A United Nations team has delivered emergency relief assistance to some 900 people in the country's western Herat province who were affected the recent military operations which the world body said resulted in the deaths of numerous civilians, including many children.
Last week the UN Assistance Mission in Afghanistan (UNAMA) reported that an investigation by its human rights team found that some 90 civilians were killed, including 60 children, during operations carried out by international and Afghan military forces on 21 August in Herat's Shindand district.
This weekend a UN emergency relief team, accompanied by local government officials, delivered three truckloads of essential food, cooking utensils, shelter materials and medicines to some 150 families in the area.
"At this point in time the primary concern of all of us has to be the welfare of the people of Shindand district," said Kai Eide, the Secretary-General's Special Representative for Afghanistan and head of UNAMA.
"I have asked all UN agencies working in Afghanistan to step up support to the local authorities as they work to help the survivors. We will continue to monitor this situation closely and stand ready to assist with all ongoing efforts to support those who need our help the most," he stated.
The UN team also met with village elders to listen to their needs and concerns as recovery efforts continue.
Mr. Eide has called on the international and Afghan military forces to "thoroughly review" the conduct of the operation to ensure that such a tragedy does not happen again.
Posts tonen met het label azizabad. Alle posts tonen
Posts tonen met het label azizabad. Alle posts tonen
maandag 1 september 2008
woensdag 27 augustus 2008
Afghanistan: UN child rights official voices alarm at high civilian death toll
The United Nations envoy for children and armed conflict has strongly condemned the deaths of a large number of civilians, mostly children, as a result of recent military operations in Afghanistan.
Yesterday the UN Assistance Mission in Afghanistan UNAMA reported that an investigation by its human rights team found that some 90 civilians were killed, including 60 children, during operations carried out by international and Afghan military forces on 21 August in Shindand district in Afghanistan's western Herat province.
"I am really alarmed by the number of casualties caused by this air strike and other similar military operations," the Secretary-General's Special Representative, Radhika Coomaraswamy, said in a statement. "Children are bearing the brunt of this conflict and also experiencing physical and psychological trauma."
Echoing the call made yesterday by Kai Eide, the Special Representative of the Secretary-General for Afghanistan, Ms. Coomaraswamy reminded the international and Afghan military forces that "they must review their operational procedures to avoid such tragic events from reoccurring."
Ms. Coomaraswamy raised the issue of civilian casualties with the leadership of the UN-mandated International Security Assistance Forces (ISAF) and the United States-led Operation Enduring Freedom during a recent visit to Afghanistan, stressing to them the need to minimize collateral damage with clear directions and procedures.
"It is important to put in place measures to prevent the excesses, to have prompt investigations and where necessary to pay adequate compensation," she had stated at the end of that visit.
Yesterday the UN Assistance Mission in Afghanistan UNAMA reported that an investigation by its human rights team found that some 90 civilians were killed, including 60 children, during operations carried out by international and Afghan military forces on 21 August in Shindand district in Afghanistan's western Herat province.
"I am really alarmed by the number of casualties caused by this air strike and other similar military operations," the Secretary-General's Special Representative, Radhika Coomaraswamy, said in a statement. "Children are bearing the brunt of this conflict and also experiencing physical and psychological trauma."
Echoing the call made yesterday by Kai Eide, the Special Representative of the Secretary-General for Afghanistan, Ms. Coomaraswamy reminded the international and Afghan military forces that "they must review their operational procedures to avoid such tragic events from reoccurring."
Ms. Coomaraswamy raised the issue of civilian casualties with the leadership of the UN-mandated International Security Assistance Forces (ISAF) and the United States-led Operation Enduring Freedom during a recent visit to Afghanistan, stressing to them the need to minimize collateral damage with clear directions and procedures.
"It is important to put in place measures to prevent the excesses, to have prompt investigations and where necessary to pay adequate compensation," she had stated at the end of that visit.
zondag 24 augustus 2008
UN calls for probe into reports of civilian casualties in military operation in Shindand
The top United Nations official in Afghanistan Saturday called for a thorough investigation of reports that large numbers of civilians were killed during an international military operation in the far west of the country.
Kai Eide, the Secretary-General's Special Representative, issued a statement in which he said he had learned late last night that civilians may have been killed during the operations, carried out in Shindand district of Herat province.
He stressed the importance of a thorough investigation to establish the facts "before we jump to any conclusions. The United Nations has always made clear that civilian casualties are unacceptable. They undermine the trust and confidence of the Afghan people."
Mr. Eide said he had instructed the Herat office of the UN Assistance Mission in Afghanistan (UNAMA) to help provincial authorities to establish and verify the facts.
"Any civilian casualty is one civilian casualty too many," he said. "And every effort that can be made must be made to ensure the safety and welfare of the civilian population where military operations are conducted."
Meanwhile, the Special Representative today told a conference for southern Afghan governors that partnerships with provincial and district authorities are central to improving the effectiveness of aid across the south, which remains the most unstable and violence-wracked region of the country.
Speaking in Kandahar, Mr. Eide noted that it was in the southern districts and provinces "that the lack of effectiveness is most acutely felt. It is here that the lack of coordination has the greatest impact."
He also urged the governors to combat corruption more vigorously, or risk undermining the confidence of Afghans in their State institutions and jeopardizing local security even further.
Kai Eide, the Secretary-General's Special Representative, issued a statement in which he said he had learned late last night that civilians may have been killed during the operations, carried out in Shindand district of Herat province.
He stressed the importance of a thorough investigation to establish the facts "before we jump to any conclusions. The United Nations has always made clear that civilian casualties are unacceptable. They undermine the trust and confidence of the Afghan people."
Mr. Eide said he had instructed the Herat office of the UN Assistance Mission in Afghanistan (UNAMA) to help provincial authorities to establish and verify the facts.
"Any civilian casualty is one civilian casualty too many," he said. "And every effort that can be made must be made to ensure the safety and welfare of the civilian population where military operations are conducted."
Meanwhile, the Special Representative today told a conference for southern Afghan governors that partnerships with provincial and district authorities are central to improving the effectiveness of aid across the south, which remains the most unstable and violence-wracked region of the country.
Speaking in Kandahar, Mr. Eide noted that it was in the southern districts and provinces "that the lack of effectiveness is most acutely felt. It is here that the lack of coordination has the greatest impact."
He also urged the governors to combat corruption more vigorously, or risk undermining the confidence of Afghans in their State institutions and jeopardizing local security even further.
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