Summary Report on Civilian Casualties in the First Six Months of 2021
Summary Report on Civilian Casualties in the First Six Months of 2021
(January to end of June 2021)
1. Civilian Casualties During Armed Conflicts in the First Six Months of 2021:
Findings by Afghanistan Independent Human Rights Commission (AIHRC) show that in 1,594 different security incidents, a total of 5,321 civilians have been killed or injured in the first six months of 2021. Among these civilian casualties, 1677 are killed, and 3,644 are injured.
Important to note that the total number of civilian casualties in the first six months of 2020 was 2,957, including 1,213 killed and 1,744 injured.
A comparison of the abovementioned figures shows that civilian casualties have increased by 80 percent in the first six months of 2021 compared with the first six months of 2020.
2. Women Civilian Casualties:
The number of women civilian casualties in the first six months of 2021 is 504 in total which includes 154 killed, and 350 injured.
The number of women civilian casualties in the first six months of 2020 was 297 in total which included 126 killed, and 171 injured.
There has been 69 percent rise in women civilian casualties in the first six months of 2021 in comparison with the first six months of 2020.
3. Children Civilian Casualties:
In the first half of the 2021, as a result of military approaches of the warring parties in the country 373 children were killed, and 1,083 others were injured.
The number of child casualties in the first six months of 2020 was 630 (225 killed, and 405 injured).
The comparison of the above figures clearly shows that war principles and International Humanitarian Law have been violated. The number of child casualties increased by 131% in the first six months of 2021 compared to the first six months of 2020.
4. The Perpetrators of Civilian Casualties:
According to AIHRC findings from armed conflicts in the country, out of the total number of civilian casualties in Afghanistan in the first six months of 2021, the Taliban is responsible for 56 percent, pro-government forces are responsible for 15 percent, Daesh is responsible for seven percent, and unknown perpetrators are responsible for 22 percent.
The Taliban is responsible for 2,978 civilian casualties (917 killed, and 2,061 injured) in the first six months of 2021. The war tactics by the Taliban include use of IEDs, rocket fires, target killing, and ground battles. The number of civilian casualties by the Taliban in the first six months of 2021 compared with the same period in the previous year has been doubled. The Taliban was responsible for 1,438 civilian casualties (542 killed, and 896 injured) in the first six months of 2020.
Unknown perpetrators were responsible for another 1,190 civilian deaths and injuries in the first half of this year, including 425 civilians killed and 765 civilians injured. These attacks have not been claimed by any groups or individuals.
Imptortant to note that 16 civilians have been harmed due to rocket fires from Pakistan to Afghanistan territory in the first six months of 2021. This includes two civilians killed, and 14 others injured.
The pro-government forces are responsible for 794 civilian casualties (229 killed, 565 injured) in the first six months of 2021. The number of civilian casualties caused by pro-government forces in 2020 was 466 (152 killed, 314 injured). A comparison of the above figures shows that there has been 70 percent rise in the number of civilian casualties caused by pro-government forces in the first six months of 2021 compared with the same period in 2020.
As AIHRC did not have full access to a number of provinces and districts during the first six months of 2021, it is possible that a number of civilian casualties from attacks by Afghan government forces were not registered with the Commission.
The Daesh is responsible for 343 civilian casualties (104 killed, 239 killed) in the first six months of 2021. Meanwhile, the Daesh was responsible for 429 civilian casualties (145 killed, 284 injured) in the first six months of 2020. A comparison of both periods shows 20 percent reduction in 2021.
5. Distinction of Civilian Casualties by Type of Incidents:
The various war tactics used by the conflicting parties have exposed huge number of civilians to harm in the first six months of 2021.
a. Use of IEDs, roadside mines, and car-bombs
In 451 different incidents, a total of 1,987 civilians have been harmed due to IED blasts, roadside mines, car-bombs, and explosion of explosive remnants of war. This includes 587 civilians killed, and 1,400 others injured. The mentioned figure accounts for 37 percent of the total civilian casualties in the first six months of 2021. The number of civilian casualties caused by IEDs, roadside mines, explosive remnants of war, and car bombs was 766 in total in the same period the previous year which included 259 killed, and 507 others injured.
The number of civilian casualties caused by explosions have tripled (159 percent increase) in the first six months of 2021 compared with the same period in the previous year.
b. Targeted killing
Targered killing accounts for 30 percent of total number of civilian casualties in the first six months of 2021. This includes 1,634 civilian casualties (696 killed, 938 injured).
The number of civilian casualties caused by targeted killing during the same period in 2020 was 945 in total which included 533 killed and 412 injured.
Comparing the above figures shows 110 percent increase in the number of civilian casualties caused by targeted killing in the first six months of this year compared with the same period in the previous year.
c. Roket fires
According to AIHRC findings, rocket fire and heavy weapon use accounted for 18% of total civilian casualties in the first six months of 2021.
In total, 940 civilians have been harmed due to rocket fires in the first six months of 2021. This includes 212 civilians killed, and 728 others injured. The civilian casualties caused by rocket fires during the same period in 2020 were 378 in total.
Comparing the above figures shows that civilian casualties caused by rocket fires have tripled in the first six months of this year compared with the same period in 2020.
It is worth noting that the vast majority of rocket fire victims have been women and children.
d. Suicide attacks
According to our findings, suicide attacks have caused 91 civilian casualties in the first six months of 2021 which includes 12 civilians killed and 79 others injured. This figure accounts for one percent of total civilian casualties in this period.
The number of civilian casualties caused by suicide attacks in the first six months of 2020 was 347, which included 110 civilians killed, and 237 others injured.
Civilian casualties caused by suicide attacks have dropped by 74 percent in the first six months of 2021 compared with the same period in 2020.
e. Ground engamements
The ground engagements between pro-government forces and anti-government armed groups have led to 407 civilian casualties in the first six months of 2021 which includes 81 civilians killed, and 326 others injured. This figure accounts for seven percent of total civilian casualties in this period.
The civilian casualties of ground engagements in the first six months of 2020 were 327 in total, which included 82 killed, and 245 injured.
The civilian casualties of ground engagements have increased by 24.5 percent in the first six months of 2021 compared with the same period in 2020. The reason for this increase is escalation of armed conflicts between pro-government and anti-government forces.
f. Airstrikes
The airstrikes have caused 213 civilian casualties in the first six months of 2021. This includes 77 civilians killed, and 136 others injured. The mentioned figure amounts to four percent of total civilian casualties in the first six months of 2021.
The number civilian casualties caused by airstrikes in the first six months of 2020 was 189 which included 108 civilians killed and 81 others injured.
Civilian casualties caused by airstrikes have increased by 12 percent in the first six months of 2021 compared with the same period in 2020.
g. Night raids
According to findings by AIHRC, the number civilian casualties caused by night raids in the first six months of 2021 is 49 which includes 12 civilians killed and 37 others injured.
This war tactic had led to five civilian casualties in the first six months of 2020 which included 4 civilians killed and one other injured.
6. Distinction of Civilian Casualties by Geographic Location
AIHRC has divided the country into seven work zones:
· The Central Zone: Kabul, Wardak, Kapisa, Parwan, Panjsher, Ghazni, Bamiyan, Daikundi;
· The Southern Zone: Balkh, Samangan, Jawzjan, Sar-i-Pul, Faryab;
· Northern Zone: Paktia, Paktika, Khost, Logar;
· Eastern Zone: Nangarhar, Kunar, Laghman, Nuristan;
· Western Zone: Herat, Farah, Nimruz, Badghis, Ghor;
· Northwestern Zone: Kunduz, Baghlan, Takhar, Badakhshan;
· Southwestern Zone: Kandahar, Helmand, Uruzgan, Zabul.
According to AIHRC findings, the Southwestern Zone has suffered the highest number of civilian casualties in the first six months of 2021. The number of civilian casualties in this Zone in this period is 2,131 in total which includes 681 civilians killed, and 1,450 others injured.
The above figure accounts for 40 percent of total civilian casualties in this period. Following to that, the Central Zone with 958 civilian casualties (312 killed, 646 injured) which accounts for 18 percent of total civilian casualties in this period, stands second in line. The following are the other zones with the highest number of civilian casualties in respective order: the Eastern Zone, 831 civilian casualties (203 killed, 628 injured); Western Zone, 440 civilian casualties; the Northeastern Zone, 350 civilian casualties; the Northen Zone, 310 civilian casualties; and the Southern Zone, 301 civilian casualties.
7. Attack on Public and Private Infrastructures
AIHRC findings indicate that 39 power pylons have destroyed by unknown people in the first six months of 2021 in different provinces of the country, including Kabul, Parwan, Baghlan, and Kunduz. The destruction of these power pylons caused trouble to millions of citizens across the country.
In addition, the ongoing armed conflict in the current year has resulted in destruction of 130 bridges and culverts, 13 schools, and three clinics only in the first six months of 2021.
The above statistics are alarming and obvious examples of violating war principles.
Recommendations
The AIHRC, in continuation of its previous recommendations, once again calls on all parties to the conflict to respect the demands of the AIHRC and to implement its recommendations; otherwise, the responsibilities and consequences of violations will lie with the violators, causing civilians casualties and destruction of public facilities and the personal properties.
1. AIHRC believes that dialogue and negotiations are the most humane, logical, and effective ways to resolve conflicts and we are reiterating it more seriously and stressing our previous stances in this regard. The country's problems can be solved behind the negotiating table, not on the battlefield;
2. The Commission once again calls on the United Nations, domestic and international organizations and institutions influencing the war and peace in Afghanistan, as well as the international community, to use all their resources, opportunities, and capacities to end the current violence and devastating war before it leads to more human catastrophes;
3. We call on the Taliban, more specifically and emphatically, to care the suffering of the Afghan people, respect the interests of the country, the collective rights and aspirations of its citizens; in order to resolve disputed issues and achieve a just peace, they should return to the negotiation table and meaningful dialogue and pave the way for a long-term ceasefire and peace;
4. All parties to the Afghan war are required to respect international humanitarian law and standards, as well as not diverge from the laws and regulations of war during armed conflict. Any infringement of these regulations will result in severe penalties for the violators, who will be tried fairly and judicially in all circumstances;
5. According to international humanitarian law, the deliberate and systematic killing and harming of civilians is a clear example of war crimes and crimes against humanity, and if such approaches are motivated by hatred of certain ethnic, religious, or social groups, they are considered genocide and cannot be forgiven. The Government of Afghanistan and the relevant international organizations must seriously prosecute the perpetrators of such crimes;
6. The use of people as human shield as well as war in residential areas, clearly causes enormous harm to civilians, particularly children and women, and is an evident violation of international humanitarian law. Neither side in the fight should employ such cruel and brutal tactics. Furthermore, hostage-taking, assassination, targeted killings, and extrajudicial trials cannot be justified, and no military unit should engage in such tactics;
7. We specifically call on the Taliban to treat detainees and prisoners in accordance with international humanitarian law, and to guarantee that no captives or detainees are punished or brutally killed as a result of the extrajudicial measures, and prevent retaliatory actions by their men;
8. Emotional remarks and the issuance of instructions contrary to international human rights and humanitarian principles by some Afghan government officials have raised serious concerns among civil society organizations, the AIHRC, and the country's intellectual community; we urge the leadership of the Government of Afghanistan to refrain from such destructive and extra-legal approaches;
9. The Taliban leadership is strongly urged to investigate all cases of violations of international humanitarian law in areas under their control and to prevent further harm to the country's civilian people by stopping anti-human rights actions by their militants and commanders. The leadership of the Taliban must explain to the Afghan people the results of its work in this regard;
10. We urge the government's armed opposition to align its definition of civilians with international humanitarian law principles and to refrain from attacking Afghan government civil servants, civil society activists, human rights defenders, aid organizations, journalists, religious scholars, and dissidents. The armed opposition's leadership must understand that continuing to violate international human rights and humanitarian standards would have major consequences for them;
11. We urge the armed opposition's leadership, particularly the Taliban, to prevent the destruction of specially protected facilities in regions under their control, such as hydroelectric dams, historical and cultural sites, power generation sources, and hazardous energy sources. In addition to preventing the destruction and looting of public and private assets, the dominant groups in the region must also prohibit third-party looting and destruction of these resources;
12. According to AIHRC and international organizations, the Taliban's use of roadside bombs and improvised explosive devices is a major cause of civilian casualties. Therefore, we urge the Taliban to stop this military tactics;
13. We urge the Afghan government to review its war policies and procedures, resolve the issues that result in civilian casualties, and hold the government's military perpetrators accountable;
14. We call on responsible organs in the Afghan government to take planned, continuous, and systematic measures to improve the security of all citizens of the country, particularly ethnic-religious minorities, religious scholars, human rights defenders, media activists, and civil activists;
15. We urge the government and aid agencies to provide additional support to the injured, displaced people, and victims' relatives. We further urge the Taliban to permit the presence and activity of aid organizations in areas under their control, so that the impoverished people and displaced persons affected by the fighting can be helped;
16. Afghanistan is a member of the International Criminal Court (ICC). The Commission urges the International Criminal Court not to be swayed by political pressures from any authority in undertaking a serious and comprehensive investigation into the international crimes committed in Afghanistan. It also calls on the United Nations to send a UN fact-finding mission to investigate the recent horrific incidents against civilians in Afghanistan in a fair and non-political manner, as requested by the AIHRC. We also call on the Government of Afghanistan to welcome the presence of this delegation and to pave the way for a more thorough investigation.
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