Afghanistan confirms UN report on child killings by US-led troops

Afghanistan has confirmed a United Nations report that accuses US-led forces of killing hundreds of Afghan children over the last four years.

“We agree with the UN report and confirm that innocent kids have been killed during coalition forces operations specifically US troops operations during the past ten years,” Aimal Faizi, a spokesman for the Afghan government, said Saturday.

On February 5, the Geneva-based UN Committee on the Rights of the Child said in a report that the “attacks by US military forces in Afghanistan, including air strikes, have reportedly killed hundreds of children over the last four years.”

The UN body further said it is “alarmed at reports of the death of hundreds of children as a result of attacks and air strikes by the US military forces in Afghanistan.”

Following the report, Human Rights Watch also called on the United States to quickly implement the UN recommendations to improve the security of Afghan children.

“The US can and should do more to protect children affected by armed conflict,” said Jo Becker, children’s rights advocacy director at HRW.

“The US should take decisive action on the child rights committee’s common-sense recommendations,” Becker added.

However, the International Security Assistance Force (ISAF) rejected the UN report, describing it as “categorically unfounded” in a statement issued in the Afghan capital, Kabul, on Friday.

ISAF further claimed that US-led foreign troops take special care to avoid civilian casualties.

The United States and its allies invaded Afghanistan in 2001 under the pretext of combating terrorism. While the war removed the Taliban from power, insecurity continues to be high across the country.