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Afghan Civilian Casualties High as 1st Phase of US-Taliban Deal Ends

Ayesha Tanzeem

   ISLAMABAD, PAKISTAN - Nearly 3,000 civilians, around 16 per day, have
   been killed or wounded in the conflict in Afghanistan in the first six
   months of this year, according to the country's official human rights
   body.
   The Afghanistan Independent Human Rights Commission (AIHRC) issued its
   report Tuesday in Kabul, indicating that the civilian casualties, while
   still high, have dropped by 11 percent compared to the same period last
   year.
   The greatest reduction was among children, 630 wounded or killed this
   year compared to 951 last year, or a drop of around 33 percent.
   The AIHRC has placed most of the blame on the Taliban, accusing it of
   being responsible of nearly half of all casualties, even as the report
   said the "figures indicate a 24 percent reduction in civilian
   casualties caused by Taliban attacks" this year compared to 2019.
   While the militant group insists it does not target civilians, most of
   its attacks cause civilian casualties. An attack Monday on an
   intelligence agency's complex in Samangan province killed 11
   intelligence officials but wounded nearly 50 civilians in the process.
   The Taliban claimed responsibility for the attack.
   Tuesday also marked the end of the first phase of a hallmark agreement
   reached in February between the Taliban and the United States that was
   seen as the beginning of the end of the longest American war.
   As per the agreement, the U.S. and its NATO allies have reduced their
   number of troops in Afghanistan and vacated five military bases. The
   deal calls for a complete withdrawal of foreign forces from the country
   in 14 months from the signing date, which was Feb. 29.

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