Latest News
US admits killing 12 civilians in 2021, all in Afghanistan
The US military killed 12 civilians in 2021, all in Afghanistan, according to a Pentagon report released Tuesday.
The Department of Defense “assesses that there were approximately 12 civilians killed and approximately five civilians injured during 2021 as a result of US military operations,” said the report, which Congress has required to be produced annually since 2018, and part of which is classified.
All of the civilian deaths occurred in Afghanistan, AFP reported.
The Pentagon has already acknowledged its responsibility for the deaths of 10 members of the same family, including seven children, during the chaotic US withdrawal from Afghanistan at the end of August 2021.
The public document specifies that a civilian was killed in a US strike on January 8 in Herat, and another on August 11 in Kandahar. Two civilians were also wounded on January 18 in Kandahar, AFP reported.
In addition, the US military admitted having wounded three civilians on January 1 in a strike in Qunyo Barrow, Somalia.
The Pentagon also reassessed its counts from the years 2018 to 2020, recognizing 10 more dead and 18 wounded, all in Syria.
NGOs regularly publish much higher assessments of deaths and injuries from US strikes in conflict zones.
The organization Airwars, which lists the civilian victims of air strikes around the world, estimated in its annual report published in May that between 15 and 27 civilians had been killed in US operations in Syria alone, AFP reported.
In January 2022, US Secretary of Defense Lloyd Austin urged the military to do more to avoid civilian casualties in airstrikes, after several deadly blunders that tarnished the reputation of the military.
Latest News
Continued aid to Afghanistan vital for regional security: Kazakh president
Kazakhstan’s President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev has emphasized the continuation of humanitarian assistance to Afghanistan, stating that the ongoing provision of such aid plays an important role in ensuring regional security.
Speaking at the international conference “Peace and Trust” in Ashgabat, the capital of Turkmenistan, Tokayev described addressing complex humanitarian challenges and the reconstruction of Afghanistan as a necessity.
“To ensure regional security, we consider it essential to continue providing assistance to Afghanistan, including by strengthening international efforts to address complex humanitarian issues and the reconstruction of this country. Kazakhstan remains committed to supporting the people of Afghanistan through humanitarian aid, educational projects, trade development, and food security initiatives,” he said.
Meanwhile, experts believe that sustainable improvement of the humanitarian situation in Afghanistan requires broad cooperation from the international community and support for the country’s economic development.
“Investment can be defined as one of the fundamental drivers of the economic cycle, and whenever Afghan traders do not take their money out of the country and instead invest domestically, it naturally leads to greater growth and dynamism in Afghanistan’s economy,” said Abdul Zahoor Modabber, an economic analyst.
As the humanitarian crisis in Afghanistan continues, reports by international relief organizations indicate that millions of citizens of the country are in urgent need of food, health, and livelihood assistance.
The reduction in funding for aid organizations, the impacts of climate change, and the return of migrants have increased concerns about a further deterioration of the humanitarian situation in the country.
Latest News
Islamic Emirate declines to attend Tehran meeting on Afghanistan
Latest News
Sirajuddin Haqqani: A government that intimidates its people is not a true government
Khalifa Sirajuddin Haqqani, Minister of Interior of the Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan, said during a visit to Khost province on Friday that any government which rules through fear cannot be considered a true government.
“A government is one that is loved by its people, one that serves them with respect and compassion, and from whose behavior people learn ethics and sincerity,” he said.
Haqqani also stressed that Afghans who opposed the Islamic Emirate in the past should be tolerated and treated in a way that helps eliminate hostility and animosity, paving the way for national cohesion.
-
Latest News2 days agoMuttaqi: Afghanistan’s progress requires both religious and modern education
-
Sport4 days agoILT20: Desert Vipers edge Gulf Giants in historic super over thriller
-
Regional4 days agoSix Pakistani soldiers killed in TTP attack in Kurram District
-
Business4 days agoTrade bodies warn almost 11,000 Afghan transit containers stuck at Karachi port
-
World4 days agoPowerful 7.6 earthquake hits northern Japan, tsunami warnings issued
-
Latest News3 days agoTrump calls Afghanistan a ‘hellhole’ country as US expands immigration restrictions
-
Sport3 days agoCommanding wins for Arman FC and Sarsabz Yashlar in Afghanistan Champions League
-
Latest News5 days agoPakistan’s top general calls on IEA to pick between ties with Islamabad or TTP
