Posted on Feb 6, 2017
U.N.: More than 900 children killed in Afghanistan in 2016
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KABUL, Afghanistan — More than 900 children were killed in Afghanistan's conflict last year, the United Nations said Monday, calling it the most violent year for children since it started keeping records.
The U.N. mission said the nearly 25 percent increase in child deaths from the previous year was largely caused by mines and munitions left over from decades of conflict. It documented a 66 percent increase in such deaths in 2016.
"Conflict-related violence exacted a heavy toll on Afghanistan in 2016, with an overall deterioration in civilian protection and the highest-total civilian casualties recorded since 2009, when UNAMA began systematic documentation of civilian casualties," the United Nations Assistance Mission in Afghanistan said in its annual report.
It said 3,498 people were killed in 2016, including 923 children, and that another 7,920 people were wounded. The overall casualty toll was slightly higher than the previous year.
"I am deeply saddened to report, for yet another year, another increase in civilian casualties, another all-time high figure," Tadamichi Yamamoto, the U.N. envoy to Afghanistan, told a press conference.
The aid group Save the Children said the latest figures were "extremely concerning," and called on all parties to do more to protect civilians.
The Taliban, who have been waging an insurgency against the U.S.-backed government in Kabul for more than 15 years, advanced on a number of fronts in 2016. Afghan forces have struggled to combat the militants since the U.S. and NATO formally concluded their combat mission at the end of 2014.
"The humanitarian situation across much of Afghanistan has deteriorated significantly in the past 12 months," Save the Children's country director, Ana Locsin, said in a statement.
"With the start of the traditional fighting season not far away with the end of winter, it could get even worse in the coming months," she said.
TSgt Joe C. SFC William Farrell PO1 William "Chip" Nagel LTC Stephen F. CSM Charles Hayden SGT Robert George SPC Margaret Higgins MSG Chris Allen SMSgt Minister Gerald A. "Doc" Thomas PO2 (Anonymous) Maj Marty Hogan SGT (Join to see) SGT Damaso V Santana LTC (Join to see) SFC George Smith MSG Andrew WhiteCpl Craig Marton ] MSgt George Cater SGT (Join to see) Capt Tom Brown
The U.N. mission said the nearly 25 percent increase in child deaths from the previous year was largely caused by mines and munitions left over from decades of conflict. It documented a 66 percent increase in such deaths in 2016.
"Conflict-related violence exacted a heavy toll on Afghanistan in 2016, with an overall deterioration in civilian protection and the highest-total civilian casualties recorded since 2009, when UNAMA began systematic documentation of civilian casualties," the United Nations Assistance Mission in Afghanistan said in its annual report.
It said 3,498 people were killed in 2016, including 923 children, and that another 7,920 people were wounded. The overall casualty toll was slightly higher than the previous year.
"I am deeply saddened to report, for yet another year, another increase in civilian casualties, another all-time high figure," Tadamichi Yamamoto, the U.N. envoy to Afghanistan, told a press conference.
The aid group Save the Children said the latest figures were "extremely concerning," and called on all parties to do more to protect civilians.
The Taliban, who have been waging an insurgency against the U.S.-backed government in Kabul for more than 15 years, advanced on a number of fronts in 2016. Afghan forces have struggled to combat the militants since the U.S. and NATO formally concluded their combat mission at the end of 2014.
"The humanitarian situation across much of Afghanistan has deteriorated significantly in the past 12 months," Save the Children's country director, Ana Locsin, said in a statement.
"With the start of the traditional fighting season not far away with the end of winter, it could get even worse in the coming months," she said.
TSgt Joe C. SFC William Farrell PO1 William "Chip" Nagel LTC Stephen F. CSM Charles Hayden SGT Robert George SPC Margaret Higgins MSG Chris Allen SMSgt Minister Gerald A. "Doc" Thomas PO2 (Anonymous) Maj Marty Hogan SGT (Join to see) SGT Damaso V Santana LTC (Join to see) SFC George Smith MSG Andrew WhiteCpl Craig Marton ] MSgt George Cater SGT (Join to see) Capt Tom Brown
U.N.: More than 900 children killed in Afghanistan in 2016
Posted from militarytimes.com
Death
Afghanistan
Edited 8 y ago
Posted 8 y ago
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SFC Joe S. Davis Jr., MSM, DSL. I expect that in Syria and Iraq there are many more children killed than in Afghanistan by direct combat, beheadings or internecine violence.
Of note is that the report mentions deaths due to children coming into contact with unexploded ordnance and mines.
The USA has long recorded where we place our mines and booby traps. I remember doing that a couple times as mines were laid [combat engineer and infantry]. This was critical for our protection as well as for locating the mines when we needed to clear an area.
Terrorists do not tend to record where they lay their mines.
As far as I know Afghanistan does not engage in large-scale induced abortions like our own nation does. 900 sounds like a lot but we have many more than that killed out of the womb in this nation every year and many times that number killed in the womb in this nation.
LTC Stephen C. Capt Seid Waddell Capt Tom Brown CW5 (Join to see) CW5 Charlie Poulton SSgt Robert Marx SSG James J. Palmer IV aka "JP4" SSgt (Join to see) TSgt Joe C. SGT (Join to see) SGT John " Mac " McConnell SP5 Mark Kuzinski SPC (Join to see) SrA Christopher Wright LTC Greg Henning CPT Gabe Snell
Of note is that the report mentions deaths due to children coming into contact with unexploded ordnance and mines.
The USA has long recorded where we place our mines and booby traps. I remember doing that a couple times as mines were laid [combat engineer and infantry]. This was critical for our protection as well as for locating the mines when we needed to clear an area.
Terrorists do not tend to record where they lay their mines.
As far as I know Afghanistan does not engage in large-scale induced abortions like our own nation does. 900 sounds like a lot but we have many more than that killed out of the womb in this nation every year and many times that number killed in the womb in this nation.
LTC Stephen C. Capt Seid Waddell Capt Tom Brown CW5 (Join to see) CW5 Charlie Poulton SSgt Robert Marx SSG James J. Palmer IV aka "JP4" SSgt (Join to see) TSgt Joe C. SGT (Join to see) SGT John " Mac " McConnell SP5 Mark Kuzinski SPC (Join to see) SrA Christopher Wright LTC Greg Henning CPT Gabe Snell
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The Taliban, al-Queda, and ISIS are all animals of the lowest form.
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