Fighting in Afghanistan is spreading into populated areas and taking a record toll on civilians, the UN warned on Wednesday, as presidential candidates urged supporters not to raise tensions after the disputed election result.
Political deadlock and soaring civilian casualties have caused deep disquiet among Afghanistan’s international backers, who sent tens of thousands of NATO-led soldiers and billions of dollars in aid to the country after 2001. Claims that a functioning state has replaced the harsh Taliban regime look to be in jeopardy after presidential candidate Abdullah Abdullah rejected the result of the June 14 run-off election, saying he was the victim of systematic fraud.
Security gains also appear fragile as the final 50,000 NATO troops end their combat mission by December, after 13 years of fighting that have failed decisively to defeat the Taliban insurgents.
Underlining the extent of the violence plaguing Afghanistan, a UN report revealed that civilian casualties of the conflict soared by 24 percent in the first half of 2014.
Ground combat is now causing more deaths and injuries than improvised explosive devices in a worrying sign of spreading conflict.
‘The nature of the conflict in Afghanistan is changing in 2014 with an escalation of ground engagements in civilian-populated areas,’ warned Jan Kubis, chief of the UN mission chief in Afghanistan known as UNAMA. ‘The impact on civilians, including the most vulnerable Afghans, is proving to be devastating.’ In the first six months of this year, UNAMA documented 4,853 civilian casualties - up 24 per cent on the same period in 2013.
Political deadlock and soaring civilian casualties have caused deep disquiet among Afghanistan’s international backers, who sent tens of thousands of NATO-led soldiers and billions of dollars in aid to the country after 2001. Claims that a functioning state has replaced the harsh Taliban regime look to be in jeopardy after presidential candidate Abdullah Abdullah rejected the result of the June 14 run-off election, saying he was the victim of systematic fraud.
Security gains also appear fragile as the final 50,000 NATO troops end their combat mission by December, after 13 years of fighting that have failed decisively to defeat the Taliban insurgents.
Underlining the extent of the violence plaguing Afghanistan, a UN report revealed that civilian casualties of the conflict soared by 24 percent in the first half of 2014.
Ground combat is now causing more deaths and injuries than improvised explosive devices in a worrying sign of spreading conflict.
‘The nature of the conflict in Afghanistan is changing in 2014 with an escalation of ground engagements in civilian-populated areas,’ warned Jan Kubis, chief of the UN mission chief in Afghanistan known as UNAMA. ‘The impact on civilians, including the most vulnerable Afghans, is proving to be devastating.’ In the first six months of this year, UNAMA documented 4,853 civilian casualties - up 24 per cent on the same period in 2013.