The financial losses beside a tremendous human toll of Afghan war have hit intolerably high. The war causes massive damages to private property and government installations across the country on a daily basis. Taliban attacks in cities and government operations in rural areas leave behind a trail of destruction of private property, including businesses, homes, and agricultural farms. Neither side of the conflict has any regard for the lives and property of the civilian population. If the complete protection of civilian lives and property is considered impossible in case of protraction of the conflict, there are some steps that can reduce the level of harm, e.g. relocation of military facilities from residential areas.
Last night, a Taliban tractor bomb targeted Green Village, a compound housing several international organizations and foreign nationals, in the eastern part of Kabul city. According to latest figures, 16 people were killed and 119 others wounded, all civilians, in the bombing. This is the fourth time the compound is targeted with massive suicide vehicle borne improvised explosive device (SVBIED) and each time, Afghan civilians were the primary victims. The Monday blast was very powerful destroying many homes in the surrounding areas and inflicting massive human and financial losses to ordinary Afghans. After the incident, local people staged a protest demonstration calling for the evacuation of the camp. They said they have suffered a lot both financially and in terms of human loss, and therefore the sprawling camp should be relocated from the residential area.
The presence of facilities in residential areas which Taliban consider military targets has long been a major headache for Kabul residents. Some offices of foreigners are located in areas surrounded by homes of defenseless people who suffer more losses than foreigners in such attacks, but are never compensated. Thus, locals are right to oppose the existence of these facilities. All foreign organizations the Taliban consider military targets must be removed from residential areas. This is what can reduce the threat of harm to civilians.
