UNAMA: 3,498 Afghan Civilians Killed, 7,920 Wounded In 2016

MEP: The United Nations marked civilian casualties in Afghanistan in 2016 the highest record as about 3,498 civilians have been killed and 7,920 wounded in the war.

Fighting between Afghan security forces and armed groups, especially in populated areas, remained “the leading cause of civilian casualties” more than two years after NATO’s combat mission ended, said the UN Assistance Mission in Afghanistan (UNAMA) in a report, which began documenting civilian casualties in 2009.

“Since 2009, the armed conflict in Afghanistan has claimed the lives of 24,841 civilians and injured 45,347 others,” the report added.

“This appalling conflict destroys lives and tears communities apart in every corner of Afghanistan,” the report quoted Tadamichi Yamamoto, the UN’s special representative of the secretary-general for Afghanistan, as saying.

“Real protection of civilians requires commitment and demonstrated concrete actions to protect civilians from harm and for parties to the conflict to ensure accountability for indiscriminate and deliberate acts of civilian harm,” Yamamoto further said.

According to UN report, about 61 percent of all civilian casualties were caused by armed groups like the Taliban and the Daesh (ISIS/ISIL).