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Between Aug. 15 2021 and May this year 1,095 civilians were
killed and 2,679 wounded, according to the U.N. Mission to
Afghanistan (UNAMA), underscoring the security challenges even
after the end of decades of war.
The majority of deaths - just over 700 - were caused by
improvised explosive devices including suicide bombings in
public places such as mosques, education centres and markets.
Though armed fighting has fallen dramatically since the Taliban
took over in August 2021 as the NATO-backed military collapsed,
security challenges remain, particularly from the Islamic State.
The militant group was responsible for the majority of attacks,
according to the UNAMA, which also noted that the deadliness of
attacks had escalated despite fewer violent incidents.
"UNAMA's figures highlight not only the ongoing civilian harm
resulting from such attacks, but an increase in the lethality of
suicide attacks since 15 August 2021, with a smaller number of
attacks causing a greater number of civilian casualties," the
report said.
The Taliban have said they are focused on securing the country
and have carried out several raids against Islamic State cells
in recent months.
Just over 1,700 casualties, including injuries, were attributed
to explosive attacks claimed by Islamic State, according to
UNAMA.
The Taliban-run foreign affairs ministry in a response to the
U.N. said that Afghanistan had faced security challenges during
war for decades before its government, known as the Islamic
Emirate, took over and the situation had improved.
"Security forces of the Islamic Emirate oblige themselves to
ensure security of the citizens and take timely action on
uprooting the safe havens of the terrorists," it said.
(Reporting by Charlotte Greenfield; Editing by Stephen Coates)
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