KABUL (SW) – The outgoing NATO Senior Civilian Representative for Afghanistan, Nicholas Kay has urged the Taliban to realize realities of modern Afghanistan and shun violence.
In a video message, Ambassador Kay addressed the Taliban insurgents and said they have lost their way as a movement for justice, and is now killing Afghans. "And, in the past three years, I've traveled a lot around Afghanistan and spoken with many Afghans, and they tell me Afghanistan has changed Afghanistan is not the country of 25 years ago. And, they do not welcome return of thd Taliban regime", he said.
The NATO SCR further stressed Afghans do not welcome anyone who deprives them of human rights, social and political rights.
Over 500 civilians, including more than 150 children, were killed due to the fighting in Afghanistan during the first quarter of 2020, according to a United Nations report released on Monday.
The UN Assistance Mission in Afghanistan (UNAMA) documented a total of 1,293 civilian casualties (533 killed and 760 injured) in Afghanistan during the first three months of the year, underscoring the heavy toll the conflict continues to inflict on the civilian population.
Anti-Government Elements (AGEs) continued to be responsible for the majority of civilian casualties – 55 per cent – during the first quarter, causing 710 civilian casualties (282 killed and 428 injured). UNAMA attributed 39 per cent to the Taliban, 13 per cent to Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant–Khorasan Province (ISIL-KP) and the remainder to undetermined AGEs.
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