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US envoy says Taliban indifference to lives of Afghan civilians
Ross Wilson, Chargé d’ Affaires of the US Embassy in Kabul, said Monday that the Taliban is “reticence” to meaningful peace talks and that shows “their indifference toward Afghan civilian lives.”
Wilson said in a tweet: “Each day, this country suffers more death and destruction that could be stopped through good faith efforts at the negotiation table.”
This comes after the United Nations Assistance Mission in Afganistan (UNAMA) warned Monday Afghanistan could see the highest number of civilian deaths in more than a decade if the Taliban’s offensives are not stopped.
In its six-monthly report, released Monday, UNAMA also stated the pursuit of a military solution will only increase the suffering of the Afghan people and warned that Afghan troops and pro-government forces were responsible for a quarter of all civilian casualties.
According to the report, as many as 1,659 civilians were killed and another 3,254 wounded during the first half of 2021, a 47 percent increase compared with the same period last year, the UNAMA report said.
UNAMA blamed anti-government elements for 64 percent of civilian casualties — including some 40 percent caused by the Taliban and nearly nine percent by Daesh.
About 16 percent of casualties were caused by “undetermined” anti-government elements.
But Afghan troops and pro-government forces were responsible for 25 percent, it said.
UNAMA said about 11 percent of casualties were caused by “crossfire” and the responsible parties could not be determined.
According to UNAMA, women comprised 14 percent of all civilian casualties during this period, with a total of 727 women casualties recorded (219 killed and 508 injured), an increase of 82 percent compared with the first six months of last year.
Meanwhile, Ross Wilson stated that the UNAMA report is heartbreaking.
“The numbers in the UNAMA report are heartbreaking: 32% of the civilian casualties in the first six months of 2021 were children,” he said.
The US diplomat called on warring parties that “for the sake of the nation and the country’s future, Afghanistan needs a Ceasefire Now.”
The Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan has expressed serious concern over reports that the United States plans to transfer some Afghan migrants to Pakistan, urging Washington to act responsibly and cautiously.
In a statement, the ministry said it had received reports that the US intends to send Afghan nationals who have so far been unable to obtain legal residency documents in the United States to Pakistan.
The ministry said the Islamic Emirate considers the protection of the rights of all Afghan citizens its responsibility and stressed that Afghans, wherever they are in the world, should be treated in accordance with applicable laws, accepted principles and respect for human dignity.
It called on the United States to ensure that any decisions or actions concerning Afghan nationals are taken through clear bilateral understanding, necessary coordination and with due consideration for their rights and legitimate requests.
The ministry also said third countries should not make deals over the fate of another country’s citizens in exchange for temporary benefits or other considerations at the expense of human dignity, individual rights and accepted humanitarian standards.
The statement added that the Islamic Emirate remains committed to constructive engagement and cooperation to facilitate the safe, dignified and voluntary return of Afghan citizens.
US President Donald Trump has claimed that he could have won the war in Afghanistan within three weeks, criticising previous American presidents for failing to pursue victory during the country’s longest military conflict.
Speaking at a midterm election campaign rally in Dubuque, Iowa, on Sunday, Trump said successive US administrations had failed to fight wars with the clear objective of winning.
“Afghanistan, years and years. Then, we never fight to win. We don’t fight to win. We fight to tie,” Trump said, referring to the US military involvement in Afghanistan.
He claimed he could have brought the war to an end within a few weeks, saying: “I could have won that war in three weeks.”
Trump also made a similar claim about the Vietnam War, saying he could have won it in one week.
The United States launched its military campaign in Afghanistan in October 2001, following the September 11 attacks. The conflict continued for nearly 20 years before US forces completed their withdrawal in August 2021.
UN Secretary-General António Guterres says journalists around the world continue to pay a heavy price for telling the truth, calling for justice and accountability for crimes committed against media workers.
In a message marking the International Day to End Impunity for Crimes against Journalists on November 2, Guterres warned that targeting journalists and silencing their reporting deprives the public of access to information and makes everyone a victim.
“When journalists are targeted and their reporting is extinguished, it makes victims of us all,” he said, stressing the need for justice.
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