Civilian death toll jumps 31 percent in first six months of 2010 - insurgent attacks largely to blame
The UN’s bi-annual report on civilian casualties in Afghanistan, which was released on 10 August, shows an increase in insurgent attacks that has led to a 31 percent increase in the number of civilians killed in Afghanistan in the first six months of 2010 compared with the same period in 2009. The total number of civilian casualties in the first six months of this year, according to the UN Assistance Mission in Afghanistan (UNAMA), is 3,268 – including 1,271 deaths and 1,997 injuries.
76 percent of those casualties were reported to be caused by the Taliban and other anti-government elements, with only 12 percent caused by pro-government forces (the Afghan National Army, NATO and other coalition forces). The nearly 30 percent drop in coalition-caused casualties stems from increased NATO restrictions on airstrikes and the use of heavy weapons, while the Taliban are using larger explosives and resorting in much greater numbers to assassinations, including public killings of women and children. The number of children killed or injured has risen 55 percent, along with 6 percent more women, over the same period last year, the report found.
“The human cost of this conflict is unfortunately rising”, Staffan de Mistura, the Secretary-General’s Special Representative and head of UNAMA, said during a news conference in Kabul to present the 2010 Mid-Year Report on Protection of Civilians in Armed Conflict.
“Afghan children and women are increasingly bearing the brunt of this conflict. They are being killed and injured in their homes and communities in greater numbers than ever before,” said Mr. de Mistura.
The report stated that aerial attacks by the International Security Assistance Force (ISAF) remained the most harmful tactic used by pro-government forces, causing 69 of the 223 civilian deaths attributed to pro-government forces in the first six months of 2010 . However, it added, such deaths decreased 64 percent from the same period in 2009, reflecting growing implementation of ISAF’s July 2009 Tactical Directive regulating the use of air strikes and other measures to reduce civilian casualties.
The report makes a number of recommendations, including that the Taliban should withdraw all orders and statements calling for the killing of civilians, as well as end the use of IEDs and suicide attacks. It also called on international military forces to make their investigation and reporting on civilian casualties including on accountability more transparent, as well as maintain and strengthen directives restricting aerial attacks and the use of night raids.