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A total of 8,050 civilian casualties were reported in Afghanistan in the first nine months of this year, a report by the UN said on Tuesday.
“The United Nations Assistance Mission in Afghanistan (UNAMA) documented 8,050 civilian casualties (2,798 dead and 5,252 injured) in the first nine months of this year,” the report said.
Suicide and non-suicide improvised explosive devices (IEDs) by anti-government elements are marked as the leading causes of civilian casualties.
The second leading cause of civilian casualties is aerial operations and explosive remnants of war, it said.
Tadamichi Yamamoto, the UN secretary-general’s special representative for Afghanistan and head of UNAMA, renewed his call for utmost efforts to protect civilians from harm.
“As there can be no military solution to the fighting in Afghanistan, the United Nations renews its call for an immediate and peaceful settlement to the conflict to end the suffering of the Afghan people," he said.
For the first time, eastern Nangarhar province surpassed Kabul as the province with most civilian casualties in the first nine months of 2018, more than double the number recorded during the same period in 2017.
Separately, authorities in Nangarhar claimed up to 75 Taliban rebels, including their commanders, have surrendered.
Hayatullah Hayat, the provincial governor, told reporters on Tuesday these former rebels from the restive Bati Kot district would now help in bringing peace to this part of the province marred by pro-Daesh terrorism.
The Turkish Red Crescent (Turk Kizilayi) on Wednesday gave two shops to two Afghan nationals, as part of a project to support Afghans who voluntarily return to their countries.The project provides job opportunities to Afghans after their voluntary return to their homeland.In a ceremony held in the Afghan capital Kabul, two Afghan nationals were given a shop and a carpentry workshop within the framework of the project.Speaking at the ceremony, Ibrahim Altan, head of the Turkish Red Crescent, said the Afghan nation liked working and the agency is making efforts to support them.Turkish planes carrying aid arrives in Indonesia's Palu“At the first phase, we have opened a shop and a carpentry workshop for two Afghan brothers who are living in Kabul.“The five-month rent of the shops and all the materials in it were provided by the Turkish Red Crescent,” Altan said.He went onto say that they prepare everything and the Afghan people coming back to the country were having their own businesses straightaway.Altan said the support activities will continue in different fields.Oguzhan Ertugrul, the Turkish ambassador to Kabul, said he knew the living conditions and the security were the biggest problems in the country.“Despite the negativities, no one should lose hope,” said Ertugrul, adding that Turkey would continue to stand with Afghanistan.He said those who make good use of the opportunities provided by the Turkish Red Crescent could contribute to the livelihood of the family.The project is carried out with the support of the Turkey’s Interior Ministry’s Directorate-General of Migration Management, Turkish Embassy in Kabul and Afghanistan’s Ministry of Refugees and Repatriation.
Turkish agency provides jobs to Afghans returning home
Turkey on Tuesday condemned a “heinous terrorist attack”, which killed a candidate for this month’s Afghan parliamentary elections and eight of his supporters at a public rally in Afghanistan’s Helmand province.“We learned with sorrow that the terrorist attack that took place at an election rally today in Lashkargah, in the province of Helmand of Afghanistan, resulted in many loss of lives and injuries,” Turkish Foreign Ministry said in a statement.The ministry also wished Allah’s mercy upon those who lost their lives, speedy recovery to the wounded, and conveyed condolences to "the friendly Government and the brotherly people of Afghanistan".Earlier, Umar Zwak, a spokesman for the Helmand province’s governor, told Anadolu Agency the suicide attack took place in the provincial capital, Lashkargah, where Wolesi Jirga (lower house) candidate Saleh Mohammad Achakzai was holding the rally. In addition to the nine casualties, more than 10 people were wounded, he added.Candidate, 9 more slain at campaign rally in AfghanistanThis was the first attempt of Achakzai, a young entrepreneur, to run for parliament from this restive province of the country, the spokesman said.There has been no immediate claim of responsibility, but the Taliban had warned Afghans against taking part in the polls.In a statement, President Mohammad Ashraf Ghani condemned the attack, saying Afghans would not allow the terrorists to undermine the democratic process.Last week, 13 people were killed and more than 20 wounded in a similar attack in the Nangarhar province.The UN Assistance Mission in Afghanistan (UNAMA) has expressed concern about the level of violence in the campaigning for the Oct. 20 parliamentary polls, including intimidation and attacks on candidates, their agents, and supporters.Nationwide campaigning for the polls is underway, with candidates holding political rallies amid grim security concerns.
Turkey condemns terror attack in Afghanistan
A candidate for this month’s Afghan parliamentary elections and eight of his supporters were killed in a suicide attack at a public rally, officials confirmed on Tuesday.Umar Zwak, spokesman for the Helmand province’s governor, told Anadolu Agency the incident took place in the provincial capital, Lashkargah, where Wolesi Jirga (lower house) candidate Saleh Mohammad Achakzai was holding the rally. In addition to the nine casualties, more than 10 people were wounded, he added.This was the first attempt of Achakzai, a young entrepreneur, to run for parliament from this restive province of the country, the spokesman said.US calls on Taliban to name team for Afghan peace talksThere has been no immediate claim of responsibility. The Taliban have warned Afghans against taking part in the polls.In a statement, President Mohammad Ashraf Ghani condemned the attack, saying Afghans would not allow the terrorists to undermine the democratic process.Last week, 13 people were killed and more than 20 wounded in a similar attack in the Nangarhar province.The UN Assistance Mission in Afghanistan (UNAMA) has expressed concern about the level of violence in the campaigning for the Oct. 20 parliamentary polls, including intimidation and attacks on candidates, their agents, and supporters.Nationwide campaigning for the polls is underway, with candidates holding political rallies amid grim security concerns.Taliban urge Afghans to boycott polls, reject peace talks
Candidate, 9 more slain at campaign rally in Afghanistan