Oct 16, 2010

A report on civilian casualties, published by the United Nations Assistance Mission in Afghanistan (UNAMA) evaluates civilian casualties in the first six months of 2010. The report shows that civilian causalities are 21 percent higher than last year and contrary to popular belief this rise is a result of insurgent-related attacks rather than NATO- related attacks. In reaction to the rise in casualties, Staffan de Mistura, the Special Representative of the Secretary General (SRSG) in Afghanistan, extended a hard statement to all insurgent groups in Afghanistan saying that “if they want to be part of a future in Afghanistan, they cannot do so over the dead bodies of so many civilians.”  De Mistura’s response to the Taliban is adequate proceeding to the UN report which shows that civilian fatalities have increased to76 percent from 55 percent recorded in 2009. Furthermore, these figures are not only alarming for 2010 but are in fact the highest since the war began in 2001. (Full Artical,file type (Pdf) 110 KB )