LOC12:16
09:16 GMT
ISLAMABAD, Feb 14 (KUNA) -- The civilian casualties in Afghanistan hit all-time high in 2015 with at least 3,545 civilians killed and 7,457 others injured with an alarming increase in children fatalities, said a United Nations report revealed on Sunday.
In the 2015 Annual Report on Protection of Civilians in Armed Conflict, the United Nations Assistance Mission in Afghanistan (UNAMA) indicated an increase of four percent during 2015 in total civilian casualties from the previous year.
According to the report, the number of fatalities was all time high since the agency began compiling figures in 2009.
The report indicated that the children were the hardest hit with 714 children killed and 1,760 wounded, an increase in of 40 percent on 2013.
In addition, 298 women were killed and 611 injured.
UNAMA called increased ground fighting in and around populated areas, suicide and other attacks in major cities the main causes of the collateral damage.
The ground engagements caused 1,116 deaths and 3,021 injuries, indicating a 15 percent increase from 2014 with improvised explosive devices causing 713 deaths and 1,655 injuries representing a 20 percent decrease.
The report also documented increased civilian casualties caused by pro-government forces during ground engagements and aerial operations, with 17 percent of civilian casualties by pro-government forces.
The secretary-general's special representative for Afghanistan and UNAMA head, Nicholas Haysom in a statement said, "this report records yet another rise in the number of civilians hurt or killed.
The harm done to civilians is totally unacceptable." He urged parties to the conflict to take concrete action to protect civilians and put a stop to the killing and maiming of non-combatants in 2016.
UN High Commissioner for Human Rights, Zeid Ra'ad Al Hussein in a statement to media said, "the people of Afghanistan continue to suffer brutal and unprincipled attacks that are forbidden under international law."
The report indicating a record high civilian casualties came a year after NATO/ISAF forces left Afghanistan after fighting the Taliban insurgency in the country for 13-years. (end)
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