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AIHRC reports sharp increase in assassinations last year
Over 2,000 civilians were killed or wounded in targeted assassinations and attempted assassinations last year, the Afghan Independent Human Rights Commission (AIHRC) said.
According to a report released on Wednesday, this attack method mainly targets civilian government employees, journalists, members of civil society, religious scholars, influential and prominent figures, members of the National Assembly and human rights defenders.
The AIHRC said in the report that a total of 2,250 people were killed or injured in targeted assassination attacks and attempts – including 1,078 killed and 1,172 injured – last year.
“Unfortunately, civilian casualties from assassinations and targeted killings in 2020 have almost tripled to 169 percent compared to 2019,” the report stated.
In 2019, a total of 834 civilians were killed and injured as a result of the use of assassination methods and targeted attacks.
AIHRC stated that 65 women and 74 children were among the victims of this tactic who were killed, and 95 women and 290 children were among the wounded.
The watchdog noted in its report that suicide attacks had decreased by 23 percent in 2020 compared to the previous year. Despite this, the number of civilian casualties from suicide attacks remained very high, AIHRC said.
In 2020, civilian casualties from Taliban suicide attacks decreased by 44 percent compared to 2019.
In 2019, 1,195 civilians were killed in Taliban suicide attacks, killing 301 and wounding 894 while in 2020, that number dropped to 528 victims, including 65 killed and 463 injured.
In the civilian casualties caused by ISIS (Daesh Afghanistan) suicide attacks, in 2020, compared to 2019, there was a 33 percent increase.
In 2019, the total number of civilian casualties resulting from ISIL (Daesh Afghanistan) suicide attacks was 194 killed and wounded. In 2020, that number rose to 258 killed and injured.
The United States has warned that the threat posed by terrorist groups, including ISIL-Khorasan (ISIL-K), remains a major concern, with instability continuing to provide opportunities for militant organizations to expand.
Speaking at a UN Security Council briefing on threats to international peace and security caused by terrorist acts, Tammy Bruce, Deputy Representative of the United States to the United Nations, said on Wednesday countering ISIL, al-Qaida and their affiliates remains a key priority for Washington.
“These groups continue to exploit instability — as evidenced by al-Qaida’s gains in the Sahel, ISIL’s growing focus on Africa, and the persistent threat from ISIL-K in Afghanistan,” Bruce said.
The remarks come as Afghan authorities have repeatedly rejected claims that terrorist organizations are operating from Afghanistan and said they will not allow the country’s territory to be used against other nations.
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Kuwait fund signs $5 million in humanitarian grants for Afghanistan, Syria
Under the agreements, $2.5 million will be allocated to the Afghanistan Humanitarian Fund and another $2.5 million to the Syria Humanitarian Fund.
The Kuwait Fund for Arab Economic Development (KFAED) signed two grant agreements worth a combined $5 million with the United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) on Thursday to support humanitarian operations in Afghanistan and Syria.
Under the agreements, $2.5 million will be allocated to the Afghanistan Humanitarian Fund and another $2.5 million to the Syria Humanitarian Fund.
KFAED said the grants will help finance urgent humanitarian programs and projects aimed at addressing critical needs and providing life-saving assistance to vulnerable and affected communities.
The funding will also enable the OCHA-managed humanitarian funds in Afghanistan and Syria to respond more rapidly and flexibly to emergencies, support humanitarian partners on the ground and improve coordination of relief operations.
According to KFAED, the latest agreements reflect Kuwait’s continued commitment to international humanitarian efforts and bring its total contributions to joint projects with OCHA to approximately $16.1 million.
The agreements were signed by KFAED Acting Director General Rashid Al-Bader and OCHA representative in Saudi Arabia Mohammad Zaid.
China has urged Afghan authorities to take resolute action against terrorist groups operating in Afghanistan, warning that such groups continue to pose a serious threat to the country and the wider region.
Speaking at a UN Security Council briefing on threats to international peace and security caused by terrorist acts, Sun Lei, Chargé d’Affaires of China’s Permanent Mission to the United Nations, said on Wednesday the international community should pay close attention to the counter-terrorism situation in Afghanistan.
Citing a report by the UN Secretary-General, Sun said terrorist organizations based in Afghanistan, including ISIL-Khorasan (Daesh), continue to increase their capability and intent to carry out cross-border attacks.
“China urges the Afghan authorities to honor their counter-terrorism commitments and take resolute action against all terrorist groups based in Afghanistan,” Sun said.
He also called for action against individuals and entities listed by the UN Security Council’s 1267 Sanctions Committee, warning that Afghanistan should not become a breeding ground for terrorism.
The Chinese diplomat said the international community should support Afghanistan in rebuilding its economy and improving people’s livelihoods, arguing that addressing economic challenges can help remove conditions that contribute to the spread of terrorism.
Sun added that China supports greater cooperation between Afghanistan, Central Asian countries, and regional organizations, including the Shanghai Cooperation Organization, to jointly address cross-border terrorist threats.
The remarks come as the Islamic Emirate has repeatedly denied the presence of terrorist groups in Afghanistan, saying it will not allow Afghan territory to be used against the security of any other country.
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