KABUL - Two Hundred and two civilians have suffered causalities in February with 113, including 16 women and 17 children killed, and 89 others injured, including 20 children, Civilian Protection Advocacy Group (CPAG) said on Sunday.
advocating for the decline of civilian casualties during conflict and want conflicting parties to ensure the protection of civilians.
Six hundred people were killed and injured in January and the Taliban were mostly made responsible for the civilian casualties, but in February the government has been accused of civilian causalities because around 35 civilians were killed in the operation and police arrested more than 28 people in the Band Taimour locality of Maiwand district in southern Kandahar province.
Representative of the CPAG have established contacts with tribal elders and residents of Band Taimour area who claimed security forces have killed many civilians during night raid in the area.
Haji Abdul Karim, the resident of Band Taimour area, who was present in 35 funerals said: “Perhaps the Taliban be present in the area but security forces bothered common people too much and martyred 35 innocent people.”
Haji Raz Mohammad, another resident of the area told CPAG that two of his family members have been martyred and three other arrested by police.
Raz Mohammad said: “It was the second night raid on our village. This time they martyred two member of our family – my son and nephew shot dead by security personnel and police arrested three more family members. They damaged civilian homes and set alight to motorcycles and zaranj vehicles.”
The Band Taimour incident happened on January 31, but the CPAG registered the event in February.
“The CPAG wants the government to take necessary steps for the protection of civilians and individual involved in the Band Taimour incident should be identified and dealt according to the law.”
“The CPAG also wants the Taliban increase monitoring from the landmines which claimed the lives of civilians, including women and children and did not allow its fighters to use the tool in the conflict.” (Pajhwok)