Kabul bombing a senseless attack: UNAMA

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AT-KABUL: The UN Assistance Mission in Afghanistan condemns Sunday’s attack outside Kabul’s airport that initial findings indicate killed and injured scores of civilians.

The suicide attack took place among a crowd gathered to greet First Vice President Abdul Rashid Dostum, shortly after his convoy had departed the area.

“This was a senseless attack that served no purpose other than to spread terror and try to promote division,” said Tadamichi Yamamoto, the UN Secretary-General’s Special Representative for Afghanistan. “The organizers of these attacks, those supporting these cynical crimes, must be held accountable and brought to justice.”

Attacks targeting civilians are violations of international humanitarian law. Under international humanitarian law, such attacks may amount to war crimes. The United Nations maintains that all parties to the conflict must at all times uphold their obligations to protect civilians from harm.

UNAMA’s 2018 mid-year report on civilian casualties documents how suicide and complex attacks by Anti-Government Elements caused 1,413 civilian casualties (427 killed and 986 injured), a 22 per cent increase in civilian casualties compared to the same period in 2017.

“At a time when Afghans are exploring ways toward much-needed peace, we must not allow such attacks to deter our collective resolve to make progress on ending the conflict,” said Yamamoto, who is also head of UNAMA. “The UN stands with Afghans in solidarity and remains committed to an Afghan-led peace process that will end the war and enable Afghanistan to allocate more resources to protect all citizens from such atrocities.”

On behalf of the United Nations in Afghanistan, Yamamoto expressed his condolences to the loved ones of those killed in the attack and wished a full and speedy recovery to those injured.