More than 3,800 civilians – including some 927 children – were killed in the conflict in Afghanistan in 2018, accordng to newly released UN figures.
The data, from the UN Assistance Mission in Afghanistan and the UN Human Rights Office, shows that the number of people killed rose 11 per cent on the previous year and was the highest annual total for civilian deaths since records have been kept. Alongside the 3,804 reported deaths, some 7,189 people were injured during 2018.
From the UNAMA report
The UNAMA report said there were significant increases in civilian casualties as a result of suicide attacks, mainly perpetrated by followers of the so-called Islamic State, as well as increases in harm to civilians from aerial operations. Anti-government forces’ use of improvised explosive devices, known as IEDs, accounted for 42 per cent of all civilian casualties.
The report showed that anti-government forces were responsible for 6,980 of the 10,993 civilian casualties with the Taliban causing at least 4,072 and IS at least 2,181.
Tadamichi Yamamoto, the UN secretary-general’s special representative for Afghanistan, described the level of harm and suffering inflicted on civilians in Afghanistan as “deeply disturbing and wholly unacceptable”.
“This is the UN’s 10th annual report documenting the plight of civilians in the Afghan conflict – more than 32,000 civilians killed and around 60,000 injured in a decade,” he said. “It is time to put an end to this human misery and tragedy. 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. I urge all parties to seize every opportunity to do so.”
Michelle Bachelet, UN High Commissioner for Human Rights, said the fact the number of children killed in 2018 was the highest on record was “particularly shocking”.
“In addition to the lives lost, the dire security situation is preventing many Afghans from enjoying their economic, social and cultural rights, with thousands of children already handicapped for life because of attacks on schools and medical facilities,” she said.
Bachelet called on all parties to “fully respect international humanitarian and international human rights law to protect the lives of all civilians”.
