Afghanistan war victims left ‘without justice’, says UN
The UN mission in Afghanistan said more than 40,000 civilians were killed and 77,000 wounded in attacks and military operations during the conflict.
KABUL: The United Nations has concluded that most civilian victims of Afghanistan's 2001-2021 war have been denied justice, reparation, or even recognition of their suffering, according to a UN mission report released Tuesday. The UNAMA (United Nations Assistance Mission in Afghanistan) documented civilian casualties since 2009, revealing that over 40,000 civilians were killed and 77,000 wounded during the conflict, which was waged by Taliban insurgents, the Islamic State (IS) group, and during operations by Afghan forces or the international coalition led by the United States.
The UNAMA report cited Tapa-e-Shuhada (Martyrs Hill) in Kabul, a site bearing witness to part of the tragedy, with many graves belonging to members of the Hazara community, repeatedly targeted by Taliban insurgents and IS. The report highlighted the psychological harm experienced by victims, with 95% of nearly 200 interviewed by UNAMA reporting psychological issues.
The Taliban's failure to prosecute wartime violations of humanitarian law, the lack of specific provisions for victims' rights, justice, or accountability in the 2020 US-Taliban peace deal, and limited resources have all contributed to the inability to seek justice for the victims, according to the UNAMA report.
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