A security report by TOLOnews reveals that civilian casualties have increased by 55 percent in May compared to March this year.
According to the report, over 120 civilians were killed in conflict and violence during May in Afghanistan.
The report indicates that Afghan Security and Defense Forces (ANDSF) have escalated their military operations but they did not make any considerable achievement in retaking areas from insurgents. But from another perspective, May did record achievements by security forces as air attacks increased along with night raids.
Based on the report, air strikes and night raids have resulted in the killing of 65 local commanders of Taliban, including four designated shadow governors of the insurgent group.
The report shows that the ANDSF carried out over 600 military operations in May and that militant activities dropped by 12 percent compared to March.
As per the report, Taliban carried out six suicide attacks in May, while the Afghan Air Force launched 45 air raids against militants.
“The enemy is a global enemy and is very powerful, but we have prevented many of their activities and they have not reached their goals,” said Defense Ministry spokesman Dawlat Waziri.
The report indicates that Nangarhar was the most insecure province in May with 91 incidents. Kandahar, Herat, Uruzgan and Baghlan were among the most insecure provinces in May, the report says.
Meanwhile, according the report, Panjshir and Daikundi provinces, in central parts of Afghanistan, were the most secure provinces during May.
The violence and conflict in May inflicted damages to both security forces and Taliban, but there are a number of concerns about the rise in civilian casualties during that month.
“According to human rights law, no group, including armed groups, can inflict harm to civilians,” said Rafiullah Bidar, spokesman for Afghanistan Independent Human Rights Commission.
The report also says that no district fell to insurgents during May and that the Taliban’s attacks were reduced considerably, after their leader Mullah Akhtar Mansour was killed in a U.S drone strike in Baluchistan province in Pakistan.
Meanwhile, the report reveals that still a number of security forces are in defensive mode against militants in parts of the country.
As per the report, the latest anti-security incident in May was the abduction of more than 200 passengers by militants in Baghlan-Kunduz highway.
www.tolonews.com/en/afghanistan/25689-civilian-casualties-up-by-55-in-may-report
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