UN says nearly 3,500 Afghan civilians killed or wounded in first half of 2020

The figure includes 1,282 deaths and 2,176 injure, according to the report released by the UN Assistance Mission in Afghanistan (UNAMA) said.
The report said that civilian casualties declined 13 percent decrease compared to similar period last year, but it was due to a reduction in operations by international forces and the Islamic State militant group.
Taliban killed 580 civilians and wounded 893 between January 1 and June 30 and were responsible for 43 percent of all casualties, according to the report.
Afghan security forces killed 281 civilians and wounded 508, which together make up 23 percent of the total number of casualties.
The report also noted that casualties caused by Afghan forces increased by nine percent, mianly due to airstrikes and the use of indirect fire during ground engagements.
Ground engagements caused the most civilian casualties, followed by bomb attacks, targeting killings and airstrikes.
At least 138 women and 340 children were killed during the period.
“At a time when the Government of Afghanistan and the Taliban have a historic opportunity to come together at the negotiating table for peace talks, the tragic reality is that the fighting continues inflicting terrible harm to civilians every day,” said Deborah Lyons, the Secretary-General’s Special Representative for Afghanistan.
“I urge the parties to pause, to reflect on the chilling incidents and the harm that they are causing to the Afghan people as documented in this report, and to take decisive action to stop the carnage and get to the negotiating table,” said Lyons, who is also the head of UNAMA.