Civilian casualties as a result of the continued conflict in Afghanistan decreased slightly in the first quarter of 2017, a report published by the UN Assistance Mission in Afghanistan (UNAMA) revealed on Thursday.
"We are extremely concerned about the increase in the number of casualties among women and children, particularly deaths", said the United Nations Assistance Mission in Afghanistan (UNAMA), which has documented civilian victims of the conflict since 2009.
"The 17 percent increase in child casualties reflects the failure of parties to the conflict to take adequate precautions to protect civilians, including through marking and clearing unexploded ordnance after fighting ends", said Danielle Bell, UNAMA's Human Rights Director.
A total of 88 women were killed and 185 wounded while 210 children lost their lives and 525 injured across the country over the period.
Stay on topic - This helps keep the thread focused on the discussion at hand. According to United Nations figures, there were 148 casualties from aerial bombings in the first three months of this year compared to 29 last year.
A major factor in that decrease was a 19 percent drop in casualties from ground engagements between Western-backed government security forces and insurgent groups like the Taliban and Islamic State, but investigators said the decrease was likely because more than half a million Afghans fled areas of fighting in 2016, the highest number on record.
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According to the report there is an unprecedented number of Afghans displaced by war living inside the country.
Both the Taliban and the Islamic State group are present in Afghanistan.
There was a slight, 2 percent decrease in casualties attributed to Afghan security forces and their Western allies, but the report documented a "substantial" and "disturbing" increase in casualties from air strikes. North Atlantic Treaty Organisation ended its combat mission in the country in 2014, and the primary role of USA troops is now to assist and train, though increasingly the US has been called in by Afghan Security Forces for support.
"With the so-called fighting season imminent, I appeal to all parties to take every measure possible to prevent unnecessary and unacceptable harm to Afghan civilians", said Yamamoto.
"Anti-government elements continued to target civilians intentionally and deploy indiscriminate tactics in areas with a civilian presence - in clear violation of their obligations under worldwide humanitarian law".
"Anti-government elements must stop this deplorable practice and everybody must apply - and respect - the definition of "civilian" provided by global humanitarian law", he said.
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