The United Nations Assistance Mission in Afghanistan (UNAMA) on Monday released its findings on airstrikes carried out by government forces in Dasht-e-Archi district in Kunduz province on April 2. 
 
The organization said in a report that 36 people were killed in the airstrike and 71 others were wounded. 
 
According to the report, from those killed and wounded in the airstrikes, 81 are children. 
 
The report however notes that UNAMA received additional credible information indicating higher figures.
 
The report is based on more than 90 interviews with victims, witnesses, government officials and medical personnel; three large community consultations in Kunduz city; and accounts received during a fact-finding mission to the site of the attack, UNAMA said in a statement. 
 
“A key finding of this report is that the government, which indicated the airstrike targeted senior Taliban leaders present in the area, used rockets and heavy machinegun fire on and around a religious gathering, killing and injuring civilians, the majority of whom were children,” the report said.
 
The report details how UNAMA was not able to confirm the civilian status of each individual killed or injured, nor was the mission in a position to determine the presence or actions of the Taliban leaders or units at the time of the airstrike.
 
The report makes several recommendations to government, including conducting a review of military policies to ensure compliance with international humanitarian law to protect civilians at all times. 
 
The report says “however, the airstrike took place after the Afghan air forces targeted a graduation ceremony was being conducted at the madrassa”.
 
Government had said that 50 Taliban members had been killed and 150 wounded, the report says, adding that but the residents claimed the death toll was much higher and that only civilians had been killed.
 
Following conflicting reports, President Ashraf Ghani assigned a fact-finding team to investigate the incident.  
 
Click here for the full UNAMA report.