More
than 10,000 civilians in Afghanistan were killed and injured last year,
according to a new United Nations report that details record-high
levels of civilian harm in the ongoing conflict.
"Almost
no civilian in Afghanistan has escaped being personally affected in
some way by the ongoing violence,” Tadamichi Yamamoto, the UN Special
Representative for Afghanistan and head of the UN Assistance Mission in
Afghanistan (UNAMA), said on Saturday.
The report, entitled Afghanistan Annual Report on Protection of
Civilians in Armed Conflict: 2019, documents 3,403 civilians killed and
6,989 injured – with the majority of the civilian casualties inflicted
by anti-Government elements.
It is the sixth year in a row that the number of civilian casualties has exceeded 10,000.
Grim milestone
After more than a decade of systematically documenting the impact of
the war on civilians, the UN found that in 2019 the number of civilian
casualties had surpassed 100,000.
“It is absolutely imperative for all parties to seize the moment to
stop the fighting, as peace is long overdue; civilian lives must be
protected and efforts for peace are underway”, stressed Mr. Yamamoto.
The figures outlined in the report, released jointly by UNAMA and the
UN Human Rights Office, represent a five per cent decrease over the
previous year, mainly due to a drop in civilian casualties caused by the
terrorist group ISIL.
However, civilian casualties caused by the other parties rose,
including a 21 per cent increase by the Taliban and an 18 per cent surge
by the international military forces, mainly due to an increase in
improvised explosive device attacks and airstrikes.
Protect civilians
“All parties to the conflict must comply with the key principles of
distinction, proportionality and precaution to prevent civilian
casualties,” said Michelle Bachelet, the UN High Commissioner for Human
Rights.
To ensure accountability, the report calls on all conflict parties to
conduct prompt, effective and transparent investigations into all
allegations of violations of international human rights law and
international humanitarian law.
“Belligerents must take the necessary measures to prevent women, men,
boys and girls from being killed by bombs, shells, rockets and
improvised mines; to do otherwise is unacceptable”, concluded the High
Commissioner.
UNAMA
Ten year record of civilian casualties in Afghanistan.
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An average of nine children have been killed
or maimed every day in Afghanistan so far this year, according to a new
report from the UN Children’s Fund, UNICEF, which describes the country
as “the world’s most lethal warzone”.
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