KABUL -- A report by the United Nations says U.S. and Afghan government forces killed more civilians than the number killed by Taliban fighters and other militants for the first time during a three-month period since the UN began keeping records on civilian casualties in 2009.
The UN Assistance Mission in Afghanistan (UNAMA) noted that civilian casualties from the war in Afghanistan fell by almost 25 percent during the first three months of 2019 compared to the same period a year earlier – with a total of 581 civilians killed and 1,192 wounded.
When the number of civilians killed and wounded were combined, the UNAMA report says attacks by Taliban and other militants still caused more casualties than pro-government forces.
"A shocking number of civilians continue to be killed and maimed each day," UNAMA chief Tadamichi Yamamoto said in a statement calling on all sides to do more to protect civilians.
Yamamoto said militants should stop deliberately targeting civilians and using improvised explosive devices (IEDs) such as roadside bombs, while pro-government forces should reduce the civilian death toll from air strikes and search operations.
The UNAMA report said a total of 145 civilians were killed during the first three months of 2019 by U.S. and Afghan government air strikes.
It said 140 of those deaths were caused by U.S. air strikes.
The report documented four suicide attacks by militants during the first three months of the year that killed or wounded 178 civilians.
During the same period in 2018, the report says, a total of 19 militant attacks resulted in 751 civilian casualties.
On April 23, Afghanistan's Independent Human Rights Commission put out its own report on civilian casualties from the war in Afghanistan.
It said a total of 11,212 civilians were killed or wounded between the end of March 2018 and the end of March this year.
The Afghan commission’s report also said a total of 75,316 Afghan civilians have been killed in the conflict since the war began just over 17 years ago.
Afghan Civilian Casualties Down; Coalition Forces Killed More Than Taliban
Related
Editors' Picks
Afghanistan/Pakistan Trending
1
Why Does Trump Want Afghanistan's Bagram Air Base Returned To US Control?
2Trump Threatens Afghanistan If Bagram Air Base Not Handed Back To US
3Afghan Women, Girls 'Bear Brunt' Of Earthquake Amid Taliban Restrictions
4Afghan Woman Who Lost All Male Relatives In Earthquake Faces New Barriers
5Afghan Taliban Claims Prisoner Exchange With US Is Imminent
6Trump Says US Is Seeking To 'Get Back' Bagram Base Amid Taliban Rule
7Taliban Rulers Seek Outside Help As Workers Race To Aid Earthquake Victims
8This Afghan Teen Is The Sole Survivor From His Family After Deadly Earthquake
9Afghan Children In Pakistan Fear Taliban Schools If Forced Home
10Commandos Airdropped Into Remote Afghan Region In Race To Rescue Earthquake Survivors
RFE/RL has been declared an "undesirable organization" by the Russian government.
If you are in Russia or the Russia-controlled parts of Ukraine and hold a Russian passport or are a stateless person residing permanently in Russia or the Russia-controlled parts of Ukraine, please note that you could face fines or imprisonment for sharing, liking, commenting on, or saving our content, or for contacting us.
To find out more, click here.