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UN Alarmed at Rise in Afghan Civilian Casualties

Ayaz Gul

   ISLAMABAD - The United Nations has accused Afghan warring sides of
   killing and injuring more than 430 noncombatants over the past six
   weeks, with a disregard for international law aimed at protecting
   civilians from harm.
   A report released Tuesday by the [1]United Nations Assistance Mission
   in Afghanistan (UNAMA) comes as Afghan officials and the Taliban
   reported renewed fighting in several provinces, with both adversaries
   accusing each other of harming civilians.

   Afghan security forces reportedly bombed a clinic Tuesday in the
   troublednorthern Kunduz province in the process of repelling a Taliban
   assault on the besieged provincial capital, also called Kunduz. The
   Afghan Defense Ministry said its forces killed atleast40 insurgents,
   forcing the Taliban to retreat,but it did not confirm the airstrike on
   the clinic in area.

   The airstrike destroyed a portion of the clinic and there were reports
   of casualties. The Taliban has twicebeforeoverrun Kunduz.

   Meanwhile, unknown gunmen stormed a mosque during evening prayers in
   northernParwanprovince, killing at least eight worshipers and injuring
   several others. There were no claims of responsibility, and officials
   expected the death toll to increase.

   The Afghan war has intensified with the onset of the summer fighting
   season, despite a landmark agreement the United States signed with the
   Taliban insurgency in February amid hopes that it reduces years of
   deadly hostilities in the country.
   The UNAMA report noted that the Taliban harmed 208 civilians in April,
   marking a 25% increase from the same month last year. It also blamed
   Afghan security forces for causing 172 civilian casualties in April,
   saying the figures were 37% higher than the month before.
   "I call for a halt to the fighting and for parties to respect
   humanitarian law that is there to protect civilians," said Deborah
   Lyons, who heads the UNAMA. She called for urgently starting
   intra-Afghan peace negations.
   "Parties have committed to finding a peaceful solution and should
   protect the lives of all Afghans and not jeopardize people's hope for
   an end to the war," said Lyons.
   The UNAMA also expressed concerns that there was no reduction in the
   levels of violence in the first half of May, saying more than 50
   civilians have died so far and dozens more were injured in attacks,
   including those claimed by Islamic State terrorists.
   Taliban spokesman Zabihullah Mujahid rejected the UNAMA findings,
   accusing it of "concealing" casualties that government forces and their
   foreign military partners have inflicted on Afghan civilians in recent
   days.
   Reacting to the report, the Afghan government insisted that the
   information it has gathered from the battlefield showed "the Taliban
   and their aligned terrorist groups are responsible for the vast
   majority of the civilian casualties."

References

   1. https://unama.unmissions.org/rising-civilian-casualty-numbers-highlight-urgent-need-halt-fighting-and-re-focus-peace-negotiations

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