KABUL (SW) – In the first quarter of 2019, the UN Assistance Mission in Afghanistan (UNAMA) documented 1,773 civilian casualties (581 deaths and 1,192 injured), including 582 child casualties (150 deaths and 432 injured).
This represents a 23 per cent decrease in overall civilian casualties as compared to the same period last year and is the lowest for a first quarter since 2013.
The overall reduction of civilian casualties was driven by a decrease in civilian casualties by suicide improvised explosive device (IED) attacks.
UNAMA expressed concerns over continued targeting of civilians and increase in civilian casualties from the use of non-suicide IEDs by Anti-Government Elements, as well as significant increases in civilian casualties from aerial and search operations, which drove an overall increase in civilian casualties.
In the first quarter of 2018, UNAMA documented 2305 civilian casualties (799 deaths and 1506 injured), including 609 child casualties (176 deaths and 433 injured). UNAMA also noted that the suicide attack in Kabul on 27 January 2018, which was the deadliest incident UNAMA has ever recorded, contributed to high civilian casualty figures from suicide IEDs that quarter and may have exacerbated the decrease in civilian casualties observed in the first quarter of 2019.
Civilian deaths attributed to Pro-Government Forces surpassed those attributed to Anti-Government Elements during the first quarter of 2019.
Ground engagements were the leading cause of civilian casualties, causing approximately one third of the total.
The airstrike civilian casualty figures reflect a high number of deaths versus injured, particularly compared to other tactics. UNAMA also documented comparatively high death rates from search operations.
During the first three months of 2019, Anti-Government Elements remained responsible for the majority of civilian casualties, causing 963 civilian casualties (227 deaths and 736 injured), representing a 36 per cent decrease as compared to the same time period in 2018. UNAMA attributed 39 per cent of civilian casualties to Taliban, 12 per cent to Daesh/ISKP, and three per cent to unidentified Anti-Government Elements.
UNAMA remains seriously concerned about Anti-Government Element attacks that deliberately target civilians, including the civilian government administration. In the first quarter of 2019, UNAMA documented 529 civilian casualties resulting from deliberate targeting of civilians. For instance, on 7 March in Kabul, Daesh/ISKP fired 12 mortar rounds into a crowd of people marking the anniversary of the death of a prominent ethnic Hazara leader. As a result, 11 civilians were killed.
Between 1 January and 31 March 2019, UNAMA attributed 608 civilian casualties (305 deaths and 303 injured) to Pro-Government Forces, representing a 39 per cent increase from the same period last year.
UNAMA welcomed President Ghani’s instruction to national security and defence officials on 13 March, following a series of incidents by Pro-Government Forces that caused civilian casualties, to review the mechanisms and procedures used in military operations with a view to preventing civilian casualties.
ENDS