Afghan terror: Civilian deaths at near-record level in 2018, says UN report

The series of terror attacks in Kabul has seen a near-record number of civilians died during the first quarter of 2018, the United Nations reported in April, according to a report in Pakistan-based Rawa News that deals with events in Pakistan and Afghanistan.

According to the UN Assistance Mission in Afghanistan, the country saw 763 conflict-related civilian deaths and 1,495 injuries between January and March this year, the report added. Those figures were comparable with the number of deaths reported in the corresponding period in the past two years as attacks by both Taliban and Islamic State surged, the report said.

The Rawa report also said that the number of deaths caused by suicide bombings and guns was twice the number recorded in the first quarter of 2017 even as more American troops reached Afghanistan and aided the local security forces. US President Donald Trump announced last year to increase his country's troops in Afghanistan by a few thousands more. So far, the strategy has seemed to succeed little.

The Rawa report said the West's efforts to better the conditions in Afghanistan have been plagued by factors like corruption in the military ranks and low morale among the local troops. Two top officials of the Afghan military also resigned last year, hitting its morale even more.

The Taliban haven't gained control of any city in Afghanistan but they control more territory in the country than they did in 2002 when the war was in its initial period. Moreover, the IS too has increased its foothold in Afghanistan as they faced pressure from Iraq and Syria and they have targeted the urban Shiite communities mainly.

On Sunday, the IS claimed responsibility after a suicide bomber blew himself up outside a voter registration centre in Kabul, killing over 60 and injuring over 100 to disrupt the country's election procedure scheduled in October.

The Rawa News said the largest number of civilian deaths in Afghanistan happened in January when both the Taliban and IS carried out a number of attacks through various ways. More than 150 people were killed while several hundreds were injured.