CIVILIAN casualties in Afghanistan are on the rise despite the fact that there appears to be some substantive
progress in peace talks between the US and Taliban.Apprehensions have also been expressed by the United Nations which on Wednesday said it was gravely concerned about reports indicating 11 civilians had been killed in an Afghan security force operation in an eastern province near the border with Pakistan. The UN Assistance Mission in Afghanistan said harm to civilians must stop. According to the world body, nearly 4,000 civilians were killed or wounded in the first half of the year. The toll included a big increase in the number of casualties inflicted by government and US-led foreign forces. Ground raids and clashes caused the most civilian casualties, followed by bomb attacks and air strikes. Undoubtedly, these figures are both shocking and alarming, and this violence especially the casualties of civilians will not augur well for the ongoing peace talks and only will impede the process of reaching a final settlement. It is for all the parties including the Taliban and the Afghan and US forces to stop their hostilities. At such a critical juncture, it is no time to show one’s prowess or might and harbour the idea or talking from the position of strength. As the peace is being given a chance, then what is the need of again resorting to violence or fighting? The situation in fact warrants greater flexibility and sanity to prevail in order to end the decades of sufferings of Afghan people and foil the conspiracies of anti peace elements.
