KABUL
The United Nations has noted more than 3000 civilian killings in Afghanistan this year, which makes 2014 the bloodiest year so far for civilians in the Afghan war that began in 2001.
This comes at a crucial moment in time when most of the NATO led International Security Assistance Force (ISAF) has left Afghanistan and the security responsibilities lie upon the shoulders of the nascent Afghan security forces.
"Current projections indicate that by the end of 2014 the civilian casualty (deaths and injuries) count will pass 10,000 for the first time in a single year since UNAMA began records," the U.N. feared.
Nicholas Haysom, head of the U.N. Assistance Mission in Afghanistan (UNAMA) revealed on Saturday that 3,188 civilians were killed and 6,429 injured in the first 11 months of the year. Casualties among women and children rose by 12 and 33 percent respectively.
“Civilian casualties are a particularly tragic and very prominent part, even benchmark, of the horror of the violence that ordinary Afghans face,” Haysom told reporters in New York.
UNAMA had recorded more civilian deaths and injuries during 2014 than in any other year since it began its authoritative reports in 2009.
He added the U.N. mission had been in discussions with all parties, including the Taliban, to strengthen mitigating measures to limit the impact of the conflict on civilians.
In eyes of Afghan analysts, this was very much anticipated. Nizamudin Katawazi, human rights activist and security analyst told AA that 2014 was deemed to be sort of a decisive year for the Afghan war.
“You see, all eyes were on this year to see if Afghan security forces can defend the country without any direct support from foreign troops,” he said while making a point about increasing militant attacks in the main urban centers.
Katawazi added that it seemed the militants have finally unleashed their ultimate force that they kept reserved for over a decade because of the heavy foreign forces’ presence.
The U.N. has blamed Taliban militants for an overwhelming 75 percent of these casualties.
Georgette Gagnon, Director of Human Rights at the UNAMA told the journalists that around 12 percent of civilian casualties are blamed on the pro-government forces.
Last month, Afghanistan witnessed a horrific terrorist attack when over 40 civilians were killed during a volleyball match in the southeastern Paktika province.
From January 2015 onwards, around 12,500 foreign soldiers will remain in Afghanistan as part of the NATO’s “Resolute Support Mission” aimed at training, advising and assisting Afghan security forces.
www.aa.com.tr/en
