In Afghanistan, the number of civilians killed or injured has risen to a record high for the seventh year in a row. The United Nations says more than 3,500 civilians were killed and more than 7,400 wounded last year, an increase of 4 percent over the year before. Danielle Bell, director of the U.N. human rights program, outlined the findings.
Danielle Bell: “The overall 4 percent increase resulted mainly from a rise in suicide and complex attacks carried out in Kabul city, as well as the Taliban offensive in Kunduz last year. In most parts of Afghanistan in 2015, civilian casualties decreased. Of the 11,002 civilian casualties, one in 10 was a woman, and one in four was a child. Women casualties increased by 37 percent, while child casualties increased by 14 percent.”
The report came as Taliban suicide bombers using Humvees captured from the Afghan army attacked a checkpoint in Helmand province, killing six members of the security forces.