U.S. considers change in war tactics in Afghan casualty spike’s wake

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AT-KABUL: U.S. Defense Secretary James Mattis has said that U.S. troops will be changing their war tactics in Afghanistan, following heavy casualties of the Afghan security forces.

He has confirmed that Afghan troops suffered great casualties last year, but said they were still fighting terrorists and defending their territory.

The Pentagon chief contended that Washington supports Afghan security forces and helps them bring changes in their tactics.

Meanwhile, head of senate, Fazl Hadi Muslimyar criticized the night raids as part of the US soldiers’ war tactics, saying its most victims are civilians though it is launched against terrorists.

“We ask for a revision in the night raids. There shouldn’t be blindly attacks and targeting women and children is not acceptable,” said Muslimyar.

The UN office in Afghanistan (UNAMA) expresses concerns over civilian casualties. It said a teacher’s house was bombed by air force that killed nine civilians including five children.

It added that 149 civilians were killed and 204 more injured in the past first six months across the country that shows a 52 per cent increase compared with 2017. The UNAMA said that half of the aerial attacks’ victims were women and children.

Defense Minister, Tareq Shah Bahrami, said this week that more than 500 soldiers were killed and some 700 others injured only in one month in the country.

Interior Minister, Wais Barmak also said that 30 soldiers and police officers are killed every day in the country.

Military experts say that war in Afghanistan has foreign dimensions with regional countries getting profit and Afghans suffering casualties. They emphasize that war is not the resolve.