KABUL: Two air strikes have killed 14 civilians in Afghanistan in recent days, the United Nations said Thursday, as the US intensifies its air war across the country.
According to the UN Mission in Afghanistan (UNAMA), five women and seven children were among the 14 civilians killed in Helmand province in the south on May 20, and Kunar province in the east on May 22.
“Civilian casualty toll from airstrikes in #Afghanistan continues to rise,” UNAMA said on Twitter.
“Parties must respect international obligations to protect civilians from harm.”
While the Afghan military does have a fledgeling air force, most strikes are led or supported by American air power. US Forces Afghanistan declined to comment.
According to US Air Force Central Command, the US dropped 7,362 bombs in Afghanistan in 2018, the highest number since at least 2010.
In April, UNAMA published a report saying Afghan civilians are for the first time being killed in greater numbers by US and pro-government forces than by the Taliban and other insurgent groups.