: "The battle back home: Injured, scarred troops adapt to 'new normal' after Afghan war" published last week by the Winnipeg Sun.