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Afghan war caused 100,000 civilian casualties in last decade: UN
KABUL, Dec 26, 2019 (BSS/AFP) – More than 100,000 Afghan civilians have
been killed or injured over the past decade, the United Nations reported
Thursday, as it renewed calls to end the bloody 18-year conflict.
The announcement comes as the Taliban and US continue to hold talks aimed
at drawing a close to America’s longest war, after the negotiations were
called off in September by President Donald Trump due to insurgent attacks.
However fighting continues to rage across the country, with ordinary
Afghans frequently bearing the brunt of the violence.
“I recognize with extreme sadness that civilian casualties recently
surpassed 100,000 in the past 10 years alone, from the time the UN Assistance
Mission in Afghanistan (UNAMA) began systematic documentation of civilian
casualties,” Tadamichi Yamamoto, the UN special representative in
Afghanistan, said in a statement.
“The United Nations urges those participating in all peace efforts to
consider the millions of ordinary Afghans, especially the victims of the
conflict, who want a chance to live in peace so they can rebuild their
lives.”
The grim milestone also comes days after officials announced preliminary
results in Afghanistan’s latest presidential elections that put President
Ashraf Ghani on track to secure a second term.
The Taliban have long viewed Ghani as an American stooge and have refused
to negotiate with him, leading many to fear that fighting will continue even
if the US secures an eventual deal with the militants.
Earlier this year, the UN reported that an “unprecedented” number of
civilians had been killed or wounded in Afghanistan from July 1 to September
30 this year, saying there had been 1,174 deaths and 3,139 injuries in that
period.
A UN tally found that last year was the deadliest on record, with at least
3,804 civilian deaths caused by the war — including 927 children.
BSS/AFP/BZC/2025HRS