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Afghan Officials Probe Civilian Deaths in Airstrike Amid Demands for
Accountability

Ayaz Gul

   ISLAMABAD, PAKISTAN - Officials in Afghanistan say they are
   investigating last week's counter militancy airstrike that reportedly
   killed at least 18 civilians, including women and children.

   The Afghan air force air conducted the raid on late Saturday in the
   Khashrod district of southwestern Nimruz province, which security
   officials claimed killed about some 14 Taliban insurgents.

   However, area residents and members of the provincial council said one
   of the rockets hit and destroyed a house, killing 18 members of the
   same family.

   The Taliban denied the presence of its fighters in the area at the time
   of the airstrike.

   Reports of the civilian casualties triggered severe criticism of the
   Afghan government and calls from domestic as well as international
   partners for a thorough investigation into the incident.

   On Monday, Afghan President Ashraf Ghani responded by announcing that
   he had instructed Nimruz authorities "to mobilize all resources to
   reach out to families of the martyrs."

   "I also instruct the defense and security officials to conduct a
   thorough investigation and share findings with office of the
   president," Ghani's office quoted him as saying.

   The United Nations welcomed Ghani's pledge to investigate the incident
   but emphasized the need for accountability.

   Critics, however, questioned the effectiveness of the Afghan
   government's resolve to investigate the killing of civilians in
   Saturday's incident.
   "Yes, there have been many investigations promised over the years with
   nothing made public and no accountability for violations of IHL
   (international humanitarian law)," tweeted Patricia Gossman, the
   associate Asia director for Human Rights.

   "Important to change that pattern now and carry out genuinely thorough
   investigation and hold those responsible to account," added Gossman on
   Monday.

   The European Union delegation in Afghanistan stressed the protection of
   civilians during armed conflict was a "cornerstone" of international
   humanitarian law.

   "Recent reports of civilian casualties following air strikes in Nimruz
   & Helmand provinces must be thoroughly investigated & justice ensured,
   as for all similar cases," the EU mission tweeted on Monday.

   Last week, a government aerial raid against the Taliban in Lashkar Gah,
   the capital of southern Helmand province, killed at least five members
   of a family, including three children.

   The United Nations reported in October that at least 2,100 Afghan
   civilians were killed and more than 3,800 wounded in the first nine
   months of 2020. It blamed Afghan airstrikes for about eight percent of
   the civilian casualties.'¯

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