MONITORING (SW) – Deborah Lyons, the UN Secretary-General’s Special Representative for Afghanistan has warned that the escalating violence was fast moving into the violence the world saw in Syria and Sarajevo.
She said this briefing the United Nations Security Council on escalation of violence in Afghanistan. In her remarks, Deborah Lyons, who is also head of the UN Assistance Mission in Afghanistan, said the threatening of large urban areas appears to be a strategic decision by the Taliban, who have accepted the likely carnage that will ensue.
“Afghanistan National Security and Defense Forces are defending these cities. But this defense will also undoubtedly cause civilian casualties. Urban warfare will also inflict daily miseries when basic infrastructure such as electricity and water networks are damaged. These tactics may amount to serious violation of international Humanitarian law for which individuals can be held accountable and may quickly amount to war crimes and crimes against humanity”, she warned.
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She added the suffering caused by war comes on top of already increasing humanitarian crisis, with severe drought affecting the country – 18.5 million people, or nearly half of the country’s population, is in need of humanitarian assistance.
“And yet, in the meantime, attacks on aid workers continue with more than 25 aid workers killed, and over 60injured, in just the first six months of this year”, she added.
The UNAMA chief said the next weeks will be decisive. “But, I am absolutely convinced that whatever happens on the battlefield—whether the Taliban take additional cities or whether the Government regains districts—the result will only prolong Afghanistan’s agony”, she warned.
Deborah Lyons further said the international community should send a strong signal—not only in public statements but also in bilateral communications with both parties—that it is essential to stop fighting and negotiate, in that order. “Otherwise, there may be nothing left to win”, she said.
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