KABUL - At least 2,873 civilians were killed while 14,377 in the conflict in Afghanistan since over the last 13 months and since the start of 2019, according to the country's Public Health Ministry.
The casualties happened amid talks between the United States and the Taliban to end the 18-year war.
Bomb attacks killed 1092 civilians and injured 5,207 others between 1 January 2019 and 1 February 20120, according to the ministry’s data.
Airstrikes killed 28 civilians and injured 33 others during the period. Ground engagements killed 1,753 civilians and wounded 9,135 others, the ministry’s data show.
This comes as the United Nations recorded 10,993 civilian casualties (3,804 deaths and 7,189 injured) in 2018.
According to the UN’s latest report, a total of 8,239 Afghan civilian casualties (2,563 deaths and 5,676 injured) happened in 2019.
Meanwhile, Shukrullah Mashkor, a member and spokesman of Afghanistan Independent Human Rights Commission, said that civilian casualties decreased in the fourth quarter of 2019.
Rohullah Ahmadzai, a spokesman for Defense Ministry, also said that casualties among Afghan forces declined last year. (1TV NEWS)