Number of Drone Strikes in Afghanistan Rising

Increase of 72 percent from 2011 to 2012

KABUL, Afghanistan, Feb. 22 (UPI) -- The U.S. military carried out 506 drone strikes in 2012 in Afghanistan, a 72 percent increase from the previous year, Pentagon data indicate.

The increased reliance on unmanned aircraft strikes may be in part due to a reduction in the number of U.S. troops in Afghanistan, the Los Angeles Times reported Thursday.