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HRW Calls On U.S To Improve Civilian Protection

Human Rights Watch on Thursday called on the U.S Defense Department to urgently adopt measures to better protect civilians in the Afghan armed conflict.

In a letter to the Defense Secretary James Mattis, the human rights watchdog said: “Increasing numbers of civilian deaths and injuries from U.S airstrikes in Afghanistan raise concerns that the procedures for vetting airstrikes are inadequate,” said Brad Adams, Asia director at Human Rights Watch.

“The U.S review of its Afghan strategy is a crucial opportunity for adopting changes to minimize civilian casualties.”

This comes amid ongoing reports that the U.S government is currently conducting a review of its Afghanistan strategy and support to the Afghan government in its efforts against the Taliban, Al-Qaeda, and Daesh-affiliated armed groups.

Civilian casualties in Afghanistan have steadily increased in recent years, with 2016 seeing the highest toll recorded since 2008 with a total of 11,418 (3,498 deaths and 7,920 injured), according to the United Nations Assistance Mission to Afghanistan (UNAMA). 

While the Taliban and other insurgent groups have caused most of these casualties, casualties caused by U.S and Afghan forces have also been on the rise.

A recent UNAMA report shows that in 2016, aerial operations by U.S and Afghan government forces resulted in the deaths of 250 civilians and injuries to 340 others, which is nearly double the total from the previous year.

Aerial operations remained the second leading cause of civilian casualties by Afghan government forces in 2016, causing 43 percent of civilian casualties.

Most support for Afghan air operations has come from the U.S military, though Afghan civilian casualty tracking and mitigation measures are significantly lacking.

HRW Calls On U.S To Improve Civilian Protection

With casualties on the rise, HRW has written to the U.S Defense Secretary calling for action to be taken to minimize civilian casualties in Afghanistan.

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Human Rights Watch on Thursday called on the U.S Defense Department to urgently adopt measures to better protect civilians in the Afghan armed conflict.

In a letter to the Defense Secretary James Mattis, the human rights watchdog said: “Increasing numbers of civilian deaths and injuries from U.S airstrikes in Afghanistan raise concerns that the procedures for vetting airstrikes are inadequate,” said Brad Adams, Asia director at Human Rights Watch.

“The U.S review of its Afghan strategy is a crucial opportunity for adopting changes to minimize civilian casualties.”

This comes amid ongoing reports that the U.S government is currently conducting a review of its Afghanistan strategy and support to the Afghan government in its efforts against the Taliban, Al-Qaeda, and Daesh-affiliated armed groups.

Civilian casualties in Afghanistan have steadily increased in recent years, with 2016 seeing the highest toll recorded since 2008 with a total of 11,418 (3,498 deaths and 7,920 injured), according to the United Nations Assistance Mission to Afghanistan (UNAMA). 

While the Taliban and other insurgent groups have caused most of these casualties, casualties caused by U.S and Afghan forces have also been on the rise.

A recent UNAMA report shows that in 2016, aerial operations by U.S and Afghan government forces resulted in the deaths of 250 civilians and injuries to 340 others, which is nearly double the total from the previous year.

Aerial operations remained the second leading cause of civilian casualties by Afghan government forces in 2016, causing 43 percent of civilian casualties.

Most support for Afghan air operations has come from the U.S military, though Afghan civilian casualty tracking and mitigation measures are significantly lacking.

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