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Afghan Civilian Casualty Toll On Rise Amid Ceaseless Violence

With the violence in Afghanistan showing no signs of ending, Kabul Emergency Hospital on Friday reported that it has treated 1,592 wounded civilians over the past six months, amid a surge in violent extremism and insurgent attacks in the country.

Paramedics at the Emergency Hospital have said that the majority of wounded civilians were injured as a result of roadside bombings and suicide attacks - with 33 percent of the victims constituting children under the age of 14.

"We treated up to 1,592 wounded civilians over the past six months with 30 percent of them children, they were injured due to explosions and mortar attacks," an official at Kabul emergency hospital told TOLOnews.

Up to 40 of those treated were pro-Enlightening Movement protestors whose rally was hit by twin suicide attacks on Saturday, killing more than 80 of the protestors and injuring 300 hundred others.

Abdullah Zamiri was one of the protestors who lost his life in the rally attack.

He was studying medicine.

"My son told me that he wanted to participate in the rally and asked my permission, but we got back his dead body, how long should our youth carry on being killed? Abdullah was due to graduate from medical school, but they did not allow him to complete his education," said Abdul Khalil, father of the victim.

Zamiri's mother is still crying over her loss.

"I raised my son despite hardships and economic issues and sent him to Kabul to get an education ... to serve society," Abdullah's mother Safia said.

Fawzia, 14, is another victim. She lost both her legs while playing with an unexploded mortar.

"There was a mortar in our house, the girl rushed to play and suddenly there was an explosion and Fawzia's lost her legs," said Fatima, Fawzia's grandmother.

This comes just days after the UN raised alarm over the rise in civilian casualties in Afghanistan.

The United Nations Assistance Mission in Afghanistan (UNAMA) last week released its report for the first three months of the year which shows a record number of civilian casualties since counting began in 2009.

The report shows 5,166 civilians were killed or maimed in just the first six months of this year, of whom almost one-third were children.

The total civilian casualty figure recorded by the UN between 1 January 2009 and 30 June 2016 has risen to 63,934, including 22,941 deaths and 40,993 injured.

Between January and June this year, UNAMA's Human Rights team documented 1,601 civilian deaths and 3,565 injured civilians.

According to UNAMA, this represents an increase of four percent in the total number of casualties compared to the first six months of 2015 – and is the highest half-year total since 2009.

This year's casualties include 1,509 children (388 dead and 1,121 injured) – a figure the UN Human Rights Chief described as "alarming and shameful," particularly as it represents the highest numbers of children killed or wounded in a six-month period since counting began in 2009, read a statement by the organization.

There were also 507 women casualties (130 killed and 377 injured). UNAMA states however, that these figures are conservative – almost certainly underestimates – given the strict methodology employed in their documentation and in determining the civilian status of those affected.

Afghan Civilian Casualty Toll On Rise Amid Ceaseless Violence

With the violence in Afghanistan showing no signs of ending, Kabul Emergency Hospital on Friday re

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With the violence in Afghanistan showing no signs of ending, Kabul Emergency Hospital on Friday reported that it has treated 1,592 wounded civilians over the past six months, amid a surge in violent extremism and insurgent attacks in the country.

Paramedics at the Emergency Hospital have said that the majority of wounded civilians were injured as a result of roadside bombings and suicide attacks - with 33 percent of the victims constituting children under the age of 14.

"We treated up to 1,592 wounded civilians over the past six months with 30 percent of them children, they were injured due to explosions and mortar attacks," an official at Kabul emergency hospital told TOLOnews.

Up to 40 of those treated were pro-Enlightening Movement protestors whose rally was hit by twin suicide attacks on Saturday, killing more than 80 of the protestors and injuring 300 hundred others.

Abdullah Zamiri was one of the protestors who lost his life in the rally attack.

He was studying medicine.

"My son told me that he wanted to participate in the rally and asked my permission, but we got back his dead body, how long should our youth carry on being killed? Abdullah was due to graduate from medical school, but they did not allow him to complete his education," said Abdul Khalil, father of the victim.

Zamiri's mother is still crying over her loss.

"I raised my son despite hardships and economic issues and sent him to Kabul to get an education ... to serve society," Abdullah's mother Safia said.

Fawzia, 14, is another victim. She lost both her legs while playing with an unexploded mortar.

"There was a mortar in our house, the girl rushed to play and suddenly there was an explosion and Fawzia's lost her legs," said Fatima, Fawzia's grandmother.

This comes just days after the UN raised alarm over the rise in civilian casualties in Afghanistan.

The United Nations Assistance Mission in Afghanistan (UNAMA) last week released its report for the first three months of the year which shows a record number of civilian casualties since counting began in 2009.

The report shows 5,166 civilians were killed or maimed in just the first six months of this year, of whom almost one-third were children.

The total civilian casualty figure recorded by the UN between 1 January 2009 and 30 June 2016 has risen to 63,934, including 22,941 deaths and 40,993 injured.

Between January and June this year, UNAMA's Human Rights team documented 1,601 civilian deaths and 3,565 injured civilians.

According to UNAMA, this represents an increase of four percent in the total number of casualties compared to the first six months of 2015 – and is the highest half-year total since 2009.

This year's casualties include 1,509 children (388 dead and 1,121 injured) – a figure the UN Human Rights Chief described as "alarming and shameful," particularly as it represents the highest numbers of children killed or wounded in a six-month period since counting began in 2009, read a statement by the organization.

There were also 507 women casualties (130 killed and 377 injured). UNAMA states however, that these figures are conservative – almost certainly underestimates – given the strict methodology employed in their documentation and in determining the civilian status of those affected.

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