Taliban Responsible for 90 Percent of All Civilian Casualties, ISAF

ISAF vows to work closely with their Afghan counterpart and take all actions necessary to reduce the civilian casualties.

ISAF soldier in Afghanistan. Salem-News.com photo by Tim King

(KABUL) - The NATO-led International Security Assistance Force (ISAF) said Saturday that the Taliban militants group is responsible for nearly 90 percent of all civilian casualties in Afghanistan.

ISAF following a statement, said, “Their indiscriminate use of improvised explosive devices and attacks on coalition and Afghan National Security Forces from civilian homes and compounds are a grave violation of international law.”

The statement further added, “The Taliban continue to attack mosques and healthcare facilities, they target schools by burning them down, emplacing IEDs near them, and occupying them for insurgent activities.”

“These persistent actions, including increased violence against women and religious elders, demonstrate the Taliban’s continuing disregard for human life and detract from Afghan and international community efforts to improve Afghanistan’s future,” ISAF said in its statement.

The remarks by ISAF were followed by the 2013 Annual Protection of Civilians in Armed Conflict Report released today by the United Nations Assistance Mission in Afghanistan.

According to the ISAF statistics, civilian casualties in coalition forces operations were reduced by 60 percent in 2013, while civilian casualties in airstrikes declined to 80 percent from 2012 to 2013.

“While we recognize that one harmed civilian is one too many, we are encouraged that the report reflects the comprehensive measures we take to avoid civilian casualties and diminish the threat of explosive remnants of war,” ISAF said, adding that, “These reductions are a direct result of ISAF’s commitment to enforcing strict operational discipline to avoid engagements that could result in civilian casualties.”

ISAF also vowed to work closely with their Afghan counterpart and take all actions necessary to reduce the civilian casualties.