Fighting in Afghanistan: Dramatic increase in civilian casualties

The international troops withdraw, the Taliban recapture areas in Afghanistan. That leads to more deaths and injuries. According to the UN, more civilians have recently died than ever since the census began in 2009.

With the withdrawal of international troops from Afghanistan, the security situation is coming to a head. The number of civilian casualties in the country has now peaked. In May and June alone, according to a published report by the United Nations, 2,392 civilians were wounded or killed – more than ever since the UN census began in 2009.

At the same time as the withdrawal, the radical Islamic Taliban launched several offensives in the country. Since then they have brought under their control more than 160 of the 400 districts in the country, several border crossings and parts of important highways.

Explosives, skirmishes or targeted killings

According to the UN report, the number of civilian casualties was 1659 killed and 3524 injured in the entire first half of the year. This is comparable to the years 2016 to 2018. At that time, the UN also recorded more than 5,000 victims during this period. According to the UN, boys and girls as well as women made up almost half of all civilian victims in the period from January to June 2021.

The civilians were mainly killed by explosive devices, in ground fights and by targeted killings. The Taliban are responsible for 40 percent of the victims and the government’s security forces for around 25 percent. Both sides resisted the UN report. A spokesman for the armed forces said the security forces left many areas to avoid civilian casualties. A Taliban statement said that civilians had not been deliberately harmed in the past six months.

Warning of a dramatic increase

Much of the fighting in May and June took place outside of cities in areas with comparatively small populations, the report said. The UN is deeply concerned that the fighting could shift to the densely populated cities.

And the United Nations is warning of a dramatic increase in civilian casualties: “An unprecedented number of Afghan civilians will be killed and injured this year if the wave of violence is not contained,” said the head of the UN Mission to Afghanistan (UNAMA ), Deborah Lyons.

US air strikes in support

Regardless of the security situation, the US is sticking to its withdrawal plans until the end of August. US General Kenneth McKenzie, responsible for Afghanistan, said in Kabul that air strikes in support of the Afghan armed forces had been intensified in recent days. It is unclear whether the air strikes will continue after the withdrawal. The peace talks between the government and the Taliban are stalling.

The withdrawal of international troops has officially started on May 1st. The last soldiers of the Bundeswehr have been back home since the end of June after almost 20 years of service.