The UN Assistance Mission in Afghanistan (UNAMA) report said that 2018 was the deadliest year for Afghanistan where 3,804 civilians were killed, 927 of them are children. As UN official site indicates, the most logical and sound way to halt the killings and maiming of civilians is to stop the fighting but the country’s government is not able to do this so far.
Tadamichi Yamamoto, the top UN official in Afghanistan, has commented the newly-released UNAMA report, he said that 2018 was the worst year for Afghanistan. Last year, a record number of Afghan civilians were killed last year due to stepped up aerial attacks by U.S-led forces and more suicide bombings.
Over recent months, the almost two-decade-long Afghan war has intensified despite peace talks gaining momentum. The situation deteriorates with the regular suicide attacks and aerial operations each caused the most civilian casualties ever recorded by the UN mission in Afghanistan. The civilians become the victims of such ground engagements, mainly between pro-government forces and anti-government groups.
UNAMA registered the highest number of children killed in 2018
The top UN officials reiterated on Sunday that the fact that the number of children killed this year is the highest on record, is particularly shocking. The UNAMA report said the Taliban was responsible for 1,751 civilian casualties in 2018, versus 916 in 2017, while the Islamic State killed or wounded 2,181 civilians last year.
A wave of suicide attacks in the eastern province of Nangarhar and in the capital Kabul last year hit students preparing for exams, spectators at sporting events, people waiting to register for elections as well as Shi’ite mosques.
