In view of the recent offensives of the radical Islamic Taliban in Afghanistan, the United Nations has warned of a sharp rise in civilian casualties.
Kabul - In a report released on Monday, the UN Aid Mission to Afghanistan (Unama) said it expected civilian casualties this year to hit its highest level since records began over a decade ago.
In parallel with the rapid withdrawal of NATO troops from Afghanistan, violence in the country has increased sharply.
"An unprecedented number of Afghan civilians will be killed and injured this year if the increasing violence is not contained," warned Unama director Deborah Lyons.
She appealed to the Taliban and the Afghan government to end "the grim and frightening development of the conflict and its devastating effects on the civilian population".
Afghan troops and forces close to the government can be held responsible for a quarter of all civilian casualties.
According to the report, a good 40 percent of all civilian casualties can be attributed to the Taliban, nine percent are attributable to the Islamic State jihadist militia.
According to Unama, around 1,660 civilians were killed and 3,250 injured in the first half of 2021 - an increase of 47 percent compared to the same period last year. The increase in civilian casualties was particularly strong in May and June, when the Taliban launched their wide-ranging offensives, according to the report. Almost half of all civilian victims are women and children.
The Taliban have conquered large parts of the country in recent months, parallel to the rapid withdrawal of US and other NATO troops.
They now control around half of the approximately 400 districts in Afghanistan.
Observers fear that the radical Islamists could take power again in Afghanistan after the complete withdrawal of international troops.
The peace negotiations between the Taliban and the Afghan government in Doha have been stalled for months.
AFP / gap / jes