CIVILIAN DEATHS AND injuries in Afghanistan have jumped by almost a third for the first half of this year, according to the latest UN figures.
The UN reports that 1,271 Afghans died and 1,997 others were injured between January and the end of June.
This represents a 31% increase in casualties. The Afghan Rights Monitor estimates that six Afghans were killed and eight wounded each day within the period.
The UN blamed the Taliban and other anti-government groups for the increase, and said that casualties from these sources had risen 53% from 2009. Civilian deaths and injuries from Afghan security and international forces has fallen 30%.
The UN’s special representative in Afghanistan, Staffan de Mistura said that the conflict is bring brought increasingly into the homes of Afghans:
Afghan children and women are increasingly bearing the brunt of this conflict. They are being killed and injured in their homes and communities in greater numbers than ever before.
The UN has recommended that the Taliban rescind messages calling for the killing of civilians, and that international forces make their investigations into civilian casualties more transparent. The organisation said that international humanitarian law concerning proportionality and precaution in a conflict apply to all parties involved.
On Friday, the Taliban killed 10 people including eight foreign aid workers who were part of a medical team operating in Nuristan in the northeast of the country.
Their deaths have brought the security of aid agencies in the country into question. The Guardian reports that aid agencies are finding it increasingly difficult to staff their Afghan bases, which limits their ability to provide assistance.
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