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At least 64 children killed in Afghanistan by UK military forces
Action on Armed Violence (AOAV) reported this week that the UK government has paid out for the deaths of at least four times as many Afghan children than it has previously admitted to.
The UK government has in the past publicly admitted to paying compensation for 16 children, but an AOAV study, following Freedom of Information requests, found that Britain had in fact paid for 64 children.
All were killed in fighting involving UK forces between 2006 and 2014 and an amount of on average just £1,656 ($1,880) was paid out in compensation.
Airstrikes and being caught in crossfire were among the most common causes of death that were listed.
AOAV believes the number of recorded civilian deaths caused by British forces is likely to be an underestimate.
Of those deaths that have been recorded, the actual number of children killed could actually be as high as 135, because some of the fatalities are described in Ministry of Defence (MoD) documents merely as sons and daughters – with ages and circumstances of deaths not always included, the report stated.
AOAV says it is possible some of those 135 were adults, but the likelihood of them having been under 18 is high because of the very young average age in Afghanistan.
But Iain Overton, director of charity AOAV, criticized the lack of transparency over the deaths – with it having taken researchers years to obtain the information from the MoD.
Human rights groups and charities have repeatedly criticized both the US and UK over the way they investigate and report civilian casualties in military operations.
Shahabuddin Delawar, president of the Afghan Red Crescent Society (ARCS), met with Richard Lindsay, the UK’s Special Representative for Afghanistan, to discuss the country’s humanitarian situation and ways to expand assistance for vulnerable communities.
According to ARCS, the meeting focused on support for people affected by natural disasters, Afghan returnees and other vulnerable groups, particularly their urgent humanitarian and healthcare needs.
Delawar thanked the United Kingdom for its humanitarian assistance to people affected by natural disasters and briefed Lindsay on the ARCS’s humanitarian and healthcare activities.
He highlighted the society’s services for children with congenital heart defects at its cardiac hospital, vocational training and skills development programs for vulnerable women and children across seven regional zones, mental healthcare services, and assistance to communities affected by natural disasters.
Delawar said decades of hardship had left many Afghans facing mental health challenges, while vulnerable families continued to struggle with difficult living conditions. He stressed the need for expanded humanitarian assistance and healthcare support.
Referring to the return of Afghan refugees from neighboring countries, Delawar said many families urgently need shelter, food, non-food items and medical services. He called for greater UK cooperation to help meet returnees’ basic needs.
Lindsay praised the ARCS’s humanitarian work and pledged continued cooperation in supporting returnees and other humanitarian initiatives in the coming year. He also said he would seek to facilitate effective cooperation with the society in the healthcare sector.
Both sides underscored the importance of strengthening cooperation to expand humanitarian assistance, support vulnerable communities and improve healthcare services in Afghanistan.
Amir Khan Muttaqi, Minister of Foreign Affairs of the Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan, met with Yatin Patel, India’s chargé d’affaires in Kabul, on Wednesday.
The Ministry of Foreign Affairs said Muttaqi emphasized that, in line with its balanced foreign policy, the Islamic Emirate attaches importance to relations with India.
Referring to the growing volume of trade between the two countries, he stressed the need to strengthen communication and cooperation between Afghanistan’s and India’s public and private sectors, adding that cooperation should be expanded to make better use of existing capacities.
Meanwhile, Yatin Patel said India seeks to expand its relations and engagement with Afghanistan in the economic, political and humanitarian fields.
Muttaqi also wished Patel success in his new assignment.
Mohammad Naeem, Deputy Minister for Finance and Administration at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan, met on Wednesday with Richard Lindsay, the UK’s Special Representative for Afghanistan.
The Ministry of Foreign Affairs said the two sides discussed Afghanistan’s political, economic and security situation, regional stability, humanitarian assistance and consular services.
Naeem expressed appreciation for the UK’s humanitarian assistance and cooperation with Afghanistan and stressed the importance of continuing cooperation between the two sides.
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