Afghanistan saw a 13% drop in the number of civilians killed and wounded in violence across the country in the first six months of this …
Afghanistan saw a 13% drop in the number of civilians killed and wounded in violence across the country in the first six months of this year, compared to the same period last year, according to a U. N. report released Monday. The report credited the drop in casualties in part to the reduction of operations by international forces — which now only act when called upon and in support of the Afghan forces — and also to a decrease in the number of attacks by the Islamic State group. and sends a harsh message to both the Taliban and the Afghan government forces, saying civilian casualties caused by the warring sides in the conflict continue to be high. The report comes against the backdrop of a U. S.-Taliban peace deal signed at the end of February and touted as the best hope for peace in Afghanistan after decades of war. While the U. S. and NATO have already begun reducing their troop strength, the second phase of the deal — which calls for negotiations between the Taliban and the Kabul government — has been delayed. Much of the delays have been as a result of Kabul’s reluctance to free some Taliban prisoners identified for release as part of the agreement.
