UN report: 2,754 Afghan civilians killed in 2012

A UN report says a total of 2,754 Afghan civilians have been killed in war-torn Afghanistan in 2012, taking the toll to 14,728 since 2007.

In its annual report on the Protection of Civilians in Armed Conflict, which was published on Tuesday, the UN said militant-laid improvised explosive devices (IEDs) were responsible for 81 percent of civilian casualties, while eight percent were caused by Afghan and US-led forces. The other 11 percent could not be attributed to either party, it said.

The report, however, said that says the number of Afghans killed or injured in 2012 declined by 12 percent, compared to 2011 during which the number of civilian deaths was 3,131.

It also noted that 126 civilians, including 51 children, were killed only in airstrikes carried out by US-led force last year in Afghanistan.

Afghan President Hamid Karzai has banned Afghan security forces from calling in NATO air strikes after the deaths of 10 civilians in an attack last week.

The report shows a 700 percent increase in attacks on Afghan government employees by militants last year.

“While the overall incidence of civilian casualties decreased in 2012, anti-government elements increasingly targeted civilians throughout the country and carried out attacks without regard for human life,” it said.

“Of these, killings and injuries to civilian government employees increased by a staggering 700 percent,” the report said.

The report also shows an alarming 20 percent jump in the number of women and girls killed or injured last year.

“Yet, the human cost of the conflict remains unacceptable,” said Jan Kubis, the UN special representative to Afghanistan.
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.