Coalition Killed More Afghan Civilians Than Rebels: UN

Kabul: Afghan and foreign troops killed more civilians than insurgent groups in the war-ravaged Afghanistan in the first three months of 2019, a United Nations report said on Wednesday.

The quarterly report by the UN Assistance Mission (UNMA) in Afghanistan, however, noted that overall civilian casualties declined 23 percent during the period compared with last year, attributing it to ongoing peace talks and a harsh winter.

According to the report, anti-government elements, including Taliban and the Islamic State militant group, were blamed for 54 per cent of the total civilian casualties up to March. These included 227 deaths and 736 injured, representing a 36 per cent decrease compared with the same period in 2018, Efe news reported.

Pro-government forces, including foreign troops, were responsible for 305 deaths and 303 injured during the period, representing a 39 per cent increase over the same period last year. “The UNAMA notes with concern that pro-government forces were responsible for more civilian deaths than anti-government elements during the first quarter of 2019,” the report said. (IANS)

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