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Civilian Casualties Surge in Afghanistan Fighting, U.N. Says Civilian Casualties Surge in Afghanistan Fighting, U.N. Says
(about 4 hours later)
KABUL, Afghanistan — Driven by increased ground combat between insurgents and government forces, civilian casualties in Afghanistan surged 24 percent through the first half of the year, reaching their highest levels since 2009, according to the United Nations. The findings were released just as a Taliban attack unfolded in the densely populated center of Kandahar, the main city in southern Afghanistan.KABUL, Afghanistan — Driven by increased ground combat between insurgents and government forces, civilian casualties in Afghanistan surged 24 percent through the first half of the year, reaching their highest levels since 2009, according to the United Nations. The findings were released just as a Taliban attack unfolded in the densely populated center of Kandahar, the main city in southern Afghanistan.
At least nine people were killed in the Kandahar assault and the ensuing gun battle, including four civilians, Afghan officials said, violently illustrating how ground fighting, as opposed to improvised explosive devices, has emerged as the deadliest facet of the war. The United Nations report said that the death toll this year was especially high for women and children.At least nine people were killed in the Kandahar assault and the ensuing gun battle, including four civilians, Afghan officials said, violently illustrating how ground fighting, as opposed to improvised explosive devices, has emerged as the deadliest facet of the war. The United Nations report said that the death toll this year was especially high for women and children.
In Kandahar, officials said 22 attackers tried to storm the provincial governor’s office and the police headquarters shortly before noon, detonating suicide vests and car bombs. All of them were killed in the ensuing firefight, along with five policemen and the four civilians, said Gen. Abdul Raziq, the police chief of Kandahar Province.In Kandahar, officials said 22 attackers tried to storm the provincial governor’s office and the police headquarters shortly before noon, detonating suicide vests and car bombs. All of them were killed in the ensuing firefight, along with five policemen and the four civilians, said Gen. Abdul Raziq, the police chief of Kandahar Province.
The Taliban claimed responsibility for the attack, posting an account on its website that conspicuously left out any mention of the casualties they had inflicted.The Taliban claimed responsibility for the attack, posting an account on its website that conspicuously left out any mention of the casualties they had inflicted.
The Taliban rarely acknowledge killing civilians. But the twice-yearly United Nations updates on civilian deaths have regularly found the Taliban responsible for roughly three quarters of such casualties, and the latest report indicated that the trend held steady through the first six months of 2014. Pro-government forces were responsible for less than 10 percent of the 1,564 civilians killed, the United Nations report said, and about 12 percent of the casualties could not be attributed to a specific party. But the twice-yearly United Nations updates on civilian deaths have regularly found the Taliban responsible for roughly three quarters of civilian casualties, and the latest report indicated that the trend held steady through the first six months of 2014. Pro-government forces were responsible for less than 10 percent of the 1,564 civilians killed, the United Nations report said, and about 12 percent of the casualties could not be attributed to a specific party.
The report illustrated how exceptionally bloody the war has become as composition of the forces has changed. For the most part, the Americans have stopped fighting. Now, when coalition commanders say that Afghan forces are in the lead in combat across the country, it is more than just a hopeful talking point. Spikes in violence have occurred across Afghanistan, partly because the insurgents no longer have to worry about coalition troops coming to the aid of the Afghan forces. The report illustrated how exceptionally bloody the war has become as composition of the forces has changed. For the most part, the Americans have stopped fighting. Now, with Afghan forces in the lead across the country, violence has surged, partly because the insurgents no longer have to worry about coalition troops coming to the aid of the Afghan forces.
The numbers, to some degree, bear this out. While insurgents were responsible for double the number of civilians killed compared with the same period in 2009, that figure has halved for pro-government forces — almost entirely the result of fewer coalition airstrikes.The numbers, to some degree, bear this out. While insurgents were responsible for double the number of civilians killed compared with the same period in 2009, that figure has halved for pro-government forces — almost entirely the result of fewer coalition airstrikes.
The report offers a useful snapshot of an increasingly opaque war. With fewer coalition forces around the country to monitor the fighting, the country’s defense and interior ministries distribute most data and information about the violence. However, both ministries are notoriously bad about sharing accurate information on police and military casualties. The picture that emerges from their sporadic reports is that the death toll of the country’s security forces seems to be rising.The report offers a useful snapshot of an increasingly opaque war. With fewer coalition forces around the country to monitor the fighting, the country’s defense and interior ministries distribute most data and information about the violence. However, both ministries are notoriously bad about sharing accurate information on police and military casualties. The picture that emerges from their sporadic reports is that the death toll of the country’s security forces seems to be rising.
The significant increase in fighting challenges assertions made early in the coalition troop drawdown that the insurgents would be less willing to fight their fellow Afghans. While in the past the Taliban might have often opted for roadside bombs to attack the well-armed coalition forces, they have recently been increasingly willing to test their luck with face-to-face fighting against the Afghan forces, particularly in areas with dense civilian populations.The significant increase in fighting challenges assertions made early in the coalition troop drawdown that the insurgents would be less willing to fight their fellow Afghans. While in the past the Taliban might have often opted for roadside bombs to attack the well-armed coalition forces, they have recently been increasingly willing to test their luck with face-to-face fighting against the Afghan forces, particularly in areas with dense civilian populations.
While the rules of engagement for international forces are geared specifically to minimize civilian casualties, Afghan forces and insurgents are less discriminating. The Afghan Army regularly lobs mortar shells into villages where they believe insurgents are lurking. The militants, meanwhile, fire rockets at civilian areas from a distance, hoping to hit government forces but often failing. As a result, civilians have been in the crossfire more and more. The Afghan Army regularly lobs mortar shells into villages where they believe insurgents are lurking. The militants, meanwhile, fire rockets at civilian areas from a distance, hoping to hit government forces but often failing.
“The nature of conflict in Afghanistan is changing in 2014 with an escalation of ground engagements in civilian-populated areas,” Jan Kubis, the United Nations special representative for Afghanistan, said in a statement. “The impact on civilians, including the most vulnerable Afghans, is proving to be devastating.”“The nature of conflict in Afghanistan is changing in 2014 with an escalation of ground engagements in civilian-populated areas,” Jan Kubis, the United Nations special representative for Afghanistan, said in a statement. “The impact on civilians, including the most vulnerable Afghans, is proving to be devastating.”
Deaths and injuries to children caused by the increase in ground fighting more than doubled from the same period a year ago, while two-thirds more women were caught in the fighting. More than half of the casualties were the result of grenades and mortar shells landing on homes, in farmland and on playgrounds. The remaining injuries and deaths resulted from civilians caught in crossfire. The attack in Kandahar was a reminder of the dangers faced by civilians in even the most heavily guarded parts of Afghanistan. The targets — the Police Headquarters and the governor’s office — are in a densely populated area of Kandahar city, and the assault sparked a fierce gun battle fought on streets that are ordinarily packed with Afghans going about their daily routines.
“In 2014, the fight is increasingly taking place in communities, public places and near the homes of ordinary Afghans, with the death and injury to women and children in a continued disturbing upward spiral,” Georgette Gagnon, the United Nations director for human rights here, said in a statement.
The attack in Kandahar was a reminder of the dangers faced by civilians in even the most heavily guarded parts of Afghanistan. The targets — the Police Headquarters and the governor’s office — are in a densely populated area of Kandahar city, and the assault sparked a fierce gun battle fought only streets that are ordinarily packed with Afghans going about their daily routines.
“The enemy is always trying to cause problems and create chaos,” General Abdul Raziq, the police chief, told reporters.
The Taliban on Wednesday also dispatched hundreds of fighters to Chahr Sadra District, a remote part of Ghor Province in western Afghanistan, where the insurgents briefly overcame police and seized control of the district center, the Taliban and Afghan officials said.The Taliban on Wednesday also dispatched hundreds of fighters to Chahr Sadra District, a remote part of Ghor Province in western Afghanistan, where the insurgents briefly overcame police and seized control of the district center, the Taliban and Afghan officials said.
Police and army reinforcement backed by at least two helicopters from Afghanistan’s nascent air force arrived by midafternoon, and launched an assault to retake the district center, said Fahim Qayem. He said they had largely accomplished the goal but that heavy clashes were still going as dusk approached. Police and army reinforcement backed by at least two helicopters from Afghanistan’s nascent air force arrived by midafternoon, and launched an assault to retake the district center, said Fahim Qayem, the provincial police chief. He said they had largely accomplished the goal but that heavy clashes were still going as dusk approached.
He said least nine Taliban men were killed, but no police were died in the fighting. He did not say if any soldiers or civilians were killed or wounded. He said that at least nine Taliban fighters were killed, but no policemen. He did not say whether any soldiers or civilians had been killed or wounded.
The Taliban, in a separate posting on its website, insisted that it remained in control of the district center and had killed 10 policemen. The remote location of the fighting made it impossible independently verify any of the claims.The Taliban, in a separate posting on its website, insisted that it remained in control of the district center and had killed 10 policemen. The remote location of the fighting made it impossible independently verify any of the claims.