QASED Non-government Research Organization
(Issue No: 31)
Note: You can download the PDF format of the report from here.
Preface
This report covers the casualties of the ongoing war, occurred in different parts of the country during November 29 – December 5, 2019. Overall, 443 people have been killed or wounded this week (240 killed and 203 wounded).
According to the report’s figures, the total death toll due to the ongoing war in the country shows a slight increase compared to last week. Last week, 439 people were killed and wounded across the country; but this week, 443 were killed and wounded.
The death toll for the Afghan forces has increased slightly compared to last week. The deadliest incidents occurred in Kunduz, Balkh and Helmand provinces and only in these three provinces, 35 Afghan soldiers were killed and 31 others were wounded.
The total number of civilian casualties also increased compared to last week, but the number of deaths is lower than last week. Civilians were killed in foreign troop’s airstrikes, attacks by Afghan forces and attacks by the Taliban. The deadliest incident took place in Bagram district of Parwan province, where 73 civilians were injured in a car-bomb attack by Taliban.
The death toll among the anti-government’s armed militants was also high, but the number of deaths was lower than it was last week. In addition, five foreign soldiers were also injured in the attack on Bagram airfield along with Afghan civilians.
You will read in this report the details of casualties of the Afghan government forces, anti-government armed militants, Afghan civilians, and foreign forces, as well as analysis of the most important security incidents and the security situation in the country in last part.
Afghan Forces’ Casualties
December 6:
Taliban militants attacked two police outposts in Kunjik area of Imam Sahib district of Kunduz province, killing 11 policemen, including a commander and wounding three others.
A military soldier was killed and four others were injured in an armed clash between Taliban and Afghan forces in Durahi Khwaja Qeshro area of Khwaja Sabzposh district of Faryab province.
December 7:
Taliban militants attacked police outposts in Kata Qala village of Khwaja Sabzposh district of Faryab province, killing one policeman and wounding three others.
December 8:
A Special Forces commander of Faryab province and two soldiers were killed in an attack of Taliban in Sholgara district of Balkh province.
In armed clashes between Afghan forces and Taliban in Ghulam Bai village of Baghlan-e-Markazi district of Baghlan province, three national policemen and five pro-government militias were killed.
On Kabul-Kandahar highway, in the area of Ghazni province, Taliban militants killed six soldiers who were traveling in civilian clothes by passenger bus
Taliban attacked an Afghan National Army outpost in Shahbaz area of Ghazni province, killing three ANA soldiers and a police commander and injuring two policemen.
Two ANA soldiers were killed and three others were injured in an attack of Taliban in Do-Joy village of Oba district of Herat province.
Two ANA soldiers were killed and two others were injured in a Taliban attack in Majburabad area of oba district of Herat province.
The district chief of Chahar-Dara district and two of his guards were injured in a bomb blast attached to his car in Kunduz province.
A bomb attached to a police car in Sangin district of Helmand province has exploded, killing three policemen and injuring two others.
December 9:
Five soldiers, including two ANA soldiers, were killed and 21 others were injured in Taliban rocket attacks in Chahar-Dara district of Kunduz province.
A car bomb exploded in front of a military base in Tor-Pul area of Nad Ali district of Helmand province, killing eight soldiers and wounding two others.
Armed Taliban attacked a local police outpost in Deh-Adam area of Greshk district of Helmand province, resulting in the death of nine policemen and wounded three others.
December 12:
A Taliban infiltrator killed seven policemen in Shahr-e-Safa district of Zabul province.
Table-1: Afghan Forces’ Casualties
|
Name |
Killed | Injured | Total Killed and Injured |
| ANA | 27 | 11 |
38 |
|
Police |
43 | 37 | 80 |
| Total | 70 | 48 |
118 |
Anti-government Armed Militants’ Casualties
December 6:
11 Taliban insurgents were killed and 12 others wounded in an armed clash between Afghan forces and Taliban in Imam Sahib district of Kunduz province.
An airstrike in Dasht-e-Archi district of Kunduz province has killed five Taliban militants and injured four others.
Four Taliban militants were killed and three others were injured in a clash between Taliban and Afghan forces in Khwaja Sabzposh district of Faryab province.
Two Taliban militants were killed and two others were injured in a clash erupted in Shirin-Tagab district of Faryab province.
15 Taliban fighters were killed in a special operation by Afghan Special Forces in Nish district of Kandahar province.
A Taliban fighter was killed in an attack by Afghan forces in Sayedawal area of Waghaz district of Ghazni province.
Five Taliban militants were killed and two others wounded in ground attacks and air strikes by Afghan forces in Dangam district’s areas of Kunar province.
Six armed Taliban were killed in an attack by Afghan forces in Nahr-e-saraj district of Helmand province.
Six Taliban insurgents were killed in an airstrike by Afghan forces in Kulalgo and Hazarkhel areas of Zurmat district of Paktia province.
December 7:
Six Taliban insurgents were killed and five others were injured in an armed clash between Taliban and Afghan forces in Khwaja Sabzposh and Sherin Tagab districts of Faryab province.
Two armed Taliban including a commander have been killed in an ambush by Afghan forces in Tawrat-Kul area of Sherin Tagab district of Faryab province.
December 8:
Five Taliban militants were killed and another was injured in an attack in Timurak village of Almar district of Faryab province.
Three Taliban militants were killed and two others were injured in an operation by Afghan forces in Dagiyan, Mirmandab and Hyderabad areas of Nahr-e-Siraj district of Helmand province.
Two armed Taliban were killed in an attack by foreign troops in Deh-yak district of Ghazni province.
December 9:
Five Taliban militants, including an important member of the Taliban, were killed in an airstrike by foreign forces in Washer district of Helmand province.
An airstrike in Mullah Lalu area of Pashtun Koh district of Farah province has killed eight armed Taliban.
Four armed Taliban were killed in an attack by Afghan forces in Toghan, Haji Abdul Rauf and Haji Saleh Mohammad villages of Shahr-e-Safa district of Zabul province.
Three Taliban insurgents were killed and two others were injured in attacks by Afghan forces in Nahr-e-Siraj district of Helmand province.
Four anti-government armed militants have been killed in an attack by Afghan forces in Nadirshahkot district of Khost province.
December 10:
Four armed Taliban were killed in a special operation by Afghan forces in Tarang and Jaldak districts of Zabul province.
A Taliban militant has been killed and another injured in an attack by Afghan forces in Belcheragh district of Faryab province.
12 Taliban militants were killed in an attack by Afghan forces in Trinkot city of Uruzgan province.
In a clash between Afghan forces and Taliban militants in Mangajik district of Jowzjan province five armed men including an important member of the Taliban and injured seven others.
A mine planter was killed in his own mine explosion while planting it in Musa Qala district of Helmand province.
December 11:
A group of Taliban fighters attacked Bagram Airfield, the largest American military base in Afghanistan, leaving six militants dead.
An armed clash erupted between police and irresponsible gunmen in Nahrin district of Baghlan province, killing one of them and injuring three others.
December 12:
12 Taliban members, including a commander, were killed and seven others were injured in an attack by Afghan forces in Lawakha area of Nusay district of Badakhshan province.
Table 2: Casualties of the Anti-government Armed Militants
|
Name |
Killed | Injured | Total Killed and Injured |
| Taliban | 139 | 51 |
190 |
|
Total |
139 | 51 |
190 |
Civilian Casualties
December 6:
Four civilians, including two women and two men, were killed and five others, including two women and three men, were injured when a mortar shell struck a house in Belcheragh district of Faryab province.
Three civilians, including a woman and a child, were killed in a drone strike by foreign forces in Sayedabad district of Maidan Wardak province.
A civilian was killed and two others were injured in a roadside bomb blast in the Rawza area of Ghazni province.
Two civilians, including a woman, were injured in a Taliban attack in Shireen-tegab district of Faryab province.
December 8:
In a Taliban attack in Sholgara district of Balkh province, targeted the Special Forces Commander of Faryab province, a civilian was also killed.
December 9:
Four civilians were injured when a mortar shell struck a house in Kocha-e-Sardaran area of Chardara district of Kunduz province.
At least two civilians, including a child, were killed in a car-bomb blast in front of a military base in Tor-Pul area of Nad Ali district of Helmand province.
December 10:
A teenager boy was shot and killed by Afghan forces in Belcheragh district of Faryab province. An explosion has also injured four other children, aged between 7-12.
Unknown gunman shot the Martyr and Disabled affairs officer in Plan-Se area of the second Police District of Ghazni city.
A man and his son were killed in an attack by unknown gunmen in the 6th Police District of Kabul city.
Mortar shells fired from a military base in Baraki-Barak district of Logar province, killing four children.
Beside Taliban militants, a civilian was killed in an airstrike in Push-Koh district of Farah province.
In Sholgara district of Balkh province, armed Taliban entered a civilian house and opened fire, killing four civilians, including three women.
December 11:
Taliban militants attacked Bagram Airfield, as a result of car-bomb explosion and the armed clash, two civilians were killed and 73 others were injured.
An attacker shot civilians heading to a mosque in Argo district of Badakhshan province, resulting in the death of four people and wounding five others.
December 12:
A 4-years-old child was killed and four others were injured in a bomb blast in Wazir Karamkhel area of the Khogyani district of Nangarhar province.
Table 3: Civilian Casualties
|
Name |
Killed | Injured | Total Killed and Injured |
| Civilians | 31 | 99 |
130 |
|
Total |
31 | 99 |
130 |
Foreign Forces’ Casualties
December 11:
Taliban militants attacked Bagram Airfield, the largest American military base in Afghanistan, leaving five foreign troops injured.
Conclusion and Analysis of the Week
The report shows that all over the country, 443 people have been killed and injured (240 of them were killed and 203 wounded) from 6 – 12 December 2019.
The total number of casualties in this week slightly increased compared to last week, however, the number of killed casualties has declined. On the Afghan government’s side, 66 Afghan security forces were killed last week; however, this week the number increased slightly to reach 70 killed security forces. The death toll among anti government’s armed militants is high overall, yet it shows a decline compared to last week. Last week, 188 insurgents were killed, but this week a total of 139 Taliban militants were killed in different parts of the country. Civilian casualties also showed a decline compared to last week. Last week, the civilian death toll was 44, but this week the number has dropped to 31.
The death toll for Afghan forces was higher this week than it was last week, Taliban militants caused heavy casualties in few bloody attacks. 16 Afghan soldiers were killed in two attacks in Kunduz province. Also, in Helmand province, in a Taliban attack killed nine policemen. In another incident in Zabul province a Taliban infiltrator killed seven policeman.
In addition to Taliban attacks and explosions, civilians have also been killed in airstrikes by Afghan and foreign troops this week. In one incident, four civilians were killed in a mortar shell attack by US forces in Baraki Barak district of Logar province. Moreover, three civilians, including women and children, were killed in a drone strike in Sayedabad district of Maidan Wardak province. Representatives of Wardak province in the Parliament responded to the attack, saying that joint forces carrying military operations in civilian areas in the province and killing innocent people. On the other hand, EU Special Envoy to Afghanistan expressed concern over civilian casualties. According to him, the death toll of civilians in the ongoing war has increased tremendously. According to a joint report from Boston Institute of America and Watson University, nearly 150 throusand people have been killed in the 20-year US war in Afghanistan.
Taliban attacked Bagram Airfield, the largest and most important military base of foreign troops in Afghanistan. Dozens of Afghan civilians were injured in the attack, and five foreign soldiers were also injured. The attack came at a time when talks between the US and Taliban in Qatar were ongoing. After months of delays, the resumption of the talks raised hopes for succes of the peace efforts. Given that the talks were called off due to an attack by Taliban, this time it has raised concerns about the impact of the attack. But the attack did not have a clear impact on the negotiations, after the negotiations ended in Qatar, Zulmai Khalilzad left for Pakistan, which may take another round of talks in the near future. It is said that there is disagreements over the ceasefire in the talks between the US and Taliban in Qatar. The US side emphasizes a comprehencive ceasefire in the agreement; however, the Taliban say that a ceasefire will be decided during the intra-Afghan dialogue.
In parallel with the start of the peace talks, Washington Post, an American newspaper, has disclosed confidential documents about the war in Afghanistan, showing that US governments have lied about the Afghan war over the past 19 years and they have hidden the facts of Afghan war from the people. According to these documents, the US war in Afghanistan is not successful. it seems to be a role for the US government in exposing these documents, and the US government is serious about ending the Afghan war. The situation has raised hopes that the US and Taliban talks will reach a conclusion this time.
Qased Strategic Research Center as a war casualties’ monitoring organization in the country emphasizes that the ongoing bloodshed and bloody situation in the country is possible to stop only through the complete withdrawal of foreign forces from Afghanistan and peace with the Taliban. Therefore, we call on international and Afghan stakeholders to focus on peace efforts, rather than focusing on the battlefield.
Table 4: Total Casualties of War and Security Incidents:
|
Name |
Killed | Name | Wounded |
| Afghan Forces | 70 | Afghan Forces |
48 |
|
Anti-government Militants |
139 | Anti-government Militants | 51 |
| Civilians | 31 | Civilians |
99 |
|
Foreign Forces |
– | Foreign Forces | 5 |
| Total | 240 | Total |
203 |
|
Total Casualties 443 |
|||
The end
