QASED Non-government Research Organization
Issue No: 67
Note: You can download the PDF format of the report from here.
Preface
This report covers the casualties of the ongoing war all over the country during September 18 –24, 2020. Overall, 433 people have been killed and 223 others wounded across the country this week.
According to the report’s figures, the total death toll due to the ongoing war in the country was once again high this week, with heavy casualties on both sides of the conflict and civilians. The violence on the battlefield comes at a time when intra-Afghan talks have begun in Qatar.
This week, Afghan forces have suffered casualties in various parts of the country, with a total of 180 people killed and 84 others wounded. The deadliest incidents for Afghan forces took place in Uruzgan, Helmand, Herat, Takhar, Kapisa and Balkh provinces.
On the other hand, the death toll among the government’s armed opposition was also high. Taliban fighters also suffered heavy casualties in Paktia, Kunduz and Uruzgan provinces.
This week was also bloody for civilians. The deadliest civilian casualties’ incident took place in Kunduz, where dozens of civilians were killed and wounded in an airstrike by Afghan forces.
In this report, you will read the details of casualties of Afghan government forces, anti-government armed militants, and Afghan civilians, as well as analysis of the most important security incidents and the security situation in the country.
Afghan Forces’ Casualties
September 18:
A policeman was killed in a roadside bomb blast in the Konjek area of Sar-e-Pul province.
An Afghan soldier was killed in a Taliban attack on an outpost of Afghan forces in the Yangi Qala district of northern Balkh province.
A Territorial Army soldier was killed during an armed clash in Gorziwan district of Faryab province.
An ANA soldier was killed in a roadside bomb blast while transporting a wounded civilian in the Mianshin district of Kandahar province.
At least three policemen were killed and five others were injured in a clash between Afghan forces and Taliban in the Khan Abad district of northern Kunduz province.
Two policemen were killed in a Taliban ambush in the same district.
A local policeman was killed and seven others were wounded in an attack on Afghan forces’ outposts in the Aliabad district of Kunduz province.
Five soldiers were killed and another wounded in an attack by a Taliban infiltrator in the Korki area of Chisht-e-Sharif district in western Herat province.
A Taliban attack in northern Faryab province has killed three Afghan National Army (ANA) soldiers and wounded a commander of the 209 Shaheen Corps.
September 19:
At least three policemen have been killed in a Taliban attack on an outpost of Afghan forces in northern Takhar province.
A roadside bomb blast in the area between Yahya Khel and Omna districts of Paktika province has killed a police commander and injured three other policemen.
Three pro-government militia soldiers were killed in an armed attack on an outpost in Qala-e-Naw, the capital of Badghis province.
A local policeman was killed and nine others were injured in a car bomb blast on a convoy of local police in Balkh’s Dehdadi district.
A soldier was killed and three others were wounded in a Taliban attack on a security checkpoint in Kohi village of Qaisar district of Faryab province.
A soldier was killed and a militiaman was wounded in an attack on the governor of Qaisar district.
At least three security personnel were killed and another wounded in a clash between Afghan forces and Taliban in the Kajran district of Daikundi province.
September 20:
Four policemen were killed and two others were injured in an armed attack on a police checkpoint in the Shishwa area of Khashrod district in Nimroz province.
At least 31 soldiers have been killed in a Taliban attack on a military convoy heading to the Narkh district of central Maidan Wardak province.
A pro-government militia soldier was killed and four others were wounded in a Taliban attack on the Khash district’s center in Badakhshan province.
At least seven Afghan National Army (ANA) soldiers, a policeman and a militiaman were killed and two others wounded in a Taliban attack on a security checkpoint in the Nawababad area of Takhar’s Dasht-e-Qala district.
September 21:
Four policemen were killed and three others were injured in a Taliban attack in Takht-e-Pul district of Kandahar province.
Two Afghan National Army (ANA) soldiers were killed and another wounded in an attack on a military base in the 3rd police district of Kunduz city.
A police district commander and five policemen were killed in a Taliban attack in the Tagab district of Kapisa province.
Two policemen were killed and another wounded in a Taliban attack on a security checkpoint in the Shibar district of Bamyan province.
At least five National Directorate of Security Forces (NDS) soldiers were killed and two others were injured in a clash between Afghan forces and Taliban in the Plas Posh area of northern Balkh province.
Two Afghan soldiers were killed in a multi-pronged Taliban attack on the Nusay district’s center in Badakhshan province.
A pro-government local soldier was killed and six others were wounded in a few hours-long gun battle in the Baghlan district of Baghlan province.
Two Afghan soldiers were killed and another wounded in a Taliban attack on a security checkpoint in the Qadis district of Badghis province.
At least 24 Afghan soldiers have been killed in a three-day coordinated Taliban attack in the Gizab district of Uruzgan province.
A policeman was killed and two others were injured in a roadside bomb blast near a security checkpoint in the Moqor district of Badghis province.
September 22:
At least 22 policemen have been killed in a wide-ranging Taliban attack in the Gizab district of Uruzgan province.
Two Afghan soldiers were killed in an armed attack in the Kushk Rabat Sangi district of Herat province.
Two ANA soldiers were killed and another wounded in a Taliban ambush in the second police district of Kunduz city.
At least seven policemen were killed in a roadside bomb blast in the Rawza area of southern Ghazni province.
A Taliban infiltrator shot dead five policemen, including a police commander, in the Nad Ali district of Helmand province.
September 23:
Six Afghan National Army (ANA) soldiers and a policeman were killed and seven others were injured in an armed attack on an outpost in the Imam Sahib district of Kunduz province.
In Adraskan district of Herat province, motorcycle-riding gunmen shot and killed a police officer on the spot.
Four pro-government militiamen were killed and two others wounded in a Taliban attack in Baghlan’s Borka district.
An ANA soldier was killed in a Taliban attack on an ANA outpost in the Jalalai area of Ghaziabad district in eastern Kunar province.
Three military personnel were injured in an ANA helicopter crash in Pul-e-Khumri, the capital of Baghlan province.
September 24:
A pro-government militia soldier was killed in an armed attack on a security outpost in the Khanabad district of Kunduz province.
Two police officers were also killed in an armed attack on another outpost in the same district.
At least two policemen were killed and two others were injured in a Taliban attack on an outpost in the Dehrawood district of Uruzgan province.
Three policemen have been killed and six others wounded in a Taliban attack in the Wazi Khawa district of southeastern Paktika province.
An Afghan soldier was killed and three others were wounded in a clash between Afghan forces and Taliban in Azra district of Logar province.
Table-1: Afghan Forces’ Casualties
| Name | Killed | Injured | Total Killed and Injured |
| ANA | 60 | 19 | 79 |
| Police | 115 | 63 | 178 |
| NDS | 5 | 2 | 7 |
| Total | 180 | 84 | 264 |
Anti-government Armed Militants’ Casualties
September 18:
A Taliban commander was killed and 10 other Taliban fighters were wounded during an operation by Afghan forces in the Sarobi district of Kabul province.
At least 13 Taliban fighters were killed and five others wounded in Dara-e-Suf Payan district of Samangan province.
September 19:
Eight Taliban fighters were killed and seven others wounded in an attack by Afghan forces in the Kijran district of Daikundi province.
At least four Taliban fighters were killed and five others wounded during a clash in northern Faryab province.
10 Taliban militants have been killed in a series of airstrikes by Afghan forces in the Khan Abad district of northern Kunduz province.
September 20:
Four armed Taliban were killed and 10 others were wounded during clashes in Shuhada, Khash and Baharak districts of Badakhshan province.
A Taliban commander was killed and his four armed men were wounded in an armed clash in Qosh Tepa and Khumarabad areas of Sar-e-Pul province.
At least 17 Taliban fighters have been killed and two others wounded in a clash in central Maidan Wardak province, local officials say.
September 21:
26 militants have been killed in airstrikes by Afghan forces in the Deh Afghanan area of central Maidan Wardak province.
September 22:
15 Taliban fighters have been killed in an airstrike in southern Ghazni province.
Seven Taliban fighters, including a local Taliban commander, were killed during clashes in Raghistan and Nosay districts of Badakhshan province.
Eight Taliban militants have been killed and three others wounded in a clash between Afghan forces and Taliban in southern Kandahar province.
September 23:
The targeted killing organizer and three other ISIS fighters have been killed in an operation by Afghan forces in the eastern province of Nangarhar.
September 24:
65 Taliban fighters have been killed and 35 others wounded in clashes between Afghan forces and Taliban in the Wazi Khawa district of southeastern Paktika province.
10 Taliban fighters have been killed in a clash between Afghan forces and Taliban in the Azra district of central Logar province.
12 Taliban fighters have been killed and five others wounded in a clash between Afghan forces and Taliban in the Dehrawood district of Uruzgan province.
Table-2: Casualties of the Anti-government Armed Militants
| Name | Killed | Injured | Total Killed and Injured |
| Taliban | 201 | 86 | 287 |
| ISIS | 4 | – | 4 |
| Total | 205 | 86 | 291 |
Civilian Casualties
September 18:
In the Balkh district of Balkh province, gunmen stopped a civilian vehicle and shot dead two civilians on board.
A farmer was killed and his son was injured in a roadside bomb blast in Kandahar’s Mianshin district.
A tribal elder was killed in an ambush by gunmen in the Khanabad district of Kunduz province.
September 19:
The deputy head of Paktia’s provincial council has been killed in an attack in Gardez city.
A woman was killed and four other civilians were injured when a magnetic bomb exploded on a convoy of Afghan forces in the first police district of Mazar-e-Sharif, the capital of Balkh province.
At least 24 civilians were killed and 12 others wounded in a bombardment by Afghan forces in the Khanabad district of Kunduz province. Local officials initially said all Taliban had been killed in the attack, but later admitted to some media outlets that civilians were among the victims.
Two civilians were killed during an armed clash in Faryab province.
One civilian was killed and two others were injured in an airstrike by Afghan forces in the Swaki area of Garde Sari district in Paktia province.
September 20:
A young woman was shot dead by gunmen in the Tangi Khwaja area of Sancharak district in Sar-e-Pul province.
At least 20 people have been injured in a roadside bomb blast in the Jani Khel district of southeastern Paktika province.
Two women were killed and two others were wounded when Afghan forces opened fire on them in the Qariabad area of Musahi district in Kabul province.
A civilian was killed and another wounded when Afghan forces fired rockets at a house in the Kandrim area of Raghistan district in Badakhshan province.
September 21:
A child was killed in a roadside bomb blast in the Kart-e-Naw area of Kabul’s 8th police district.
A child was killed and four other civilians were injured when a mortar shell hit a house in the Deh Afghanan area of central Maidan Wardak province.
September 23:
A woman and two children were killed during an airstrike in the Hazar Qishlaq area of Charbolak district in northern Balkh province.
At least 11 civilians were injured when a mortar shell hit a civilian house in the Ghaziabad district of eastern Kunar province.
September 24:
Five members of a family were killed and another wounded in an attack on a civilian vehicle in the Darayem district of Badakhshan province.
A child was killed and six others were injured when a mortar shell hit a house in the Khanabad district of Kunduz province.
Table-3: Civilian Casualties
| Name | Killed | Injured | Total Killed and Injured |
| Civilians | 48 | 53 | 101 |
| Total | 48 | 53 | 101 |
Conclusion and Analysis of the Week
According to the report, 656 people were killed across the country between September 18 to 24, 2020, of which 433 were killed and 223 were injured.
This week has been a bloody one for both sides of the conflict, with rising civilian casualties due to the escalating violence on the battlefield. However, there have been no mass armed attacks in major cities this week by militants, but there have been mass attacks in several local areas, leading to a significant increase in casualties among Afghan forces. At least 24 Afghan soldiers have been killed in days of fighting and widespread attacks in the Gizab district of Uruzgan province. Also, a large-scale Taliban attack on a convoy of Afghan forces in Maidan Wardak province killed 31 Afghan security forces. On the other hand, the Taliban have also suffered heavy casualties in airstrikes. But civilian casualties have risen due to an airstrike by Afghan forces in Kunduz. Afghan forces bombed the Khan Abad district of Kunduz, killing at least 24 civilians in addition to the Taliban.
The US Special Envoy for Afghan Peace Zalmai Khalilzad also expressed concern over the escalation of violence since the start of intra-Afghan talks. Mr Khalilzad stressed that the level of violence should have been reduced by the start of talks. It is assumed that the escalation of violence on the battlefield is for the sake of gaining a foothold in the negotiating table. But Afghans expect that the traces of the beginning of intra-Afghan talks should be seen by Afghans as the violence subsides.
The escalation of violence on the battlefield comes as intra-Afghan talks between a delegation representing the Afghan government and the Taliban began in Qatar on September 12, 2020, with an inaugural meeting in Doha. Dr. Abdullah Abdullah, the Chairman of the High Council for National Reconciliation, Mike Pompeo, Secretary of State of the United States, and representatives of various countries attended and addressed the meeting. However, two weeks have passed since the commencement of the intra-Afghan talks, but the two sides have had disagreements on the rules and principles of the negotiations and have not yet reached a final conclusion due to which discussions on key issues have not begun. But overall, the start of these talks has raised hopes among Afghans. This disagreement on some non-fundamental issues at the beginning of the beginning of intra-Afghan talks has also raised concerns that the process will take a long time and if the level of violence remains high, it will dampen the existing hopes of Afghans.
Qased Strategic Research Center as a war casualties’ monitoring organization in the country emphasizes that ending the ongoing war, bloodshed and bloody situation in the country is possible through the intra-Afghan negotiations and a genuine political will of both sides for peace in the country. Therefore, we call on the Afghan government, Taliban and other stakeholders to focus on peace efforts and to deal with this historical opportunity for peace in Afghanistan responsibly.
Table-4: Total Casualties of war and security incidents
| Name | Killed | Name | Wounded |
| Afghan Forces | 180 | Afghan Forces | 84 |
| Anti-government Militants | 205 | Anti-government Militants | 86 |
| Civilians | 48 | Civilians | 53 |
| Foreign Forces | – | Foreign Forces | – |
| Total | 433 | Total | 223 |
| Total killed and injured 656 | |||
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