Deadliest Year for Civilians in Afghanistan

The United Nations reports that last year was the deadliest year recorded for civilians in Afghanistan. According to Reuters, on Friday, December 19, UNAMA, the United Nations Assistance Mission in Afghanistan, announced that at least 3,188 civilians have lost their lives amid the conflict between the Taliban and the unrest in war-torn Afghanistan, with 6,429 others injured. Georgette Gagnon, head of the human rights section of the UNAMA, stated in a press conference that the total number of casualties during this period reaches 9,617, comprising 3,188 deaths and 6,429 injuries. The UN has indicated that, based on forecasts, the number of casualties by the end of 2014 will exceed 10,000 for the first time since UNAMA began recording such statistics. Ms. Gagnon noted that Taliban members are responsible for 75% of these casualties. She stated that bombings, suicide attacks, and other Taliban assaults have led to an increase in civilian deaths. According to UNAMA, the number of Afghan female and child casualties has increased by 14% and 33%, respectively. Since 2001, following the US and allied invasion of Afghanistan and the confrontation with the extremist Taliban regime and the terrorist organization al-Qaeda, nearly 3,500 foreign soldiers from 29 countries have been killed in Afghanistan. In the US war against the Taliban and al-Qaeda, the Taliban government was overthrown, but its members have carried out terrorist operations against the US, its allies, and the Afghan central government for the past 13 years. In this context, a suicide attack at the Independence High School in Kabul left at least 9 dead. Attacks and suicide bombings in Afghanistan have resulted in at least 20 deaths, and at least 17 people have been killed in various attacks in Afghanistan.