In the latest report, as a shocking revalation, it has come forward that the Taliban are now increasingly targetting innocent Afghan citizens, killing scores of them in various attacks.
With the Taliban forging a new offensive against the NATO troops in the form of increased suicide bombings and kidnappings, where do civilians figure? What is it that these masses do to deserve the brunt of the rebels? Are they purposely being targetted or are they default victims of such attacks? The questions are many....
“The Human Cost”: report
In a report by the New York-based Human Rights Watch organisation, it has been found that as the bloodshed in Afghanistan worsens, the Taliban are increasingly targeting civilians.
Human Rights Watch terrorism and counter-terrorism director Joanne Mariner said in a statement
Suicide bombings and other insurgent attacks have risen dramatically since 2005, with almost 700 civilians dying last year at the hands of the Taliban and other insurgent groups.The insurgents are increasingly committing war crimes, often by directly targeting civilians. Even when they’re aiming at military targets, insurgent attacks are often so indiscriminate that Afghan civilians end up as the main victims.
Several hundred civilians have already perished this year, while a humungous total of 4,000 died last year, according to NATO figures. Human Rights Watch says while about 900 were killed by foreign, Afghan and militant forces, another 300-400 deaths could not be positively attributed to either side.
The military is co-culprit
It is not only the Taliban who have been accused of the killings, NATO and foreing troops have also allegedly killed hundreds of innocents simply through their careless approach to dealing with insurgencies. Many a times civilians are deliberately shot down, and the reason given is simply that they were mistaken to be terrorists.
Are the troops there to help rebuild the country and protect them from the militants’ heat or are they there to blindly kill anyone who even ‘looks’ like a terrorist? And who decides what a terrorist looks like in the first place? Not to forget the number of children who have been killed is a double digit figure too.
For instance, Afghanistan’s Independent Human Rights Commission issued a report saying U.S. Marines had broken the law when they killed several civilians in apparently indiscriminate shooting in Jalalabad after their convoy was bombed.
Suicide bombings kill more civilians than combatants
In the increase of suicide bomb attacks launched by the Taliban apparently against NATO forces in Afghanistan, more civilians die than combatants.
Human Rights Watch cited figures showing an increase in suicide bombings in 2006 from 21 to almost 140, saying the overwhelming number of victims were civilians although the targets were mainly military.
Is there any justice for the civilians?
In all of this inhumane report analysed above, it is increasingly apparent that the civilians are having to face huge difficulties for no real fault of theirs. If they are not killed, then surely they are facing other grave problems such as unemployment, torture, hunger, and what not.
In such conditions, do these reports suffice? Something more has to be done to make sure we as citizens of the free world do not face such inhumane dangers. After all, they, like us, also live in a democracy. Certainly the Karzai government must be brought to task, as well as the foreing establishment. They should be the ones realising the nature of the task at hand, and dealing with it appropriately.
Via: Reuters
