Afghans protest against surging civilian casualties

By Shadi Khan Saif

KABUL, Afghanistan (AA) - Scores of Afghans in eastern Nangarhar province on Thursday took to the streets in protest against the killing of four brothers in a security operation last night.

The protesters staged a sit-in with the bodies of the deceased in the provincial capital Jalalabad. Chanting anti-government slogans, they blamed the Afghan security forces for a spree of civilian casualties in the province.

Local parliamentarian Abdul Rauf Shpon blamed the CIA-trained-and-funded 01-Unit of spy agency National Directorate of Security for recurring civilian casualties.

Meanwhile, the 01-Unit said in a statement that a financier of pro-Daesh militants along with his three allies have been killed in this operation.

Those killed include a local judge, a parliament employee and two currency traders, local Ashna Radio reported.

Fazel Fazly, chief adviser to President Ashraf Ghani, has promised thorough investigations into the incident. He said in a social media post that this incident has angered many, including him.

Amid ongoing peace talks, Afghanistan has witnessed a surge in violence.

The UN mission in Afghanistan documented 1,500 civilian casualties only in the month of July.