Civilian Deaths in Afghanistan: Recent Increase of Casualties from International Military Air Strikes, Anti Government Forces
Civilian Deaths in Afghanistan: Recent Increase of Casualties from International Military Air Strikes, Anti Government Forces
‘Answer the call of Afghans’ to reduce impact of conflict, UN urges all parties amid increase in civilian airstrike deaths
The conflict in Afghanistan continues to be devastating for civilians, with the latest United Nations update released on Tuesday showing that the number of civilians killed by aerial operations increased in the first half of 2019, even as overall civilian casualties declined.
The mid-year report from the UN Assistance Mission in Afghanistan (UNAMA) documented 3,812 civilian casualties (1,366 deaths and 2,446 injured) in the first half of 2019.
While the number of civilians killed and injured is 27 per cent down from the same period in 2018 – the year that saw record high numbers of recorded civilian casualties – the UN noted “disturbing patterns”, such as the 27 per cent increase in civilian deaths in the second quarter of 2019 compared with the first.
Aerial operations from January through June killed and injured 519 people – 150 of which were child casualties (89 deaths and 61 injured) – a 39 per cent increase in civilian casualties from airstrikes compared to the same period last year, according to UNAMA.
UNAMA attributed 83 per cent of the civilian casualties resulting from aerial operations to International Military Forces, nine per cent to the Afghan Air Force, and the remaining eight per cent to undetermined pro-Government forces (PGFs).
At the same time, the UN Mission attributed 52 per cent of all civilian casualties to anti-Government elements, with 38 per cent attributed to Taliban, 11 per cent to Daesh/Islamic State Khorasan Province (ISKP), and three per cent to unidentified anti-Government elements.
The UN said that it supports the demand for all parties to reduce civilian casualties to zero, made in the joint declaration by Afghan participants earlier this month in Doha, Qatar at the Intra-Afghan Dialogue.
“Everyone heard the message loud and clear from Afghan delegates in the Doha talks – ‘reduce civilian casualties to zero!’” said Tadamichi Yamamoto, the UN Secretary-General’s Special Representative for Afghanistan.
“We urge all parties to heed this imperative, to answer the call of Afghans for immediate steps to be taken to reduce the terrible harm being inflicted,” added Mr. Yamamoto, who is also Head of UNAMA.
UNAMAProtection of Civilians in Armed Conflict (Jan to Jun 2019).
Conflict continues to severely impact women and children
According to UNAMA, women continue to be disproportionately impacted by the armed conflict in Afghanistan. Up to 30 June 2019, fighting caused 430 women casualties – 144 deaths and 286 injured – a decrease of 22 per cent compared to the same period in 2018.
Child casualties represented almost one-third of the overall total of civilian casualties, with 327 deaths and 880 injured. Children continue to comprise the vast majority – 84 per cent– of all civilian casualties from explosive remnants of war.
“Parties to the conflict may give differing explanations for recent trends, each designed to justify their own military tactics,” said Richard Bennett, UNAMA’s human rights chief.
“The fact remains that only a determined effort to avoid civilian harm, not just by abiding by international humanitarian law but also by reducing the intensity of the fighting, will decrease the suffering of civilian Afghans.”
The United Nations Assistance Mission in Afghanistan said in its latest report that the conflict killed 1,366 civilians in first half of the year.
The report further added that the conflict also wounded 2,446 civilians during the same period.
UNAMA said “While the number of civilians killed and injured is 27 per cent down from the same period in 2018 –the year that saw record high numbers of recorded civilian casualties– the UN notes with concern disturbing patterns such as the 27 per cent increase in civilian deaths in the second quarter of 2019 compared with the first.”
Furthermore, UNAMA said the anti-government armed elements caused 1,968 civilian casualties (531 deaths and 1,437 injured).
The report also added that the pro-government force caused 1,397 civilian casualties (717 deaths and 680 injured).
BACKGROUND UN
23 February 2019Peace and Security
With over 3,800 civilian women, children and men killed in just one year, Afghanistan has hit yet another “deeply disturbing and wholly unacceptable” record, according to a new report issued on Sunday by the UN political mission in the country (UNAMA) and the UN human rights office (OHCHR).
Fighting and brutal violence claimed exactly 3,804 civilian lives in 2018 – including 927 children, another tragic record for the year – according to data carefully collected by the UN. The number represents an increase of 11 per cent compared to 2017.
In addition, 7,189 people were injured in 2018, 5 per cent more than in the previous year.
Overall, close to two thirds of the civilian casualties were caused by armed opposition groups, including the Taliban, Islamic State and other undetermined groups. However, civilians were also collateral victims of pro-Government forces (including the Afghan military and international forces) responsible for close to one quarter of all civilian casualties.
According to the report, the increase is largely due to a spike in suicide attacks by armed opposition groups, as well as increased harm to civilians from aerial and search operations by pro-Government forces.
“The report’s rigorously researched findings show that the level of harm and suffering inflicted on civilians in Afghanistan is deeply disturbing and wholly unacceptable,” said Tadamichi Yamamoto, the UN’s Special Representative for Afghanistan. “All parties need to take immediate and additional concrete steps to stop a further escalation in the number of civilians harmed and lives destroyed.”
The report is the UN’s tenth annual report documenting the plight of civilians in the Afghan conflict: in a decade, more than 32,000 civilians have been killed and around 60,000 have been injured.
The conflict, which has now gone on for a total of four decades, has claimed thousands and thousands more lives.
“It is time to put an end to this human misery and tragedy. The best way to halt the killings and maiming of civilians is to stop the fighting. 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,” stated Mr. Yamamoto, who also heads UNAMA.
Election-related violence was particularly deadly for civilians in 2018, including on 20 October – polling day – when UNAMA recorded the highest number of civilian casualties in any single day for the whole year.
UNAMA reportNumber of civilian casualties in Afghanistan, 2009-2018.
“The conflict in Afghanistan continues to kill far too many civilians and has caused long-lasting suffering, both physical and psychological, to countless others,” said the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights, Michelle Bachelet.
“The fact that the number of children killed this year is the highest on record, is particularly shocking. In addition to the lives lost, the dire security situation is preventing many Afghans from enjoying their economic, social and cultural rights, with thousands of children already handicapped for life because of attacks on schools and medical facilities,” she added, calling on all parties to the conflict to fully respect international humanitarian and international human rights law to protect the lives of all civilians.
UNAMA reportChildren killed and injured in Afghanistan, 2009-2018.