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UN: Afghan Civilian Deaths Rise to New High in 2018

by Ayaz Gul

   ISLAMABAD --

   The United Nations says the armed conflict in Afghanistan last year
   killed more than 3,800 civilians, including 927 children, the highest
   number of civilian deaths recorded in the past 10 years.

   The intensified violence injured nearly 7,200 civilians and the overall
   civilian casualties rose by 5 percent in 2018, according to a new
   report released Sunday by the UN Assistance Mission in Afghanistan
   (UNAMA).

   It blamed a spike in suicide attacks by Islamic State's local
   affiliate, known as Khorasan Province (ISKP), and increased harm to
   civilians from aerial as well as search operations by pro-government
   forces for the significant rise in civilian casualties.

   Children's deaths shocking

   "The fact that the number of children killed this year is the highest
   on record, is particularly shocking," the report quoted U.N. High
   Commissioner for Human Rights Michelle Bachelet as saying.

   The UNAMA attributed the majority of civilian casualties -- 63 percent
   -- to anti-government forces: 37 percent to the Taliban, 20 percent to
   ISKP and 6 percent to undetermined militants. The rest of the civilian
   casualties were blamed on Afghan security forces and their U.S.-led
   foreign partners.

   "This is the U.N.'s 10th annual report documenting the plight of
   civilians in the Afghan conflict -- more than 32,000 civilians killed
   and around 60,000 injured in a decade," said UNAMA's chief Tadamichi
   Yamamoto.

   He reiterated his call for halting the fighting to put an end to the
   human misery and tragedy in Afghanistan.

   "That is why there is all the more need now to use all our efforts to
   bring about peace. I urge all parties to seize every opportunity to do
   so," Yamamoto said.

   Peace talks continue

   'For the first time in a decade, UNAMA recorded more than 1,000
   civilian casualties, including 536 deaths, from aerial operations and
   blamed U.S.-led international military forces for causing nearly 60
   percent of them.

   The report on civilian casualties comes a day before the United States
   is to resume peace negotiations with the Taliban in Qatar to promote a
   political settlement to the conflict in Afghanistan. There have been
   several meetings between the two sides since last fall and both
   reported "significant progress" toward ending the war after their
   interaction a month ago in the Qatari capital of Doha.