There has been a 30% increase in civilian casualties in Afghanistan from Jan-Nov as compared to the same period of the last year. Taliban are majorly responsible for this. Planting IEDs to target foreign troops has been a deadly tactic used by insurgents. Most fatalities to coalition forces in Afghanistan have been caused by the same tactic.
It is counted as Taliban most working war technique against NATO. However, in the recent years mine planted on highways of Afghanistan have resulted in the deaths of more civilians than military personnel.
Despite that IEDs and other sorts of bombs are continuously used. Following the deaths of at least 18 women on October 19, when their minibus hit a roadside bomb while travelling to attend a wedding ceremony in Dawlatabad district of Balkh province - , the United Nations Assistance Mission in Afghanistan (UNAMA) has called on the Taliban leadership to publicly reiterate a ban on landmine-like improvised explosive device (IEDs) and to stop their use.
"Although the Taliban through its leader Mullah Omar banned the use of anti-personnel landmines in 1998 denouncing such weapons as 'un-Islamic' and 'anti-human,' anti-Government elements continue to use these landmine-like IEDs with devastating harm to civilians," UNAMA said in statement released 20 October.
After eleven years of counterinsurgency war in Afghanistan – the main purpose of which was to safeguard civilians in Afghanistan and Western countries from the menaces of terrorism – Afghan population are increasingly falling victims of roadside and suicide bombings and other sorts of insurgency. Disappointing fact is that, civilian casualties in one year have always been higher than the year preceding it – considering the UN data on civilian killings in Afghanistan for the last six years.
Killing innocent men, women and children is un-Islamic and anti-human and condemnable in strongest words. Condemnation is something that always comes from our government, UN and the international community after almost all brutal incidents where civilians are the victims. But the question is that, will they ever move beyond condemnation? When will practicable measure be taken to secure life of civilians while they are they are at their homes or travelling?
Taliban have been blowing the trumpets of following Islamic codes and Shariah. Islam does not allow killing of innocent humans but Taliban have violated that for thousands of times. Continued killing of civilians by Taliban show their real face and does much to foster hatred against them in the hearts of Afghan people.