QASED Non-government Research Organization
(Issue No: 22)
Note: You can download the PDF format of the report from here.
Preface
This report covers the casualties of the ongoing war, which have been occurred in different areas of the county during October 4 – 10, 2019. Overall, 501 people have been killed or wounded this week (320 have been killed and 181 have been wounded).
According to the report’s figures, the casualties of Afghan forces and civilians have dropped this week; however, this week was bloody for the government’s armed opposition. The heavy casualties of the government’s armed opposition were due to airstrikes by Afghan and foreign forces. The deadliest incidents for Afghan forces occurred in Kunduz and Nangarhar provinces, where at least 20 Afghan security forces were killed. In addition, Afghan forces suffered casualties due to insider attacks this week. On the other hand, though civilian casualties were lower this week, civilians have been targeted in a night raid in Laghman province, despite promises by the Afghan president.
Going forward through the report, details and exact figures of the casualties’ of the Afghan government forces, anti-government armed militants and civilians can be found in separate titles.
Afghan Forces’ Casualties
October 4:
An armed clash occurred between armed robbers and police in Eshq-Aabad area of Jabal-ul-Seraj district of Parwan province, killing one policeman.
Taliban militants attacked an ANA outpost in Taloka area of Kunduz city, killing ten ANA soldiers.
Taliban fighters attacked Oba district of Herat province and took control of the district, which resulted in the killing of one policeman and one ANA soldier and wounded three policemen and four ANA soldiers.
October 5:
Taliban militants attacked an outpost in Nijrab district of Kapisa province, killing six policemen and wounding 3 others.
The police chief of Zari district of Balkh province has been killed in a clash with Taliban militants.
Taliban attacked an outpost in Abak area of Pashtun-Aabad district of Ghor province, the clash lasted for hours, resulting in the death of three ANA soldiers and two local policemen and injuring five others.
Taliban militants attacked police checkpoints in Pasaband district of Ghor province, killing five policemen and wounding five others.
Taliban militants attacked a military base in Shah-Mirza area on Jawzjan-Takhar highway, killing two pro-government armed men and wounding five others, including three policemen.
Three policemen were killed by Taliban in Moqor district of Badghis province.
October 6:
An armed clash has erupted between Afghan forces and Taliban in Kunduz province, killing three ANA soldiers.
A policeman was killed and four others were injured in a Taliban attack on a checkpoint in Baghak area of Qala-e-Naw city of Badghis province.
Three ANA soldiers were killed, two policemen and three NDS soldiers were injured in an attack by Taliban militants in Aaq-Tepa area of Qala-e-Zal district of Kunduz province.
In Shor-Bolaq area of Charkent district of Balkh province, Taliban attacked a car of a pro-government militia commander, killing the commander and his two guards.
October 7:
A commander was killed and another was injured in an insider clash at a border police station in Khogyani district of Nangarhar province.
Five policemen were killed in a Taliban militant ambush in Dara-e-Kandaw area of Zazi-Maidan district of Khost province.
Taliban militants attacked security checkpoints in Nawbahar and Shinkai districts of Zabul province, killing four policemen and wounding two others.
Taliban militants attacked police outposts in Gul-Dara and Sra-Myasht areas of Pashtunkot district of Faryab province, killing three policemen.
A bomb exploded on a coaster bus belong to ANA in the PD3 of Jalalabad city of Nangarhar province, killing 10 newly recruited Afghan soldiers and injuring 27 others.
October 8:
A senior official of the MoI heavy crimes department has been killed by unidentified gunmen in Qarabagh district of Kabul. Also, six policemen were injured in a roadside bomb blast in the same area.
Five pro-government militia forces have been killed in a Taliban attack in Dasht-e-Qala district of Takhar province.
October 9:
Three policemen were killed in an insider attack of Afghan forces in Mirzakwal area of Sharana, the center of Paktika province.
October 10:
A policeman was killed in an armed clash between police and Taliban in Saiad district of Sar-e-Pul province.
Taliban militants attacked a military base in Qashqari area of Sar-e-Pul province, killing two Afghan soldiers and wounding six others.
A local policeman was killed and two others were injured in a Taliban attack on the high-way between Sholgarah district and Mazar-e Sharif city of Balkh province.
Table-1: Afghan Forces’ Casualties
| Name | Killed | Injured | Total Killed and Injured |
| ANA | 29 | 37 | 66 |
| Police | 52 | 41 | 93 |
| Total | 81 | 78 | 159 |
Anti-government Armed Militants’ Casualties
October 4:
Taliban militants attacked the center of Oba district of Herat province and took control of the district, which resulted in the death of six Taliban fighters.
October 5:
Nine Taliban militants were killed and five others wounded during an operation by Afghan forces in Dehyak district of Ghazni province.
October 6:
In Mirza-Ali area of Khogyani district of Nangarhar province, seven Taliban fighters were killed and seven others wounded by Afghan forces.
18 Taliban militants were killed in an armed clash between Afghan forces and Taliban in Kunduz province.
Two armed Taliban have been killed in Baharak and Shuhada districts of Badakhshan province.
An airstrike in Sherin-Tagab district of Faryab province has killed the Taliban shadow district chief for the district and three other Taliban militants.
Five Taliban fighters were killed in an armed clash between Taliban and Afghan forces in Aaq-Tepa area of Qala-e-Zal district of Kunduz province.
25 Taliban insurgents were killed and eight others were injured in an armed clash between Taliban and Afghan forces in Parchau area of Nad-Ali district of Helmand province.
October 7:
A local Taliban commander was killed by security forces in Sancharak district of Sar-e-Pul province.
20 Taliban fighters were killed and 16 others were wounded in attacks by Afghan forces in Mizana, Shajoi and Nowbahar districts of Zabul province. Also, in Dehrad district of Uruzgan province, a Taliban member was killed and two others were injured.
47 Taliban militants have been killed in attacks by Afghan forces during three days in Maroof and Arghistan districts of Kandahar province.
In an armed clash between Taliban and police in the Chaqmaq valley of Pashtunkot district of Faryab province, three militants were killed and two others were injured.
18 Taliban militants were killed and three others were injured in airstrikes by Afghan forces in Kama-Khel and Godah-Khel areas of Andar, Aab-e-Band and Waghaz districts of Ghazni province.
An armed clash occurred between police and Taliban in Gul-Dara and Sra-Myasht areas of Pashtunkot district of Faryab province which resulted in the death of three Taliban militants.
October 8:
A local Taliban leader has been killed in an airstrike by Afghan forces in Khogyani district of Nangarhar province.
Six ISIS militants have been killed in an attack by foreign troops in Khogyani district of Nangarhar province.
ANA troops attacked ISIS militants in Sarkano district of Kunar province, killing six ISIS militants.
A Taliban shadow district chief and their Mufti were killed in an attack by Afghan forces in Kalafgan district of Takhar province.
October 9:
Afghan forces launched a joint cleaning operation in several areas in Dasht-e-Archi district of Kunduz province, which resulted in the death of 12 militants and wounding six others.
At least six Taliban militants were killed in a night operation by Afghan commando forces in Jaghatu district of Maidan Wardak province.
October 10:
Taliban Gunmen kill two of their members in Ghor province
In Sorshakh and Popalzai areas of Nahr-e-Seraj district of Helmand province, Afghan forces launched an airstrike on Taliban hideouts, killing eight militants.
An armed clash erupted between Taliban and security forces in the Qashqari area of the center of Sar-e-Pul province, resulting in the death of four militants and wounding six others.
Table 2: Casualties of the Anti-government Armed Militants
| Name | Killed | Injured | Total Killed and Injured |
| Taliban | 204 | 55 | 259 |
| ISIS | 12 | – | 12 |
| Total | 216 | 55 | 271 |
Civilian Casualties
October 5:
A missile fired by Taliban hit a residential house in Bazi-Khel area of Narkh district of Maidan Wardak province, killing three members of a family and injuring another.
Three civilians were killed in a roadside bomb blast in Bagh-e-awraq area of Balkh province.
A civilian was killed and four others, including a child, were injured in a magnetic bomb blast attached to a car in the PD4 of Jalalabad city of Nangarhar province.
October 6:
A civilian was injured by unidentified gunmen in Kart-e-Naw area of Kabul city.
A civilian was killed by unknown gunmen in Shadab Zafar area of Kabul city.
Three civilians were injured in a bomb blast in the center of Khost province.
A civilian was injured in a mine blast in Sikh-Chala area of Arghandab district of Kandahar province.
A civilian was injured in a bomb blast in Senjid-Bagh area of Nahr-e-Shahi district of Balkh province.
October 7:
A bomb exploded of a Coaster bus of ANA soldiers in the PD3 of Jalalabad city of Nangarhar province, killing a child.
October 8:
27 students, including 20 female students, were injured in a bomb blast in a classroom of Dari Literature Faculty at Ghazni University.
A temporary staff of Election Commission has been killed by Taliban in Sancharak district of Sar-e-Pul province.
A civilian was killed in a mine blast in Sarobi district of Kabul province.
A man was killed in a roadside mine blast in Mohmandara district of Nangarhar province.
A man was injured in an attack by militants in Sheltan district of Kunar province.
October 9:
Three civilians, including two women, have been killed in an attack of militants in Gilan district of Ghazni province.
A civilian was injured in an attack by insurgents in Faizabad district of Jawzjan province.
A civilian was injured in a bomb blast in the center of Faryab province.
A civilian was injured in an attack by insurgents in Baghlan province.
Two civilians were killed and three others were injured in a roadside bomb blast in Keshro valley in the Dawlatyar district on Kabul-Ghor highway.
A car travelling from Maimana city to Almar district of Faryab province hit by a roadside bomb, killing three civilians and injuring three others.
Three civilians were killed in a special force and NDS forces night raid in Qalatak area of Alingar district of Laghman province.
Table 3: Civilian Casualties
| Name | Killed | Injured | Total Killed and Injured |
| Civilians | 23 | 48 | 71 |
| Total | 23 | 48 | 71 |
Conclusion and Analysis of the Week
The report shows that all over the country, 501 people have been killed and injured (320 of them were killed and 181 wounded) from 4 – 10 October 2019.
The death toll for Afghan forces has dropped this week compared to last week. 187 Afghan security forces were killed last week; but this week, 81 Afghan security forces were killed. But the death toll for the government’s armed opposition has risen again this week. Last week, 149 anti-government armed militants were killed, but this week, the figure shows a slight increase, where a total of 216 Taliban and ISIS militants have been killed in different parts of the country. On the other hand, civilian casualties have dropped again this week. Last week, the civilian death toll was 35, but this week the number has dropped to 23.
Overall this week was bloody for the government’s armed opposition, most of the fatalities were due to airstrikes. Since last month, when the peace talks between the Taliban and the United States broke down in Qatar, airstrikes by Afghan and foreign forces against Taliban have been increased. According to some reports, the United States dropped the highest number of bombs in Afghanistan last month. US media says 948 bombs were dropped on Afghan territory last month (September), which is the highest level in a month since the year 2010.
On the other hand, although civilian casualties were lower this week, again, civilians were killed in night operations by Afghan forces in the east of the country. However, before the presidential elections the Afghan president promised to stop night operation completely, a few days after the elections, civilian casualties in night operations have been started. It shows that the Afghan president has failed to stop these operations and has no authority even to stop them.
Civilian casualties in airstrikes by Afghan and foreign forces is a factor that increases public hatred towards the government. Reports show that airstrikes on civilians in Nangarhar last month (September 19) have caused much anger and resentment to the people of the area. Such attacks are often justified by Afghan and foreign forces, and those killed are considered by them to be militant opponents of the government; however, for example, in May, the Afghan government claimed that the Afghan forces attacked drug production sites where more than 30 civilians have been killed as a result of it. UNAMA’s investigative report about the attack, which was released last week, says civilians were targeted in the attacks.
According to UNAMA report, at least 717 Afghan civilians have been killed and more than 680 injured in six months of 2019 by Afghan and foreign forces. This figure shows an increase of 31% percent over the figures for the same period last year. The killing of civilians by Afghan and foreign forces has increased despite the widespread reactions of Afghans; something that causes the anger an concerns of the public. The Afghan government has not taken any persuasive and satisfactory steps in this regard.
QASED Strategic Research Centre as war casualties monitoring organization in the country urges the Afghan government and foreign forces to avoid targeting civilian in their attacks, and especially to stop night raids all over the country the most victims of which are civilians.
Table 4: Total casualties of war and security incidents
| Name | Killed | Name | Wounded |
| Afghan Forces | 81 | Afghan Forces | 78 |
| Anti-government Militants | 216 | Anti-government Militants | 55 |
| Civilians | 23 | Civilians | 48 |
| Total | 320 | Total | 181 |
| Total Casualties 501 | |||
The end
