1,592 civilians killed in Afghanistan

Kabul, August 5: A total of 1,592 Afghan civilians were killed due to armed conflict in the first half of this year, a UN mission said on Wednesday. A report prepared by the Human Rights Unit of the UN Assistance Mission in Afghanistan (UMA) blamed the Taliban and other anti-government elements for most of the deaths. “Between January 1 and June 30, UMA documented 4,921 civilian casualties (1,592 civilians deaths and 3,329 injured),” the report said.

The report highlighted a six percent decrease in civilian deaths and a four percent increase in civilian injuries when compared with the same period last year. “Thousands of civilians killed and injured from conflict-related violence in the first six months of 2015 demonstrate the continued failure of parties to the conflict to protect civilians from harm,” the report said.

It also urged the Afghan government and the Taliban to take meaningful measures to protect the civilian population. More than 19,300 civilians were killed and over 33,000 others wounded from January 1, 2009 to June 30 this year, according to the report. (IANS)