ISLAMABAD – Afghan civilians are for the first time being killed in greaternumbers by US and pro-government forces than by the Taliban and otherinsurgent groups, a UN report released Wednesday revealed.
The bloody milestone comes as the US steps up its air campaign inAfghanistan while pushing for a peace deal with the Taliban, who nowcontrol or influence more parts of the country than at any time since theywere ousted in 2001.
During the first three months of 2019, international and pro-governmentforces were responsible for the deaths of 305 civilians, whereas insurgentgroups killed 227 people, the United Nations Assistance Mission inAfghanistan (UNAMA) said in a quarterly report.
Most of the deaths resulted from air strikes or from search operations onthe ground, primarily conducted by US-backed Afghan forces, some of whichUNAMA said “appear to act with impunity”.
“UNAMA urges both the Afghan national security forces and internationalmilitary forces to conduct investigations into allegations of civiliancasualties, to publish the results of their findings, and to providecompensation to victims as appropriate,” the report states.
UNAMA started compiling civilian casualty data in 2009 amid deterioratingsecurity conditions in Afghanistan.
It is the first tally since records began that shows pro-government forceshave killed more civilians than insurgents have.
In 2017, the US military started quickening its operational tempo afterPresident Donald Trump loosened restrictions and made it easier forAmerican forces to bomb Taliban positions.
While other nations may contribute logistical or technical support, it isUS aircraft that conduct most strikes. Afghanistan’s fledgeling air forceis also flying more sorties.
The US has sent huge B-52 bombers on runs over the country and benefitedfrom an increase in aerial hardware as operations against the Islamic Stategroup in Iraq and Syria tapered off.
UNAMA’s report did however find that overall, civilian casualties dropped23 percent as compared to the first three months of 2018.
In all, UNAMA documented 1,773 casualties last quarter: 581 deaths and1,192 injured — the lowest first quarter toll since 2013.
The drop was driven by a decrease in the use of suicide bomb attacks, butUNAMA did not know if this trend came as a result of a harsh winter or ifthe Taliban were trying to kill fewer civilians during peace talks.
Still, UNAMA chief Tadamichi Yamamoto, who also serves as the UN secretarygeneral’s special representative for Afghanistan, said a “shocking number”of civilians are being killed or maimed.
“All parties must do more to safeguard civilians,” Yamamoto said in astatement.
Last year was the deadliest yet for Afghan civilians, with 3,804 killed,according to UNAMA. -APP/AFP