Over 1,000 Afghan civilians killed in blasts, violence since Taliban takeover says UN

Over a thousand Afghan civilians have been killed in bombings and other violence since foreign forces left and the Taliban took over in 2021, according to a report by the UN's mission to Afghanistan released on Tuesday.

Between August 15, 2021 and May 2023 1,095 civilians have been killed and 2,679 wounded, according to the UN Mission to Afghanistan UNAMA, underscoring the security challenges that remain even after the end of decades of war.

The majority of deaths – just over 700 – were caused by improvised explosive devices, including suicide bombings in public places such as mosques, education centres and markets.

Though armed fighting has fallen dramatically since the Taliban took over in August 2021 as the Nato-backed military collapsed, security challenges remain, particularly from ISIS. The extremist group was responsible for the majority of attacks, according to the UNAMA, which also noted that the deadliness of attacks had escalated despite fewer violent incidents.

The Taliban has said it is focused on securing the country and has carried out several raids against ISIS cells in recent months.

Just over 1,700 casualties, including injuries, were attributed to explosive attacks claimed by ISIS, according to UNAMA.

"UNAMA's figures highlight not only the ongoing civilian harm resulting from such attacks, but an increase in the lethality of suicide attacks since 15 August 2021, with a smaller number of attacks causing a greater number of civilian casualties," the report said.

The Taliban-run foreign affairs ministry said in a response to the UN that Afghanistan had faced security challenges during the war, but that the situation had improved since its government, known as the Islamic Emirate, took over.

"Security forces of the Islamic Emirate oblige themselves to ensure security of the citizens and take timely action on uprooting the safe havens of the terrorists," it said.