In the first quarter of 2019, the number of civilians killed by the puppet Afghan forces was 305, according to the UN Assistance Mission in Afghanistan [UNAMA].

"UNAMA is very concerned by the continued targeting of civilians and increase in civilian casualties from the use of non-suicide IEDs by Anti-Government Elements," the report said.

Noting that significant increases in civilian casualties from aerial and search operations, UNAMA underlined that it drove an overall increase in civilian casualties by Pro-Government Forces.

Civilian deaths attributed to Pro-Government Forces surpassed those attributed to Anti-Government Elements during the first quarter of 2019.

While civilian casualties from suicide IED attacks significantly decreased during the first quarter of 2019 as compared to the first quarter of 2018, UNAMA documented a 21 percent increase in civilian casualties from non-suicide IED attacks, resulting in 322 civilian casualties (53 deaths and 269 injured)

Continuing trends observed in 2018, UNAMA documented increased harm to civilians from aerial and search operations, with the highest number of civilian casualties recorded from each of these tactic types in the first quarter of any year since UNAMA began systematic documentation.

Pro-Government Forces carried out 43 aerial operations in the first quarter of 2019 that resulted in 228 civilian casualties (145 deaths, 83 injured), with US military forces responsible for 39 of these operations resulting in 219 civilian casualties (140 deaths, 79 injured).

Women and children comprised half of the civilian casualties from all aerial operations.

For example; in one incident on 23 March in Kunduz city, US military forces conducted an airstrike in support of Afghan forces on the ground, killing 13 civilians including 10 children and 2 women and injuring three more civilians, including one child and one woman.

The Afghanistan report also includes states of the Afghans who have been killed for 17 years, injured, lost their homes, and income.

At least 32,000 civilians were killed during the conflict in Afghanistan, nearly 60 thousand were injured, according to reports that the United Nations has been recording since 2009.

ILKHA