GENEVA — Civilian casualties in Afghanistan witnessed a sharp rise since peace negotiations started in September last year, even though overall deaths and injuries dropped in 2020, compared to the previous year, according to a UN human rights report launched Tuesday. In their annual Afghanistan Protection of Civilians in Armed Conflict Annual Report, the Office of the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR) and the UN Assistance Mission in the country (UNAMA) documented some 8,820 civilian casualties (3,035 deaths and 5,785 injuries) in 2020, about 15 percent less than in 2019. It was also the first time the figure fell below 10,000 since 2013. However, the country remains amongst the “deadliest places in the world to be a civilian”, according to Michelle Bachelet, UN high commissioner for human rights. “I am particularly appalled by the high numbers of human rights defenders, journalists, and media workers killed since peace negotiations began in September,” she said. At least 11 rights defenders, journalists and media workers lost their lives since September, resulting in many professionals exercising self-censorship in their work, quitting their jobs, and even leaving their homes and the country – in hope it will improve their safety. Rise in ‘targeted killings’ According to the report, the overall drop in civilian casualties in 2020 was due to fewer casualties from suicide attacks by anti-government elements in populated areas, as well as drop in casualties attributed to international military forces. There was, however, a “worrying rise” in targeted killings by such elements — up about 45 percent over 2019. The use of pressure-plate improvised explosive devices (IEDs) by the Taliban, air strikes by the Afghan Air Force, and ground engagements also resulted in increased casualties, the report said. According to the report, anti-government elements bore responsibility for about 62 percent civilian casualties, while pro-government forces were responsible for about 25 percent casualties. About 13 percent of casualties were attributed to crossfire and other incidents. 2020 could have been ‘a year of peace’ Deborah Lyons, Special Representative of the UN Secretary-General for Afghanistan and head of UNAMA, called on all parties to take immediate and concrete action to protect civilians, urging them “not to squander a single day in taking the urgent steps to avoid more suffering”. “2020 could have been the year of peace in Afghanistan. Instead, thousands of Afghan civilians perished due to the conflict,” Lyons said. The “overriding objective” of the report is to provide the parties responsible with the facts, and recommendations, so they take immediate and concrete steps to protect civilians, she added. Lyons highlighted that “ultimately, the best way to protect civilians is to establish a humanitarian ceasefire” — a call consistently made by Secretary-General António Guterres and the Security Council. “Parties refusing to consider a ceasefire must recognize the devastating consequences of such a posture on the lives of Afghan civilians.” ‘Shocking toll’ on women and children The report went on to note that the years-long conflict in Afghanistan “continues to wreak a shocking and detrimental toll” on women and children, who accounted for 43 percent of all civilian casualties — 30 percent children and 13 percent women. “This report shows the acute, lasting needs of victims of the armed conflict and demonstrates how much remains to be done to meet those needs in a meaningful way,” High Commissioner Bachelet said. “The violence that has brought so much pain and suffering to the Afghan population for decades must stop and steps towards reaching a lasting peace must continue.” Attacking civilians ‘serious violations’ With the conflict continuing, parties must do more to prevent and mitigate civilian casualties, the report said, urging them to fully implement the report’s recommendations and to ensure that respect and protection of human rights is central to the ongoing peace negotiations. It also reminded the parties that deliberately attacking civilians or civilian objects are serious violations of international humanitarian law that may amount to war crimes. — UN News