Civilian casualties have increased by 19 percent in Afghanistan, the country’s Independent Human Rights Commission said on Tuesday.
A total of 3,032 civilians were killed while nearly 8,200 others were wounded during the last solar year 1397, the commission said in an annual report.
The report attributed 53 percent of the casualties to the Taliban. Afghan forces and their international counterparts were each responsible for 12 percent. Another 12 percent of the casualties were attributed to Daesh.
According to the report, 21 percent of the casualties were children. Women constituted eight percent of the casualties.
Sima Samar, head of AIHRC, said that casualties among women increased 16 percent, which shows that use of civilian homes in the conflict has increased.
The report highlighted also casualties suffered by journalists. A total of 24 journalists were killed in 1397, while 20 others were wounded.
Samar called for prosecution of perpetrators of civilian casualties as she said that targeting civilians is a war crime.
