(MENAFN- Pajhwok Afghan News) There has been a significant spike in attacks on civilians, schools, mosques, hospitals, voter registration sites and other safe spaces, says am Afghan diplomat.
€œBy systematically targeting our children, medical personnel, journalists, commuters and ordinary people, the Taliban and other terrorist groups have sought to compensate losses on the battlefield with attacks on soft targets,€ he said.
Nazifullah Salarzai, Afghanistan€™s deputy permanent representative to the UN, said that 2,903 civilian deaths and more than 6,000 injuries occurred as a result of enemy attacks nationwide in 2017.
Participating in a UN Security Council debate on the protection of civilians in armed conflict, he said: €œOnly a few hours ago, there was another terrorist attack in Kandahar that reportedly killed 16 and wounded over 30 civilians.€
Salarzai added the utter disregard for human life, as demonstrated by such attacks, constituted a clear violation of international humanitarian law.
€œWhile being at the forefront of fighting international terrorism, our brave security forces have valiantly defended our territorial integrity and safety and security of civilian population,€ he commented.
The deputy permanent representative said the Afghan government had developed and improved strategic, operational and tactical measures to protect civilians in conflict.
H outlined a string of measures Kabul has taken to protect civilians, including the endorsement of the National Policy on Civilian Casualty Prevention and Mitigation.
Kabul ratified the 1980 Convention on Certain Conventional Weapons, including all amendments and protocols in August 2017, which will result in improved protections of civilians.
In 2010, an Inter-Ministerial Steering Committee on Children and Armed Conflict was set up. The following year, the committee developed a National Action Plan to end he recruitment of children in defense and security forces.
At least 21 Child Protection Units have been established with the Afghan National and Local Police recruitment centers that have prevented over one hundred underage voluntary enlistment.
For the majority of civilian casualties, the diplomat blamed the Taliban and other terrorist groups. €œTerror, violence and insecurity in our country are rooted in factors that lie outside Afghanistan, with regional and global dimensions.€
H expected the Security Council, tasked with maintaining international peace and security, to help ensure the protection of Afghan civilians, who were being senselessly killed and maimed on a daily basis.
MENAFN2305201801740000ID1096898351
Legal Disclaimer:
MENAFN provides the information “as is” without warranty of any kind. We do not accept any responsibility or liability for the accuracy, content, images, videos, licenses, completeness, legality, or reliability of the information contained in this article. If you have any complaints or copyright issues related to this article, kindly contact the provider above.