The Afghanistan Independent Human Rights Commission claims that the recent increased insecurity has caused the killing of averagely 16 civilians each day across the country.

“Our assessments indicate that averagely 16 people who have no role in the clashes are killed every day around the country. 630 children have been killed and wounded in the first half of 2020,” said Zabihullah Farhang, spokesman of the human rights commission.

A number of children were killed in the very recent incident in Herat province. The government air force is blamed for the attack, which defense ministry says Taliban fighters were targeted in the Gozara district on Wednesday.

The incident was followed by reactions with a senior government official Abdullah Abdullah denouncing it as “unjustifiable”.

The US envoy for Afghanistan peace, Zalmay Khalilzad also reacted to the aerial attack on Twitter, saying that “more graves do not help the progress in the peace process”.

The human rights commission called on the war sides to take practical measures for a cease fire.

“The more prolonged war causes the more human rights violation. All the war parties are requested to take practical steps for cease fire and reduction in violence. Unfortunately, civilians and defenseless people are the main victims of the war,” Farhang said.

A British newspaper reports that 250 Afghan soldiers were killed and another 300 wounded in Taliban’s 220 attacks carried out in 11 of 34 provinces of Afghanistan in the past three weeks.

The United Nations Assistance Mission in Afghanistan (UNAMA) called on the war parties to observe cease fire on the Eid days (July 31 to August 3). The demand was welcomed by the government of Afghanistan.

http://www.afghanistantimes.af/16-civilians-killed-per-day-in-afghanistan-human-rights-body-claims/