UN documents 2018 as deadliest year for Afghan civilians

ISLAMABAD, Feb 24 (KUNA) -- The year 2018 has witnessed more civilian deaths in Afghanistan than in any of the previous nine years of the increasingly bloody conflict in the country, said a report released on Sunday by United Nations Assistance Mission in Afghanistan (UNAMA).
In its annual report, UNAMA said 3,804 civilians were killed last year, the highest number since the international organization began tallying figures in 2009. Another 7,189 were wounded in 2018 where the spike in death was attributed to suicide bombings by the Islamic State group and stepped up aerial attacks by U.S.-led coalition forces.
According to the report, 63 percent of all civilian casualties were caused by insurgents, with the breakdown blaming the Taliban for 37 percent of the dead and wounded, the so-called Islamic State (IS) group for 20 percent, and a collection of other anti-government groups for the remaining 6 percent, it said.
The government and its U.S. and NATO allies were blamed for 24 percent of the dead and wounded civilians caught in the crossfire, many of them killed in stepped up aerial attacks, most of which are carried out by the U.S. and NATO.
The annual report by UNAMA said that civilian casualties at the hands of Afghan and international forces were up significantly in 2018 compared to 2017 where it recorded more than 1,000 civilian casualties from aerial operations. International military forces were held accountable for 632 civilian casualties (393 deaths and 239 injured), the Afghan Air Force for 304 civilian casualties (118 deaths and 186 injured) and the remaining casualties to unidentified pro-government forces.
Search operations caused 353 civilian casualties (284 deaths and 69 injured) with the majority caused by National Directorate of Security Special Forces and the Khost Protection Force, both of whom are supported by international military forces, it said.
2018 witnessed the highest number of civilian casualties ever recorded from suicide attacks and aerial operations. Suicide bombings and related rebel assaults accounted for 42 percent of civilian casualties. More than 50 percent of casualties from suicide and complex attacks were caused by so-called Islamic State or Daesh.
The figures represent a 5 per cent increase in overall civilian casualties and an 11 per cent rise in civilian deaths compared to 2017. The dead included 927 children, the highest recorded number of boys and girls killed in the conflict during a single year, said UNAMA.
Women casualties fell by six percent to 1,152 (350 deaths and 802 injured), resulting mainly from the eight percent decrease in women casualties from ground engagements. Women comprised 10 percent of conflict-related civilian casualties in 2018. Since the U.N. began documenting civilian casualties 10 years ago, more than 32,000 civilians have been killed and another 60,000 wounded.
UNAMA head, Tadamichi Yamamoto said, "It is time to put an end to this human misery and tragedy." He said, "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." Yamamoto added, "The findings show the level of harm and suffering inflicted on civilians is deeply disturbing and wholly unacceptable." UN High Commissioner for Human Rights Michelle Bachelet noted, "The conflict in Afghanistan continues to kill far too many civilians and has caused long-lasting suffering, both physical and psychological, to countless others." The report comes amid efforts to find a peaceful end to the 17-year war in Afghanistan as progress was made during talks between US and Taliban envoys. The two sides are due to meet on Monday in Doha, Qatar. (end) sbk.mt