KABUL (UNAMA) on Sunday said it was investigating allegations that at least 32 civilians were killed in air strikes and a further 19 injured in northern Kunduz province last Thursday.
The mission said a series of air strikes were carried out in Buz-e-Kandahari area of Kunduz city following ground operations by international and Afghan security forces who came under attack from Taliban militants.
Preliminary findings indicate at least 32 civilians were killed and an additional 19 were wounded, the vast majority of whom were women and children. UNAMA also received reports that the air strikes severely damaged at least 22 houses.
United States Forces-Afghanistan on Saturday acknowledged in a statement they had conducted air-to-ground engagements at that time in the area. Top NATO and US forces commander Gen. John W. Nicholson had expressed his deep regret for the loss of innocent lives.
“The loss of civilian life is unacceptable and undermines efforts toward building peace and stability in Afghanistan,” said Tadamichi Yamamoto, the Secretary-General’s Special Representative for Afghanistan and head of UNAMA.
“When conducting aerial operations, international military forces should take all feasible measures to minimize civilian harm, including full analysis of the context for aerial strikes.”
UNAMA urged authorities to ensure an independent, impartial and prompt investigation at the earliest opportunity. The mission stressed appropriate steps to ensure accountability, compensation for victims and the prevention of such incidents in the future.
The civilian deaths came amid a significant increase in violence countrywide, with civilians bearing the brunt.
In the past week, UNAMA documented 46 incidents of conflict-related violence, resulting in severe civilian harm, including deaths and injuries from ground engagements, improvised explosive devices, aerial attacks from rotary and fixed-wing aircraft, targeted killings and explosive remnants of war.
Between October 30 and November 5, the mission documented a preliminary figure of 206 civilian casualties (95 civilian deaths and 111 injured).
UNAMA said it would continue to investigate credible allegations of harm caused to civilians by all parties to the conflict.
“Fuller information on this and other serious incidents will be provided in the Mission’s 2016 Protection of Civilians Annual Report, slated for release in January 2017.”
The UN mission expressed its sincere condolences to the families of victims and a speedy recovery to those injured.
pr/ma
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