Civilian Casualties Remain at Record High Levels: UN
KABUL: (Middle East Press) The United Nations Assistance Mission in Afghanistan (UNAMA) said on Wednesday that the civilian casualties remain at record highs in the Afghan war in the first half of 2015.
According to the 2015 Midyear Protection of Civilians in Armed Conflict, there were 4,921 civilian casualties of which 1,592 were deaths and 3,329 injured from January to June in Afghanistan.
However, in the first six months of 2015, UNAMA documented a 23 percent increase in women casualties and a 13 percent increase in children casualties.
Danielle Bell, UNAMA Director of Human Rights said that the rise in the numbers of women and children killed and maimed from conflict-related violence is particularly disturbing.
According to UNAMA, about 90 % of these casualties were caused by ground engagements, improvised explosive devices, complex and suicide attacks and targeted killings.
Meanwhile, Nicholas Haysom UN Secretary-General’s Special Representative for Afghanistan says that looking at the destructive conflict, peace is an urgent need.
“Until peace is achieved, all parties to the conflict must fulfill their obligations under international humanitarian law to minimize the impact of the conflict on civilians and match their public statements on the protection of civilians with concrete actions,” said Haysom.
Anti-government elements continued to cause the most harm despite a slight reduction in total civilian casualties. UNAMA attributed 70 per cent of civilian casualties to their activities.
Civilian deaths and injuries caused by pro-government forces caused 16 percent of civilian casualties (15 percent from Afghan National Security Forces and pro-government militia and one percent from international military forces).
UNAMA has once again called on all parties to reduce civilian casualties. It outlines the following steps to the conflicting-parties in order to mitigate casualties and protect civilians from harm.
Anti-Government Elements:
Cease the deliberate targeting of civilians and civilian locations, including places of worship and culture, civilian Government offices and aid workers.
Cease carrying out indiscriminate and disproportionate attacks.
Cease firing mortars, rockets and grenades from and into civilian-populated areas.
Cease the use of IEDs, particularly suicide and complex attacks, in all areas frequented by civilians, and stop using illegal pressure-plate IEDs.
Government of Afghanistan:
Cease firing mortars, rockets and grenades into civilian-populated areas.
Develop and approve a national policy on civilian casualty mitigation backed by an action plan with concrete objectives to prevent civilian casualties in the conduct of hostilities.
Disband and disarm all armed groups and militia, and ensure accountability for those members of armed groups who carry out human rights abuses.
International Military Forces:
Support the Government of Afghanistan in the development of a national policy on civilian casualty mitigation and support the implementation of an action plan to prevent civilian casualties in the conduct of hostilities.
Continue to take steps to ensure that all international military or foreign intelligence and security forces operating in Afghanistan, either independently or in support to Afghan national security forces, take all necessary measures to protect civilians during ground and aerial operations.
