HERAT CITY (SW) – Findings by the Herat Civil Protection Working Group revealed on Monday at least 73 civilians lost their lives and over 300 other got hurt amid raging violence here in past six months.
The HCPWG leadership expressed concerns about the increase in Taliban attacks and civilian casualties in the province. They urged the warring parties to adhere to the rules of war so that more civilians are not harmed. Mohammad Asif Faiziyar, a member of the Herat Civilian Protection Working Group, said that in the past 23 days alone, five civilians had been killed and 71 others wounded.
Sayed Ashraf Sadat, another member of the group, said the Taliban had increased violence, with 90 percent of the violence taking place in residential areas. Sadat called on all parties involved, especially the Taliban, to renounce violence during Ramadan.
A number of other civil society activists and women’s rights activists also called on all parties in the country to call a ceasefire on the occasion of Ramadan and not seek to gain upper hand for the proposed Istanbul conference by increasing attacks.
According to officials, the Shindand, Pashtun Zarghun, Chesht, Golran, Kashk-e-Kohneh, Kahsan and Ghorian districts have witnessed the most intense Taliban attacks in recent months, resulting in heavy casualties to security forces and the Taliban.
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