‘137 civilians suffer casualties in Herat in 50 days’

HERAT CITY (Pajhwok): The Civilian Protection Working Group (CPWG) on Monday expressed concern over the surge in violence across the country, particularly in western Herat province where 22 civilians killed and 115 others wounded in 50 days.

Malang Borani, head of People’s Council on Civilian Protection in Herat, told a press conference that civilian losses in the war had significantly increased in the last 50 days.

He said that 22 civilians including women and children were killed in clashes between Afghan forces and the Taliban and 115 others wounded in Herat since the beginning of new solar year, March 21.

He said that most of the casualties occurred in Shindand, PashtonZarghon, Obe, Zinda Jan and Ghorian districts as a result of car bombings, airstrikes and face to face clashes between Afghan forces and the Taliban.

Borani said that besides human casualties, the war also destroyed dozens of marketplaces and residential buildings in the mentioned areas where a large number of people were forced to displace.

The group welcomed ceasefire announcement by the Taliban and asked conflict sides to stop war and continue the truce.

Sayed Ashraf Sadat, a member of CPWG, addressing the press conference, said that the month of Ramadan was the deadliest for Afghans in the last four decades.

He said that violence was increasing with each passing day and people were disappointed about peace negotiations.

Sadat criticized the government and the international community and said that silence was not a good choice about deadly attacks.

Ahmad ShoaibFarhang, a civil society activist in Herat who was also present in the conference, called recent attacks in Logar and Kabul that left many civilians killed and wounded, a crime against humanity and asked the government and the international community to prevent terrorist attacks and punish those involved.

CPWG members said that most of attacks were organized outside the country and countries supporting terrorists should be pressured by the international community to stop harbouring extremists.

Mds/ma

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