Afghanistan More Deadly for Women and Children, UN Says – New York Times
A huge truck bomb detonated at a crowded traffic circle in Kabul in May was one of the deadliest strikes in the long Afghan war, and a reminder of how the battlefield has extended to the capital. That attack killed around 80 people, and though many of the people killed and injured were commuters on the streets, many other casualties were in office buildings close to the blast site. (Three women were killed in the bombing and another 52 injured.)
They made up more than a quarter of the total casualties, and child deaths were up 9 percent compared with the same period last year.
These civilian attacks need to stop, said David Skinner, the country director for the nongovernmental organization Save the Children. Not only do they injure and kill innocent people in the most horrific way, but they cause untold distress and trauma, especially for children, often leading to serious psychosocial issues and impacting their longer-term development.
The report blamed antigovernment forces for 67 percent of the civilian casualties, holding the Taliban responsible for 43 percent, the Islamic State for 5 percent and unidentified groups for 19 percent. But Afghans also suffer at the hands of government and allied forces, sometimes as they come across their unexploded ordnance.
The report commended government forces for reducing civilian casualties from ground engagements, including indiscriminate firing of mortars and other heavy weapons in civilian areas. In the meantime, it said, casualties caused by the insurgents use of homemade bombs had only increased. Roughly 40 percent of all civilian casualties 596 deaths and 1,483 injuries resulted from the insurgents use of such explosives, including suicide bombs, the report said.
The Taliban rejected the report in a statement, calling it one-sided and politically motivated.
Homemade bombs continue to be one of the Talibans main weapons, one that was on display again this week as Afghan forces tried to recapture the district of Nawa in the southern province of Helmand.
As Afghan forces pushed toward the district center this week, they had to defuse as many as 100 Taliban bombs, said Omar Zwak, a spokesman for the governor of Helmand.
Even as violence has increased in 15 of the countrys 34 provinces, mass-casualty attacks in the capital have killed the most civilians, the U.N. report said.
Ninety-four percent of the roughly 1,000 casualties in Kabul resulted from suicide bombings, the largest of which killed more than 90 people and wounded close to 500 when a truck full of explosives went off near the citys diplomatic enclave. (President Ashraf Ghani put the death toll from that bombing at 150.)
A drastically different case of civilian casualties occurred over the weekend in Kabul, an increasingly militarized city where checkpoints and security barriers have been proliferating. Guards for a senior government official opened fire on a wedding convoy passing in front of his heavily fortified street, killing the bride and another woman.
The Kabul police said that members of the wedding convoy had fired celebratory shots into the air as they were passing the home of Hajji Mohammad Mohaqiq, deputy chief executive of the Afghan government, and that his guards had thought they were under attack. Two of the guards have been arrested, said a police spokesman, Abdul Basir Mujahid.
A United States military raid last Thursday on the outskirts of Tarinkot city, the capital of Uruzgan Province in the south, resulted in civilian casualties, residents and officials said. Dust Muhammad Nayab, a spokesman for the governor of Uruzgan, said Taliban from all over had come to the rescue of the militants shadow governor, the target of the raid, so the fighting had become intense.
Six civilians have been killed and 12 others injured, including women and children in the cross-fighting, Mr. Nayab said.
Faiz Muhammad, 60, who lives on the outskirts of Tarinkot, said life had become difficult for his village even before the raid, with the Taliban warning people to leave before each offensive. He would take his family to the forested area of Sajawal, sometimes five times a month, and they would return after the fighting quieted down.
Last week, his family fled, but Mr. Muhammad stayed home to take care of the cattle. One night he heard planes, and the next morning he learned that a raid had taken place in Sajawal. Eight members of his family were killed, he said: his wife, Shapirai, 45; his son Abdul Khaliq, 28; a daughter-in-law; three other sons; and two young grandsons. Five other family members were wounded.
My heart is just bleeding, Mr. Muhammad said at the bedside of his 25-year-old son, Mujahid, in a hospital in nearby Kandahar. The doctors say my sons leg might need amputation. I am worried about his health if they do amputate, he will be half a man.
Capt. Bill Salvin of the United States Navy, a spokesman for the American military in Afghanistan, said the military had looked at the tapes and did not see evidence that civilians had been targeted. But he said a preliminary inquiry had been started, a routine response to any claim of civilian casualties.
Mujib Mashal reported from Kabul, and Taimoor Shah from Kandahar, Afghanistan. Fahim Abed contributed reporting from Kabul.
View post:
Afghanistan More Deadly for Women and Children, UN Says - New York Times
- Fremont homicide suspect was once U.S. Army translator who fled Afghanistan, lawyer reveals - The Mercury News - November 8th, 2024 [November 8th, 2024]
- Cant work, sing, travel, study: All the ways the Taliban are restricting lives of women in Afghanistan - The Independent - November 8th, 2024 [November 8th, 2024]
- ABC to review editorial policies after investigation finds gunshots inadvertently added to Afghanistan footage - The Guardian - November 8th, 2024 [November 8th, 2024]
- In defiance of the Taliban, three young women flee Afghanistan for an education at Berkshire Waldorf High School in Stockbridge - theberkshireedge.com - November 8th, 2024 [November 8th, 2024]
- The chance to reframe international engagement with Afghanistan - The Interpreter - November 8th, 2024 [November 8th, 2024]
- Pakistan: Border forces kill several militants trying to infiltrate from Afghanistan - VOA Asia - November 8th, 2024 [November 8th, 2024]
- 'Afghanistan is facing gender-based apartheid, world must come together to address it' - Firstpost - November 8th, 2024 [November 8th, 2024]
- Afghanistan vs Bangladesh 1st ODI: When and Where to watch AFG vs BAN match in India? - The Indian Express - November 8th, 2024 [November 8th, 2024]
- Khyber Pakhtunkhwa governor calls for reopening of trade routes with Afghanistan - Amu TV - November 8th, 2024 [November 8th, 2024]
- India reaches out to first family of Taliban in Afghanistan - Deccan Herald - November 8th, 2024 [November 8th, 2024]
- Afghanistan vs Bangladesh 2nd ODI: TV channel, online live stream and how to watch AFG vs BAN ODIs from India - Sporting News - November 8th, 2024 [November 8th, 2024]
- Republican Tim Sheehy, accused of lying about his time in Afghanistan, clinches victory in Montana Senate race - The Independent - November 8th, 2024 [November 8th, 2024]
- Iran starts construction of a wall on the border with Afghanistan and Pakistan - Militarnyi - October 24th, 2024 [October 24th, 2024]
- Radio Free Afghanistan the Taliban, the tribal warlords and the TV tycoon - Financial Times - October 24th, 2024 [October 24th, 2024]
- Pakistani security forces kill 9 militants in a raid in the restive northwest near Afghanistan - The Associated Press - October 24th, 2024 [October 24th, 2024]
- Afghanistan: the EU, in partnership with WHO and UNFPA, supports access to reproductive, maternal and child health and non-communicable diseases... - October 24th, 2024 [October 24th, 2024]
- Afghanistan to Boost Oil Production in the Amu Darya Basin - Times of Central Asia - October 24th, 2024 [October 24th, 2024]
- IND A vs AFG A Semi Final Live Cricket Streaming: When and where to watch India A vs Afghanistan A ACC Emerging Teams Asia Cup 2024 match - The Indian... - October 24th, 2024 [October 24th, 2024]
- The legacy of isolation is a double-edged sword for children in Nuristan, Eastern Afghanistan - Gavi, the Vaccine Alliance - October 24th, 2024 [October 24th, 2024]
- Beyond the Talibans Shadow: Forging a Path to Justice in Afghanistan - JURIST - October 24th, 2024 [October 24th, 2024]
- The women of Afghanistan need more than our sympathy they need our action - PoliticsHome - October 24th, 2024 [October 24th, 2024]
- As heroin in Afghanistan dries up, Europe could face an overdose crisis like the U.S. - Salon - October 24th, 2024 [October 24th, 2024]
- Kazakhstan and Afghanistan Seek to Increase Trade to $3 Billion - Times of Central Asia - October 24th, 2024 [October 24th, 2024]
- The EU is helping Turkey forcibly deport migrants to Syria and Afghanistan - POLITICO Europe - October 11th, 2024 [October 11th, 2024]
- Family of Afghanistan refugees living in Lacey thriving in school, workplace - KING5.com - October 11th, 2024 [October 11th, 2024]
- Afghanistan citizen living in OKC accused of planning Election Day attack - KOCO Oklahoma City - October 11th, 2024 [October 11th, 2024]
- Russia Calls On West to Lift Sanctions on Afghanistan - The Moscow Times - October 11th, 2024 [October 11th, 2024]
- House speaker blames botched Afghanistan withdrawal and Harris-Biden admin open border policies for ISIS-inspired Election Day terror plot - New York... - October 11th, 2024 [October 11th, 2024]
- Canadian subcommittee on international human rights acknowledges Hazaras prosecution in Afghanistan - Amu TV - October 11th, 2024 [October 11th, 2024]
- World's oldest Hebrew book unveiled at Museum of the Bible after being found in Afghanistan cave - The Christian Post - October 11th, 2024 [October 11th, 2024]
- Soldier awarded third purple heart for bravery in Afghanistan - United States Army - October 9th, 2024 [October 9th, 2024]
- More airlines fly over Afghanistan in last week as Middle East tensions rise - Middle East Monitor - October 9th, 2024 [October 9th, 2024]
- What Companies Can Learn from a Carbon Accounting Pilot in Afghanistan - HBR.org Daily - October 9th, 2024 [October 9th, 2024]
- Lawmakers React To Arrest Of Afghanistan Citizen In Oklahoma Accused Of Planning Election Day Attack - news9.com KWTV - October 9th, 2024 [October 9th, 2024]
- One year after the earthquakes in western Afghanistan, UNICEF calls for greater support to childrens basic needs and community resilience - UNICEF - October 9th, 2024 [October 9th, 2024]
- DOJ: Afghanistan citizen living in OKC planned Election Day terrorist attack on behalf of ISIS - KOCO Oklahoma City - October 9th, 2024 [October 9th, 2024]
- Russia, Central Asia, and the U.S. Withdrawal from Afghanistan - War On The Rocks - October 9th, 2024 [October 9th, 2024]
- Ret. Gen. Kenneth McKenzie on Mideast Tensions and Afghanistan Withdrawal - C-SPAN - October 9th, 2024 [October 9th, 2024]
- 23rd anniversary of US invasion of Afghanistan - Amu TV - October 9th, 2024 [October 9th, 2024]
- Womens Rights in Afghanistan: Will the Taliban Adhere to CEDAW? - The Diplomat - October 9th, 2024 [October 9th, 2024]
- China and Afghanistan are the Main Importers of Kazakh Grain and Flour - Times of Central Asia - October 9th, 2024 [October 9th, 2024]
- A Groundbreaking Move: Challenging Gender Persecution in Afghanistan at the ICJ - EJIL: Talk! - October 3rd, 2024 [October 3rd, 2024]
- Afghanistan: International legal initiative an important step toward tackling the Talibans war on women - Amnesty International - October 3rd, 2024 [October 3rd, 2024]
- Students Weigh in on Womens Rights Issues in Taliban-Controlled Afghanistan - Villanovan - October 3rd, 2024 [October 3rd, 2024]
- Taliban who banned women from public spaces say no one faces discrimination in Afghanistan - The Associated Press - October 3rd, 2024 [October 3rd, 2024]
- Afghanistan - Key Message Update: Average orchard production is expected in central and western provinces in September/October, September 2024 -... - October 3rd, 2024 [October 3rd, 2024]
- How Soon Will The US Return To Afghanistan? Analysis - Eurasia Review - October 3rd, 2024 [October 3rd, 2024]
- 10 Democrats vote to censure Biden officials over Afghanistan withdrawal - The Hill - October 1st, 2024 [October 1st, 2024]
- Americans deserve the truth about the botched withdrawal from Afghanistan - Marshalltown Times Republican - October 1st, 2024 [October 1st, 2024]
- The GOPs Risky Plan to Link Kamala Harris and the Afghanistan Withdrawal | Politics | U.S. News - U.S. News & World Report - October 1st, 2024 [October 1st, 2024]
- Afghanistan: Cats have more freedom than women, says Meryl Streep - BBC.com - October 1st, 2024 [October 1st, 2024]
- House Approves GOP Resolution Condemning Biden and Harris over Afghanistan Withdrawal - Military.com - October 1st, 2024 [October 1st, 2024]
- House votes to condemn Biden, Harris and other admin officials over Afghanistan withdrawal - New York Post - October 1st, 2024 [October 1st, 2024]
- Afghanistan: A Society in the Pit of the Banality of Evil - Hasht-e Subh Daily - October 1st, 2024 [October 1st, 2024]
- New bill would prohibit US financial aid to Afghanistan until wrongfully detained Americans are released - Fox News - October 1st, 2024 [October 1st, 2024]
- House Foreign Affairs chair moving forward with plan to hold Blinken in contempt of Congress over 2021 Afghanistan withdrawal - CNN - October 1st, 2024 [October 1st, 2024]
- At town hall, Trump mixes up Alaska and Afghanistan with confusing remarks on oil - Alaska Beacon - September 22nd, 2024 [September 22nd, 2024]
- Where is Afghanistan Three Years into Taliban Rule? - United States Institute of Peace - September 22nd, 2024 [September 22nd, 2024]
- Blinken subpoenaed to appear next week before House committee over Afghanistan - Reuters - September 22nd, 2024 [September 22nd, 2024]
- Afghanistan reopens its embassy in Oman, the Taliban say - The Associated Press - September 22nd, 2024 [September 22nd, 2024]
- Afghanistan vs South Africa 3rd ODI Highlights: South Africa Register Consolation Win Over Afghanist.. - NDTV Sports - September 22nd, 2024 [September 22nd, 2024]
- Why Does the Taliban Hate the Women of Afghanistan This Much? | Opinion - Newsweek - September 22nd, 2024 [September 22nd, 2024]
- The Taliban have suspended polio vaccination campaigns in Afghanistan, the UN says - The Associated Press - September 22nd, 2024 [September 22nd, 2024]
- The tragic politicization of the Afghanistan withdrawal - Columbia Journalism Review - September 22nd, 2024 [September 22nd, 2024]
- State Department accuses House GOP of calling Blinken to testify about Afghanistan when he's away - The Associated Press - September 22nd, 2024 [September 22nd, 2024]
- Afghanistan vs South Africa 3rd ODI Live Streaming: When And Where To Watch - NDTV Sports - September 22nd, 2024 [September 22nd, 2024]
- ABC admits video of Australian soldiers firing from helicopter in Afghanistan was incorrectly edited - The Guardian - September 22nd, 2024 [September 22nd, 2024]
- AFG vs SA, 3rd ODI Live Cricket Score: Afghanistan bat first against South Africa - The Times of India - September 22nd, 2024 [September 22nd, 2024]
- Afghanistan script history with first ever win over South Africa - ICC Cricket - September 22nd, 2024 [September 22nd, 2024]
- Afghanistan advances to knockout stage of Futsal World Cup - Amu TV - September 22nd, 2024 [September 22nd, 2024]
- Terrorists Use Weapons Left by U.S. in Afghanistan to Attack Civilians, Police in Pakistan - Judicial Watch - September 22nd, 2024 [September 22nd, 2024]
- South Africa clinch consolation win against Afghanistan in third ODI - The Times of India - September 22nd, 2024 [September 22nd, 2024]
- How will Afghanistan feature in the race for the White House? - Arab News - September 22nd, 2024 [September 22nd, 2024]
- The Observer view on Afghanistan: Britain and the US are complicit in the Talibans oppression of women - The Guardian - September 8th, 2024 [September 8th, 2024]
- GOP probe of Bidens Afghanistan exit expands as election nears - The Washington Post - September 8th, 2024 [September 8th, 2024]
- Everything To Know About Taliban's New "Vice And Virtue" Law In Afghanistan - NDTV - September 8th, 2024 [September 8th, 2024]
- Opinion: The Taliban are waging war on women in Afghanistan. This is how we are resisting - The Globe and Mail - September 8th, 2024 [September 8th, 2024]
- Aline Jalliet, author: 'In Afghanistan, the female voice itself becomes an act of dissent' - Le Monde - September 8th, 2024 [September 8th, 2024]
- Analysis | Trump appears to have misled Gold Star families on troop deaths in Afghanistan - The Washington Post - September 8th, 2024 [September 8th, 2024]
- GOP-led House panel tells Blinken to testify on Afghanistan withdrawal "or face contempt" - Axios - September 8th, 2024 [September 8th, 2024]