Association for Defending Victims of Terrorism – Summary Report on Civilian Casualties in the First Six Months of 2021 by Afghanistan Independent Human Rights Commission.
- 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.
- 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.
- 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.
- 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.
- 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.
- 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.
- 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.
- 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.
- 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.
- 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.
- 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.
- 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.
- 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.
- 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.
