Latest statistics released by the UN show a decrease in civilian casualties in Afghanistan during the first six months of the year. More than 3000 civilian casualties have been reported since January 2012. UNAMA reports 1,145 civilians were killed and another 1,954 were injured, showing a 15 percent decrease compared to last year.
Deputy UN Special Envoy to Afghanistan Nicholas Haysom said militants, mainly the Taliban, are responsible for over 80 percent of overall civilian causalities, while 10 percent of deaths are caused by the international troops and Afghan National Security Forces (ANSF). UNAMA says the remaining 10 percent casualties during the period could not be attributed to any particular party to the conflict. The latest report further says militant violence was down 15 percent compared with the same period last year.
Previously in similar statistics released in May, UNAMA noted that the number of civilian causalities caused by the ISAF troops and Afghanistan National Security Forces had dropped significantly. There has been 11 percent increase in violence in May and June alone. Similar statistic released by UNAMA in May said 579 civilian casualties and 1,216 injuries were reported in the first four months of 2012, at 21 percent decrease from the same period last year.
Despite their claims, militants don't show any respect for civilian life and improvement in protection for them. For propaganda, they issue statements about protecting civilians, but in practice they use indiscriminate destructive weapons.
During the last ten years of current conflict after the US/NATO arrival in Afghanistan, Taliban have been responsible for larger civilian casualties. Whenever a roadside bomb, landmine blast or suicide bomber blows among crowds, it is ordinary poor civilian Afghans who suffer the most.
A group of militant ideologues justify such merciless killing of civilians by the pretext of a holy war against invaders, while others completely deny they are responsible for civilian casualties. On the other hand, our outrage has always been selective.
Whenever any civilian causality is caused by an ISAF or Afghan National Security Forces operation, strong condemnation follow from Presidential Palace and some of our opportunist political elements, but when it comes to Taliban atrocities, people keep mum or ignore.
Taliban kill civilians every day. People never bother to come out to streets chanting against Taliban when their suicide bombers kill only breadwinners of poor families. They have made hundreds of children orphan and women widow, but the guardians of our national honor never come out of the shell of hypocrisy to condemn such atrocities.
President Karzai 's criticism has been reflective of our overall national phenomenon with selective outrage when it comes to civilian causalities. Even media does not highlight civilian casualties by militants in the way they reported Panjwai massacre or other incidents of civilian massacre by ISAF and ANSF.
If ordinary Afghans show strong street reaction against Taliban atrocities, militants would think twice before sending a suicide bomber and killing civilians. No matter Taliban deny it, but the fact is that they are responsible for over 80 percent of overall civilian casualties.