Kabul: Former Afghan President Hamid Karzai expressed deep concerns over an increase in violence and civilian casualties, despite the peace deal signed between Taliban and the United States that caused hopes about a reduction in violence.

According to a report released by the United Nations Assistance Mission in Afghanistan (UNAMA), 533 civilians were killed and another 760 wounded in both aerial and ground attacks in the first quarter of the ongoing year.

The report said that women and children were among the dead and injured.

In a statement, Karzai called on the foreign troops on Monday to “immediately stop operations against the people of Afghanistan”.

He also asked the Afghan sides of the war to abandon fratricide and accelerate intra-Afghan talks for reaching a durable and nationwide peace.

http://www.afghanistantimes.af/karzai-worried-about-increasing-violence-civilian-casualties/