Wednesday, February 20, 2013
Kabul (BNA) The UNAMA in its annual 2012 report has stated that for the first time civilian’s casualties in Afghanistan in the six months had been reduced.
The report adds that the reduction indicates 12% decrease compared to the year 2011.
The report explains that this decrease indicates the number of the killed and wounded in conflicts between the warring sides, reduction in suicide attacks by the government opposition elements and the casualties as a result of air bombardments.
According to the head of UNAMA reduction in the civilian casualties in 2012 that UNAMA documented it has been widely welcomed.
He added that still the explosions by the armed opposition of the government is considered as the greatest killer of the civilians, an increase is seen in purposely targeting the civilians who are considered supporter of the government is a great violation of human rights, especially using of the suicide bombings including attacks designed by the children and washing of their minds to kill civilians is shocking indeed.
While decrease is seen in civilian’s casualties in 2012, the anti-government elements increasingly targeting civilians in the country without considering that taking the life of a person and during the period almost 81% of civilian casualties is attributed to the anti-government elements in the period.
At this report 8% of civilian casualties are attributed to the forces supporting the government and 11% is not attributed to any side.
The findings of this report indicate that women and girls are still suffering from armed conflicts.
UNAMA records almost 864 instances of civilian casualties among the women (301 killed and 563 wounded) in 2012.
Meanwhile, the head of human rights section of UNAMA said that the killed and wounded Afghan women and girls during the armed conflicts in 2012 increased to 20% in the period.
He added that this is a painful reality that most of the Afghan girls and women are killed or wounded who are busy with their routine chores.
He accuses the armed opposition forces that during the 2012 these forces targeted civilians.
UNAMA documents 6131 killed and 3952 wounded by the opposition forces during the year that indicates nine percent increase compared to the 2011.
He added that the explosives that are planted by the government opposition elements forms the biggest threat to the lives of the civilians in 2012 which killed around 2531 civilians and 1663 wounded in 782 separate incidents.
