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Pro govt forces killed more Afghan civilians than rebels: UN report

ISLAMABAD, April 24 (KUNA) -- The United Nations Assistance Mission in Afghanistan (UNAMA) in a quarterly report released on Wednesday said that civilian deaths attributed to Pro-Government Forces surpassed those attributed to Anti-Government Elements in Afghanistan during the first quarter of 2019.
Between January 1 and March 31, 2019, UNAMA attributed 608 civilian casualties (305 deaths and 303 injured) to Pro-Government Forces, representing a 39-percent increase from the same period last year. UNAMA notes with concern that Pro-Government Forces were responsible for more civilian deaths than Anti-Government Elements during the first quarter of 2019. UNAMA attributed 17 percent of civilian casualties to the Afghan national security forces, 13 percent to international military forces, two percent to pro-Government armed groups, and two percent to multiple Pro-Government Forces. The report said that ground engagements were the leading cause of civilian casualties, causing approximately one-third of the total.
However, the report documented a 23-percent decrease in overall civilian casualties as compared to the same period last year and is the lowest for a first quarter since 2013. UN report documented 1,773 civilian casualties (581 deaths and 1,192 injured), including 582 child casualties (150 deaths and 432 injured), noting a decrease compared to 2,305 civilian casualties (799 deaths and 1,506 injured), including 609 child casualties (176 deaths and 433 injured) in the first quarter of 2018.
The overall reduction of civilian casualties was driven by a decrease in civilian casualties by suicide improvised explosive device (IED) attacks, the report said. It also noted the particularly harsh winter conditions during the first three months of the year, which may have contributed to this trend. It is unclear whether the decrease in civilian casualties was influenced by any measures taken by parties to the conflict to better protect civilians, or by the ongoing talks between parties to the conflict, the report mentions.
UNAMA expressed its concerns to the continued targeting of civilians and increase in civilian casualties from the use of non-suicide IEDs by Anti-Government Elements, as well as significant increases in civilian casualties from aerial and search operations, which drove an overall increase in civilian casualties by Pro-Government Forces. A single mortar attack incident by so-called Islamic State or Daesh on March 7, 2019 in capital city Kabul caused approximately one-fifth of all civilian casualties from ground engagements.
During the first quarter of 2019, four suicide IED attacks resulting in 178 civilian casualties, as compared to 19 incidents resulting in 751 civilian casualties during the same period in 2018, the report added. Anti-Government Elements remained responsible for the majority of civilian casualties, causing 963 civilian casualties (227 deaths and 736 injured), representing a 36 per cent decrease as compared to the same time period in 2018. UNAMA attributed 39 percent of civilian casualties to Taliban, 12 percent to Daesh, and three percent to unidentified Anti-Government Elements. Aerial operations were the leading cause of civilian deaths and the third leading cause of civilian casualties, followed by targeted killings and explosive remnants of war. Civilians living in Kabul, Helmand, Nangarhar, Faryab and Kunduz provinces were most affected.
UNAMA welcomed Afghan President Ghani's instruction to national security and defense officials on March 13, following a series of incidents by Pro-Government Forces that caused civilian casualties, to review the mechanisms and procedures used in military operations with a view to preventing civilian casualties. UNAMA urged both the Afghan national security forces and international military forces to conduct investigations into allegations of civilian casualties, to publish the results of their findings, and to provide compensation to victims as appropriate.
Meanwhile, the United States Forces in Afghanistan Spokesman, Col. Dave Butler in a statement to media said the US and Resolute Support Forces in Afghanistan strive for precision in all their operations.
"We hold ourselves to the highest standards of accuracy and accountability. We strive for precision in all of our operations. We reserve the right of self-defense of our forces as well as the Afghan Security Forces. The best way to end the suffering of non-combatants is to end the fighting through an agreed-upon reduction in violence on all sides. The Taliban are ultimately responsible for the suffering and deaths of their fellow Afghans as long as they ignore their demands for peace," said Butler. (end) sbk.hb