Afghanistan sees worst year for civilian casualties

By Shadi Khan Saif
KABUL, Afghanistan (AA) - Civilian casualties in Afghanistan have hit a record high in 2016 with more than 5,000 killed or injured in the first half of 2016, according to a UN report published Monday.
According to the UN Assistance Mission in Afghanistan, 1,601 were killed and 3,565 injured between January and June -- a 4 percent increase on the previous year -- while almost 64,000 have been killed or injured since counting began in 2009.
The number of child casualties hit 1,509, almost a third of 2016's mid-year total, which was also higher than any year since 2009.
The UN said anti-government forces were responsible for almost two-thirds of civilian casualties in Afghanistan.
The report was released only days after more than 80 people were killed and more than 200 injured by suicide bombers at a peaceful rally in Kabul, an attack described by Afghanistan’s Independent Human Rights Commission as a "war crime".