The US and NATO assault on the Afghan city of Marjah has entered a fourth day. On Monday troops faced sporadic resistance as they were targeted with gunfire, sniper fire and booby traps. The US is coming under increasing criticism over the rise in civilian casualties during the operation. At least nineteen civilians have been killed over the past three days in or around Marjah. Another five civilians were killed Monday in an air strike in neighboring Kandahar Province. Nadir Nadiri of the Afghan Independent Human Rights Commission urged international forces to protect civilians.

Nadir Nadiri: “The loss of twelve people’s lives, civilians, is an issue of concern, and we would like to see that the civilian causality comes to the minimum level. And we also request that an investigation to be carried out to see how these civilians have lost their lives.”

Nadir Nadiri also called on the Taliban not to use civilians as human shields.

Nadir Nadiri: “We are very much concerned indeed about the fact that the Taliban has tried to prevent people leaving the conflict area, and that shows that there was attempts to make human shields of civilians. And we strongly request the Taliban to prevent repeating such an act and avoid making human shields of the civilians.”