The International Red Committee of The Red Cross (ICRC) has said it treated over 4,042 weapon-wounded patients at 15 health facilities in the last ten days alone, indicating the intensity of the recent violence where the country’s health infrastructure has come under intense pressure.

The ICRC has called on warring parties to show restraint and protect civilians and vital infrastructure such as hospitals from attacks, especially in urban areas. Hundreds of thousands of civilians are at risk in and around Kunduz, Lashkar Gah, Kandahar, and other Afghan cities where fighting has been going on. 

“We are seeing homes destroyed, medical staff and patients put at tremendous risk, and hospitals, electricity and water infrastructure damaged,” Eloi Fillion, ICRC’s head of delegation in Afghanistan, was quoted as saying by TOLOnews.

“The use of explosive weaponry in cities is having severe and indiscriminate effects on the civilian population well beyond its target. Many families have no option but to flee in search of a safer place. This must stop,” he added. 

Street-to-street clashes, happening in many cities since the last few days, have injured hundreds of civilians even as medical services are heavily strained due to damage to health facilities and a lack of staff, the ICRC said in a statement. Electricity is out across several contested cities and water supply systems are barely operational in some places, it said in the statement.

 “Many families are trying to leave but cannot find transport to escape or simply do not have the financial means,” ICRC said.

In July alone, the ICRC helped nearly 13,000 patients suffering from weapon-related injuries across the country, and this number appears likely to rise this month as fighting increases in highly populated areas.

Meanwhile, UN High Commissioner for Human Rights Michelle Bachelet on Tuesday warned that the failure to stem the rising violence and human rights violations and abuses is having “disastrous consequences” for civilians.

“The Taliban must cease their military operations in cities,” she said. “Unless all parties return to the negotiating table and reach a peaceful settlement, the already atrocious situation for so many Afghans will become much worse.”

Bachelet said that “at least 183 civilians have been killed and 1,181 injured, including children,” in the cities of Lashkar Gah, Kandahar, Herat and Kunduz since July 9. She further added figures would be much higher as these were just the incidents they had managed to document.

Reports said that a senior US official today met with Taliban leadership in Doha, where the group maintains its political office and asked them immediately end its military campaigns in Afghanistan.

As the violence escalated in Mazar-e-Sharif, the capital of northern Balkh province, India has started evacuating its diplomats and staff from its consulates in the city. Indian nationals, in and around the city, have also been asked to return with two special flights by Indian Air Force.

In a travel advisory issued on Wednesday by the Indian Embassy in Kabul, Indians have been asked to make “immediate travel arrangement to return to India before commercial air services are discontinued.” People have asked to keep regular updates on available flights.

(SAM)