The UN reports that fewer Afghan civilian deaths were recorded for the first six months of the year which is reduced by 13% than previous years.
One of the reasons for the drop-in casualties is a lesser number of foreign soldiers that are called to action and in-country to support the local Afghan forces. Another is the control of the radical Islamic State group and blunt their attacks on both civilian and military alike, reported AP News.
Despite the U.S.-Taliban deal that was supposed to assure peace in Afghanistan, it is not holding things together. The peace deal has not panned out since there are still militants conducting violence and destabilization against the ruling Afghan regime. Part of the agreement is the multinational forces that lessen the number of troops. In the second phase, the Taliban and the Kabul government have not met yet.
UN report and particulars
According to the report, 1,282 people were slain during the year 2020 and 2,176 got hurt in the crossfire. It is 13% less than recorded deaths in 2019.
Also, the UN had made note of 17 attacks by the Islamic State that always resulted in civilian deaths for their terroristic acts. This savage assaults on civilians in the starting six months of 2020 is 97 attacks lesser than the same duration last year in 2019.
Zabihullah Mujahid, Taliban spokesman, did not accept the report. It is painting the Taliban as cold-blooded with murderers' intent on chaos and death. He shifted the blame to the airstrikes and heavy artillery attacks, killing the civilians. He said that Kabul and its foreign allies should take the blame, not the Taliban, noted Military.
“At a time when the government of Afghanistan and the Taliban have a historic opportunity to come together at the negotiating table for peace talks, the tragic reality is that the fighting continues, inflicting terrible harm to civilians every day,” said Deborah Lyons, head of the U.N. mission in Afghanistan, according to ABC News.
Lyons said that the Taliban and the Afghan government has the chance to negotiate for peace. However, as the fighting never stops, it kill civilians caught in the crosshairs of both forces. As the head of the UN mission to Afghanistan, she seeks an agreement between the two parties to begin the peace process, Al Jazeera.
Reckless airstrikes ordered by Kabul has tripled the death count in the first six months in the year which is more than last year. It was the Afghan forces who killed 23% of the civilians. It pales to the 43% of the Taliban that killed more without discrimination. Overall, both Kabul and the Taliban are killing non-combatants without concern.
Lyon appeals to the warring parties to stop and realize the death and harm brought upon those not involved in the conflict. Both should desist fighting and shed unnecessary blood. She added that it is better to stop and negotiate a better option to bloodshed.
