Afghan civilians are for the first time being killed in greater numbers by US and pro-government forces than by the Taliban and other insurgent groups, a UN report released Wednesday revealed.
The bloody milestone comes as the US steps up its aircampaign in Afghanistan while pushing for a peace deal with the Taliban, whonow control or influence more parts of the country than at any time since theywere ousted in 2001.
During the first three months of 2019, international andpro-government forces were responsible for the deaths of 305 civilians, whereasinsurgent groups killed 227 people, the United Nations Assistance Mission inAfghanistan (UNAMA) said in a quarterly report.
Most of the deaths resulted from air strikes or from searchoperations on the ground, primarily conducted by US-backed Afghan forces, someof which UNAMA said “appear to act with impunity”.
“UNAMA urges both the Afghan national security forcesand international military forces to conduct investigations into allegations ofcivilian casualties, to publish the results of their findings, and to providecompensation to victims as appropriate,” the report states.
UNAMA started compiling civilian casualty data in 2009 amiddeteriorating security conditions in Afghanistan.
It is the first tally since records began that showspro-government forces have killed more civilians than insurgents have.
In 2017, the US military started quickening its operationaltempo after President Donald Trump loosened restrictions and made it easier forAmerican forces to bomb Taliban positions.
While other nations may contribute logistical or technicalsupport, it is US aircraft that conduct most strikes. Afghanistan’s fledgelingair force is also flying more sorties.
The US has sent huge B-52 bombers on runs over the countryand benefited from an increase in aerial hardware as operations against theIslamic State group in Iraq and Syria tapered off.
UNAMA’s report did however find that overall, civiliancasualties dropped 23 percent as compared to the first three months of 2018.
In all, UNAMA documented 1,773 casualties last quarter: 581deaths and 1,192 injured — the lowest first quarter toll since 2013.
The drop was driven by a decrease in the use of suicide bombattacks, but UNAMA did not know if this trend came as a result of a harshwinter or if the Taliban were trying to kill fewer civilians during peace talks.
Still, UNAMA chief Tadamichi Yamamoto, who also serves asthe UN secretary general’s special representative for Afghanistan, said a”shocking number” of civilians are being killed or maimed.
“All parties must do more to safeguard civilians,”Yamamoto said in a statement. Last year was the deadliest yet for Afghancivilians, with 3,804 killed, according to UNAMA.