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Last decade marks over 80,000 civilian casualties, Afghanistan
The latest statistics by the Independent Human Rights Commission shows that over 80,000 civilian, either killed or wounded, in the last decade in Afghanistan.
The IHR’s annual report, unveiled Tuesday, February 4, says that though the violence graph has reduced by a margin of 45%, compared to 2018, between 2009 and late 2019, around 28,979 civilians have been killed, and 57,844 others have been injured.
The report also indicates that 70,597 people were domestically displaced due to the war.
The IHRC’s findings suggest that the main cause of the civilian casualties are the insurgent groups – the Taliban and the ISIS – and partially, the National Security Forces are responsible as well.
The report categorizes the subjects of the casualties as follows:
- The Taliban: 71%
- National forces: 14%
- ISIS: 5%
- Other (unknown forces): 9%
Naeem Nazari, the deputy of the IHRC said, “We just witnessed a reduction in violence, which may probably be as a result of the peace talks. Another main factor could be that the elimination of the ISIS in eastern Afghanistan.”
Based on the report, men have suffered most of the casualties, while children and women are also included in the census.
On the other hand, the Ministry of Defense denies the allegation of its involvement in the civilian casualties.
Fawad Aman, the deputy spokesperson of the MoD, considers the Taliban accountable for most of the civilian casualties.
The IHRC also breaks down the report on a geographical basis as below:
- Southeastern Zone: 32% (3,453 killed, wounded)
- Eastern Zone: 21%
- Central Zone: 20%
- Northern Zone: 6%
- Southern Zone 4%
Despite the 45% reduction in violence, 2019 was still a fatal year for the civilians.
The Embassy of Japan in Afghanistan has announced scholarship opportunities for Afghan students under the Japanese Government (MEXT) Scholarship Program for the 2027 academic year.
According to the embassy, the Ministry of Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology (MEXT) of Japan is offering scholarships for graduate-level study at Japanese universities under the research student category, including both regular and non-regular students.
Interested and eligible applicants can download the application guidelines and forms from the official Study in Japan website and are advised to carefully review all requirements before applying.
Applicants who meet the eligibility criteria and have prepared all required documents must submit their applications by 25 May 2026. The embassy said late or incomplete submissions will not be accepted.
The first screening process will include a written examination in Kabul on 18 June 2026, followed by interviews scheduled for July 2026 (date to be confirmed).
The Embassy of Japan noted that the Aga Khan Foundation Afghanistan will assist in collecting applications and facilitating written examinations, but will not be involved in the selection process.
It further emphasized that the selection will be conducted independently by the embassy and the Japanese government, based on academic merit, quality of application documents, and performance in written and interview examinations, without consideration of religious, linguistic, or ethnic background.
The scholarship program is fully funded and free of charge. The embassy warned applicants to remain cautious against scams, stressing that no financial contributions are required at any stage of the application process.
Abdul Salam Hanafi, Deputy Prime Minister for Administrative Affairs, has launched the distribution of more than 1,000 residential land plots for returning migrants in Logar province.
During a visit to Logar, Hanafi inaugurated a new township and said the initiative aims to support Afghan returnees by providing them with housing opportunities and improving settlement conditions.
He called for speeding up the process of distributing residential plots designated for migrants, stressing the importance of timely implementation.
“We inaugurated this township today, which includes more than 1,000 plots. These plots will be distributed to migrants. In addition, other townships will also be constructed soon,” he said.
Hanafi also noted that over the past three years, more than five million Afghan migrants have returned from neighboring countries, adding that efforts are underway to provide them with essential services and support their reintegration.
Pakistan’s Ambassador to Afghanistan, Ubaid-ur-Rehman Nizamani, has urged the Afghan authorities to take concrete action against militant threats that Islamabad says originate from Afghan soil.
Speaking at an event at the Pakistan Embassy in Kabul marking the first anniversary of Operation Bunyan-um-Marsoos against India, Nizamani reiterated Pakistan’s commitment to maintaining “brotherly ties” with Afghanistan.
The ambassador also highlighted Pakistan’s diplomatic efforts in reducing tensions between Iran and the United States, saying Islamabad’s initiatives reflected its commitment to regional and global peace.
During the ceremony, Nizamani reaffirmed Pakistan’s determination to defend itself against any aggression.
“Pakistan’s desire for peace must never be mistaken for weakness,” the ambassador said, calling for heightened vigilance against regional threats.
Pakistani officials have consistently claimed that militants use Afghan soil to attack Pakistan. The Islamic Emirate, however, has denied this claim and said that Afghanistan is not responsible for Pakistan’s security failures.
Japan announces MEXT scholarships for Afghan students for 2027 academic year
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