Afghanistan Times
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Having a sharp look on history of various conflicts in the country, we observe highest record of civilian casualties without any creed and cast. Wars in the country results into destroying human live as a result of direct consequences of violence, and the conflicts-induced breakdown of public health, security and infrastructures. Civilians are losing their precious lives and sustain injuries by crossfire, improvised explosive devices (IED), assassinations, night raids into houses of suspected militants, bombing and forcefully usage of civilian’s homes as shelter by insurgents. Even in the absence of direct fighting, unexploded ordnance from previous wars and the cluster bombs of the United States continue to kill our innocent civilians. During the Soviet-Afghan war, between millions of civilians were killed and millions of Afghan fled their country as refugees. Unfortunately, the war was not ended after the withdrawal of Soviet Army. Civil war also killed a large number of civilians in the 1990s. The Soviet-Afghan war was followed by the sudden emergence of the Taliban, designed in Pakistan as a prominent faction of civil war in 1994. During the unauthorized Taliban’s regime from 1996 to 2001, they enforced a strict interpretation of Sharia (Islamic Law) of which the international community and leading Muslims were highly critical. Many Afghans especially women faced brutal treatment. Taliban and their allies carried out massacres against Afghan civilians, denied United Nations food supplies to 16,000 starving civilians and exercised a policy of deserted land, burning vast areas of fertile land and destruction of tens of thousands of homes. The deadly terrorist attacks of September 11 in the United States put an end to the barbaric regime of the Taliban, but civilian casualties still continue. Recently, eleven people of a family lost their lives in Logar province when their vehicle hit with a roadside bomb. It would be simple news for many, but it is more than a doomsday for the affected family. Being a part of the country and international human family we must have to realize the pain by taking preventive measure. Prior to this, since, 2001-14, more than 26,000 civilian deaths due to war-related violence have been reported. In addition to that, 29,900 civilians sustained injuries. According to a report of the United Nations Assistance Mission in Afghanistan (UNAMA), 3,498 civilians had been killed and 7,920 were wounded during the year of 2016, the highest record. The report further underlines with nearly 11,500 non combatants-one third of them were children, being killed or wounded. Recently the World body has expressed its deep concerns over civilian death tools. Hospitals across the country are treating a large number of war wounded, comprising amputees and burn victims. The ongoing war in the country also inflicted invisible wounds. In 2009, the ministry of Public Health reported that 2/3 of Afghans suffer from mental and health problems, caused by the conflict-related violence. Elevated rates of disease due to lack of clean drinking water, malnutrition and reduced access to health care are other burning problems of the Afghans. All the war parties must put an end to civilian casualties which gives birth to anger and rebels among the Afghans. In May 2007, the former President Hamid Karzai summoned foreign military commanders to warn them of the consequences of further Afghan civilian deaths. The Afghan government should adopt effective strategy to overcome the civilian death tools to spread smiles and hopes in the country.
