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                Afghan Civilian Casualties Hit New High in 2015

   by Ayaz Gul

   The United Nations said Sunday Afghan hostilities left more than 3,500
   civilians dead and nearly 7,500 others wounded in 2015, an increase of
   four percent in civilian casualties from the previous year.

   The U.N. Assistance Mission in Afghanistan (UNAMA) says the number of
   civilian casualties during 2015 are the highest recorded since it began
   its systematic documentation of civilian casualties in 2009.

   UNAMA says increased ground fighting in and around populated areas,
   along with suicide and other attacks in major cities were the main
   causes of conflict-related civilian deaths and injuries in 2015.

   The report, however, documented a 10 percent reduction in civilian
   casualties from Taliban attacks.

   "Anti-Government Elements continued to cause the most harm - 62 percent
   of all civilian casualties - despite a 10 percent reduction from 2014
   in the total civilian casualties resulting from their attacks," it
   said.

   Despite the drop in civilian deaths caused by the Taliban in 2015,
   there were more civilian deaths caused by pro-government security
   forces during ground fighting and attacks by aircraft, according to the
   U.N. report.

   UNAMA Chief Nicholas Haysom told reporters in Kabul the report has been
   shared with all parties to the conflict before its publication,
   including Afghan security forces and the Taliban.

   "Our objective is not simply to shame and blame, but to effect real
   changes in the practices of the parties to the conflict... because our
   primary objective is to change what happens on the battlefield," he
   said.

   The report also documented a 37 percent increase in women casualties
   and a 14 percent increase in child casualties.

   "In 2015, the conflict caused extreme harm to the civilian population,
   with particularly appalling consequences for children. Unprecedented
   numbers of children were needlessly killed and injured last year - one
   in four casualties in 2015 was a child," said Danielle Bell, UNAMA
   Director of Human Rights.

   The statistics and percentages contained in the report don't really
   reflect and capture the real horror and the impact of the bombs, the
   improvised explosive devices (IEDs) and the the indirect fire on
   civilian communities, said Haysom. He again called on all the parties
   engaged in the Afghan conflict to uphold their public commitments and
   take every step to avoid harm to civilians.
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   [1]http://www.voanews.com/content/afghanistan-civilians/3190307.html

References

   1. http://www.voanews.com/content/afghanistan-civilians/3190307.html