Kabul: The number of civilian casualties in Afghanistan reached a record high in the first half of 2021 as the conflicts continued to escalate amid US and NATO troops' withdrawal, a UN report revealed on Monday.
"Civilian casualties in Afghanistan in the first half of 2021 reached record levels, including a particularly sharp increase in killings and injuries since May when international military forces began their withdrawal and the fighting intensified following the Taliban's offensive," the UN Assistance Mission in Afghanistan (UNAMA) said in the report issued here.
The 2021 UNAMA's Afghanistan Protection of Civilians in Armed Conflict Midyear Report found that 1,659 civilians were killed, while 3,254 others were injured in conflicts in the first six months of the year.
The figures showed a 47 per cent increase in overall civilian casualties, including deaths and injuries, during the cited period, compared with the same period in 2020, according to the report.
"Particularly shocking and of deep concern is that women, boys and girls made up close to half of all civilian casualties in the first half of 2021. Comprising 46 per cent of all civilian casualties, 32 per cent were children - 1,682 in total and 14 per cent were women - 727 in total.
"It is sickening to report that more women and more children were killed and injured than ever before recorded by UNAMA for the first half of any calendar year," the report said.
The leading causes of civilian casualties were the extensive use of improvised explosive devices (IEDs) by Taliban and other insurgents, ground engagements, targeted killings by anti-government elements, and air strikes by the Afghan Air Force, according to the report.
The report has attributed 64 per cent of civilian casualties to Taliban and other militants, 25 per cent to pro-government security forces while 11 per cent of all civilian casualties were attributed to cross-fire during ground engagements where the exact party responsible could not be determined and other incident types.
Airstrikes in the Afghan provinces of Helmand and Badakhshan killed more than 35 Taliban militants amid the escalating violence in the war-torn country, according to defence officials. In a statement on Sunday, the Defence Ministry said that fighter jets targeted taliban hideouts and positions in parts of Helmand's Nad Ali and Sangin districts.
Taliban terrorists shot and killed 43 civilians and security forces members in a district in Afghanistan's Ghazni, local media reported. Similar occurrences have been reported in other areas as well. Among those killed were two young men whose father said they were killed while leaving the area with their families and that they were not govt employees or security force members.
"Taliban terrorists after entering Malistan district committed war crimes and killed civilians who were not involved in the fighting. They attacked people's homes and after looting their property, they burned residential houses," said Mina Naderi, a civil society activist from Ghazni who read a joint statement from Malistan residents at a press conference in Kabul on Sunday.
"In the centre of Malistan district, they (Taliban) also destroyed and looted shops," she added.
This comes amid an ongoing offensive by the Taliban in Afghanistan.
Afghan Army chief General Wali Mohammad Ahmadzai has postponed a visit to India this week amid the offensive by the Taliban in Afghanistan. Ahmadzai was scheduled to visit India on July 27 to meet senior political and military leadership, sources said. The cancellation of the visit comes as Afghanistan is witnessing a surge in violence.
Taliban has intensified its offensive against civilians, Afghan defence and security forces as foreign forces are withdrawing from the war-torn country.
As the Taliban have taken control of several districts across the country, US intelligence assessments have suggested the country's civilian government could fall to the terror group within months of US forces withdrawing.
Meanwhile, Afghan officials have accused Pakistan of extending support to Taliban terrorists and providing safe haven to them.
Civilian casualties in Afghanistan in the first half of 2021 reached record levels with over 1,659 people killed and 3,254 others wounded, according to a UN agency.
In recent weeks, the Taliban have carried out deadly attacks against Afghan forces and civilians.
Since May, the terror group has taken control of crucial border crossings with Iran, Uzbekistan, Tajikistan and Pakistan.
The Taliban now claim to control about half of the country's roughly 400 districts. However, verifying such claims is difficult.
