UNAMA Notes Alarming Rise In Civilian Casualties

The UN Assistance Mission in Afghanistan (UNAMA) on Sunday released its casualty data for the first quarter of 2016 which continues to show an alarming rise in civilian casualties in Afghanistan.
In a statement issued by the mission, UNAMA stated it documented 1,943 civilian casualties between January 1 and March 31. They said there were 600 recorded deaths and 1,343 injured.
"These figures mark an overall increase in civilian casualties of two percent compared to the same period in 2015 with a 13 percent decrease in deaths but an 11 percent increase in injuries. Consistent with 2015 trends, ground engagements caused the highest number of total civilian casualties, followed by improvised explosive devices (IEDs), complex and suicide attacks, as well as targeted killings," their statement read.
Nicholas Haysom, the Secretary-General's Special Representative for Afghanistan and head of UNAMA said: "Even if a conflict intensifies, it does not have to be matched by corresponding civilian suffering provided parties take their international humanitarian law and human rights obligations seriously."
He added: "Failure to respect humanitarian obligations will result in more suffering in a nation that has suffered enough."
UNAMA stated that actions by Anti-Government Elements caused at least 60 per cent of casualties while Pro-Government Forces caused at least 19 percent. Sixteen percent of civilian casualties resulted from fighting between Anti-Government Elements and Pro-Government Forces which could not be attributed to a specific party. Unattributed unexploded ordinance were responsible for the remaining casualties (six percent).
In their statement they said they were particularly concerned about the increase in civilian casualties from airstrike operations by both the Afghan air force and the international forces.
However, UNAMA commended the Afghan government for its progress in developing the National Civilian Casualties Prevention and Mitigation Policy and called on government to finalize the policy and begin its implementation.
The mission said in its statement that it "believes that the establishment of a dedicated entity to investigate incidents of conflict-related harm to civilians is necessary. Perpetrators of human rights violations must be held accountable."
UNAMA went on to stated that it "notes with extreme concern than increased fighting in populated areas continues to kill and injure women and children at higher rates than the general population."
Their study found that there was a five percent increase in women casualties (195 women casualties – 52 deaths and 143 injured) and a 29 percent increase in child casualties (610 children casualties – 161 deaths and 449 injured) compared to the first three months of 2015.
Ground engagements caused the highest number of women casualties, followed by suicide and complex attacks, and IEDs. For children, ground engagements killed and maimed the most, followed by unexploded ordinance and IEDs.
"In the first quarter of 2016, almost one third of civilian casualties were children," said Danielle Bell, UNAMA's Human Rights Director.
"If the fighting persists near schools, playgrounds, homes and clinics, and parties continue to use explosive weapons in those areas – particularly mortars and IED tactics, these appalling numbers of children killed and maimed will continue."
UNAMA once again called on all parties to the conflict to take precautions to protect civilians during operations.