Afghanistan Times
Related Articles
Violent attacks on civilians erode trust on Taliban
AT News
KABUL: At least 23 civilians were killed and 45 others were wounded in the violence Taliban committed across 11 provinces in the past one week, said the National Security Council on Saturday.
“Taliban continue to take the lives of civilians by deliberate attacking them,” NSC Spokesman, Javid Faisal said.
“This past week, Taliban insurgents killed 23, including women and children, and wounded 45 others in 16 provinces,” Faisal said. This violent phase of attacks on civilians can only deteriorate the already shaken trust on the will of the Taliban, he added.
Halt in civilian casualties and ongoing violence against them are important objectives and the demand of the government, according to the NSC.
The belligerent group continues to attack civilians which are against the will of all parties trenching the peace process from moving forward.
Roadside mines, target killings and direct firing on the civilians by Taliban had made the majority of casualties, the NSC said.
“Use of civilian infrastructures and their homes as shields and abduction of civilians intentionally was another core tool of casualties,” said NSC.
Extremely high levels of violence had irked the Kabul administration who sees reduction of violence as the main part to kick start the long-awaited intra-Afghan talks.
After the US-Taliban peace deal on February 29th in Qatar, the Taliban had promised to reduce violence. They were also agreed not to carry district level attacks, but recently a Taliban suicide bomber targeted police HQ in Sha Wali Kot district of southern Kandahar province. Three police personnel were killed and 14 others, including the civilians, were wounded in the attack.
After Eid’s ceasefire, the Afghan security forces and the Taliban fighters had agreed indirectly to observe ceasefire as part of confidence-building measures to facilitate the intra-Afghan talks. However the Taliban fell short of observing the ceasefire.
