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| Civilian Casualties in Afghan War Topped 10,000 in 2014, U.N. Says | Civilian Casualties in Afghan War Topped 10,000 in 2014, U.N. Says |
| (about 3 hours later) | |
| KABUL, Afghanistan — Last year was the deadliest for civilians caught up in Afghanistan’s war since the United Nations began keeping records in 2009, the world body said on Wednesday — a harbinger of the new dynamic of the conflict, in which insurgents and Afghan forces increasingly engage in face-to-face battles. | KABUL, Afghanistan — Last year was the deadliest for civilians caught up in Afghanistan’s war since the United Nations began keeping records in 2009, the world body said on Wednesday — a harbinger of the new dynamic of the conflict, in which insurgents and Afghan forces increasingly engage in face-to-face battles. |
| By almost any metric, 2014 was a grim year. Civilian casualties, which include deaths and injuries, were up 22 percent from the previous record set in 2013, and they surpassed 10,000 for the first time since the United Nations’ record-keeping began in Afghanistan. The number of women and children wounded or killed also reached highs. | |
| Casualties caused by roadside bombs, suicide attackers and explosive devices soared to record levels. And for the Afghan security forces, 2014 was the deadliest year since the start of the war in 2001. | Casualties caused by roadside bombs, suicide attackers and explosive devices soared to record levels. And for the Afghan security forces, 2014 was the deadliest year since the start of the war in 2001. |
| In large part, the surge in casualties is a result of the altered nature of the war. Almost no troops from the American-led international coalition are fighting anymore, and the air support once available to keep the Taliban from massing in large groups has been reduced. | In large part, the surge in casualties is a result of the altered nature of the war. Almost no troops from the American-led international coalition are fighting anymore, and the air support once available to keep the Taliban from massing in large groups has been reduced. |
| As a result, Afghan forces are facing the insurgents in a head-on fight that has taken a tremendous toll on Afghans in general. Such ground engagements accounted for 34 percent of civilian casualties in 2014. | As a result, Afghan forces are facing the insurgents in a head-on fight that has taken a tremendous toll on Afghans in general. Such ground engagements accounted for 34 percent of civilian casualties in 2014. |
| Ground fighting amplifies the fog of war, making the assignment of responsibility more difficult even as the violence increases. Of the 3,605 Afghans killed or wounded during ground operations last year, it was unclear in about 30 percent of the cases which side was responsible. While the insurgents were deemed to be responsible for the largest share of ground-related casualties — 43 percent — the government and its allies were responsible for 26 percent, a large increase from previous years. | Ground fighting amplifies the fog of war, making the assignment of responsibility more difficult even as the violence increases. Of the 3,605 Afghans killed or wounded during ground operations last year, it was unclear in about 30 percent of the cases which side was responsible. While the insurgents were deemed to be responsible for the largest share of ground-related casualties — 43 percent — the government and its allies were responsible for 26 percent, a large increase from previous years. |
| The report released on Wednesday by the United Nations Assistance Mission in Afghanistan built on the organization’s midyear update, released last summer, which laid out similar trends. | The report released on Wednesday by the United Nations Assistance Mission in Afghanistan built on the organization’s midyear update, released last summer, which laid out similar trends. |
| The data offers a rare insight into the toll the war is taking on Afghans at a time when less and less information is publicly available. With the Afghan forces now fully in the lead, the ministries most involved in the fight, defense and interior, have released information on casualties only sporadically, and never anything specifically about civilians. | The data offers a rare insight into the toll the war is taking on Afghans at a time when less and less information is publicly available. With the Afghan forces now fully in the lead, the ministries most involved in the fight, defense and interior, have released information on casualties only sporadically, and never anything specifically about civilians. |
| Among the more surprising developments reported by the United Nations was the effect of cross-border shelling into Afghanistan from Pakistan, which has been the subject of heavy complaints by the Afghan government. Such episodes, 41 in all, accounted for 1 percent of civilian casualties last year, with 71 people wounded and 11 killed, the United Nations said. All but one of those shellings were in the eastern province of Kunar, with the other in the southeastern province of Khost. | Among the more surprising developments reported by the United Nations was the effect of cross-border shelling into Afghanistan from Pakistan, which has been the subject of heavy complaints by the Afghan government. Such episodes, 41 in all, accounted for 1 percent of civilian casualties last year, with 71 people wounded and 11 killed, the United Nations said. All but one of those shellings were in the eastern province of Kunar, with the other in the southeastern province of Khost. |
| The Taliban, as well as other antigovernment groups, continued to cause a vast majority of civilian casualties, at 72 percent of the total, the United Nations said. The use of improvised explosive devices and suicide attacks caused a combined 4,560 deaths and injuries to Afghan civilians. | The Taliban, as well as other antigovernment groups, continued to cause a vast majority of civilian casualties, at 72 percent of the total, the United Nations said. The use of improvised explosive devices and suicide attacks caused a combined 4,560 deaths and injuries to Afghan civilians. |
| Civilian casualties attributed to the international military forces declined 43 percent in 2014, as fewer coalition members engaged in combat. Militias that fight on behalf of the government were deemed responsible for 102 casualties, an 85 percent increase from 2013. | |
| The militias, which President Ashraf Ghani has vowed to disband, remain highly controversial in Afghanistan. The United Nations said there had been a significant increase in human rights abuses perpetrated by these groups, especially in the country’s north, northeast and southeast, where they often operate in areas with little government presence. The United Nations report denounced a “failure by the government of Afghanistan to hold these armed groups accountable.” | The militias, which President Ashraf Ghani has vowed to disband, remain highly controversial in Afghanistan. The United Nations said there had been a significant increase in human rights abuses perpetrated by these groups, especially in the country’s north, northeast and southeast, where they often operate in areas with little government presence. The United Nations report denounced a “failure by the government of Afghanistan to hold these armed groups accountable.” |
| The Khanabad district of Kunduz Province, where 900 to 1,200 militiamen operate, was particularly problematic, the report said. On Aug. 4, members of one of the pro-government militias killed a teacher in the district for publicly opposing tax collection, the report said. | The Khanabad district of Kunduz Province, where 900 to 1,200 militiamen operate, was particularly problematic, the report said. On Aug. 4, members of one of the pro-government militias killed a teacher in the district for publicly opposing tax collection, the report said. |