UN to investigate civilian killings in Afghanistan

By Shadi Khan Saif

KABUL, Afghanistan (AA) - The UN Assistance Mission in Afghanistan (UNAMA) on Monday promised investigations into reports about killings of civilians, including women and children, by both the Taliban and U.S. forces.

The mission said in a statement that it was verifying reports about civilian casualties, including alleged attacks against health facilities and personnel in Afghanistan’s central Ghor province.

“The [UN] Mission reiterates its condemnation of attacks in civilian-populated areas, and urges all parties to the conflict to cease targeting civilians," the mission said.

Local officials in Ghor claimed the Taliban killed women and children in a hospital in Taywara district, which was overrun by the militants on Sunday.

Iqbal Nizami, spokesman for the provincial police headquarters, said that Taliban militants stormed the public hospital, killed women and children, and set it ablaze, local broadcaster Tolo News reported.

Taliban spokesman Zabihullah Mujahid rejected the allegations.

Residents in Ghor took to the streets in provincial capital Chagcharan on Monday chanting slogans against neighboring Iran for allegedly backing the Taliban and helping the group take control of the district.

Local officials in western provinces bordering Iran have long been blaming Tehran for backing and arming the militants, a claim rejected by Iran.

The UN mission also promised to initiate a probe into an alleged U.S. drone strike on a funeral gathering in eastern Nangarhar province on Sunday.

According to the district governor Sazoli Shinwari, 16 pro-Daesh militants and eight civilians including children were killed. Several people were also injured in the strike.