QASED Non-government Research Organization
(Issue No: 24)
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 18 – 24 2019. Overall, 502 people have been killed or wounded this week (331 have been killed and 171 have been wounded).
According to the report’s figures, the death toll for all casualties in this week has increased compared to the previous week; but a high level of civilian casualties has been reported this week and was more than doubled compared to last week. The deadliest incident of civilian casualties was due to an explosion in a mosque after Friday prayers in Jodara area of Haska Mena district of Nangarhar province, killing and injuring more than 100 civilians. Afghan forces casualties were also high this week. This week, the deadliest incident for Afghan forces occurred in Gizab district of Uruzgan province, where at least 20 Afghan forces were killed. On the other hand, the death toll of anti-government’s armed militants has also increased compared to the previous week. This week, there have been more casualties in the operations of Afghan forces besides airstrikes.
Going forward through the report, details and exact figures of the casualties’ of the Afghan government forces, anti-government armed militants, Afghan civilians, and foreign forces can be found in separate titles.
Afghan Forces’ Casualties
October 18:
Taliban militants attacked police outposts in Yangi Bala area of Qaisar district of Faryab province, killing three security forces and injuring two others.
October 19:
Taliban militants attacked an outpost in Madrasa area of Ali Abad district of Kunduz province, killing a policeman after being injured for a while.
October 20:
At least three traffic police have been confirmed dead and two policemen wounded as a suicide bomber targeted the convoy of the governor of Wardak province in provincial capital Maidan Shar.
A commando soldier has been killed during a military operation in Dand Ahmadzai area of Pul-e-Khumri city of Baghlan province.
The deputy of the National Directorate of Security (NDS) of Farkhar district was killed in an attack by militants in Khurram Aab area of Farkhar district of Takhar province.
A member of National Directorate of Security (NDS) has been killed in a clash between security forces and Taliban in Shinwar Chenzaie area of Taluqan city of Takhar province.
A police commander was killed in a bomb blast near to the police headquarter of Dasht-e-Archi district of Kunduz province.
October 21:
20 Afghan security forces (12 commandos and eight policemen) have been killed in a Taliban attack in Gizab district of Uruzgan province.
Five border policemen were killed in a roadside bomb blast in Sru-Suhan area in Spin Boldak district of Kandahar province.
Taliban militants attacked an outpost in Abdul Rahim area of Sholgara district of Balkh province, killing two local policemen and injuring another.
Taliban militants attacked a residential house in Syed Abad area of Chamtal district of Balkh province, killing a local policeman.
A policeman was killed in a roadside mine blast in Oba district of Herat province.
October 22:
17 policemen were killed and two others were injured in a Taliban attack on a security post in Ali Abad district of Kunduz province.
In a rocket attack by Taliban in Lashkar Gah, the capital of Helmand province, two Afghan soldiers were wounded besides foreign troops.
Taliban militants attacked a security post in Sancharak district of Sar-e-Pul province, killing a local policeman.
A National Directorate of Security (NDS) member was shot and killed by an unknown gunman near Bibi Hawa School in PD2 of Jalalabad city, the capital of Nangarhar province.
October 23:
Two Afghan National Army (ANA) soldiers were killed and three other commandos were injured in a landmine blast in Belcheragh district of Faryab province.
Seven Afghan soldiers were killed and nine others wounded in a Taliban attack on Afghan National Army post in Kishk-e-Kohna district of Herat province.
An Afghan soldier was killed and another was injured in an armed clash between Afghan forces and Taliban in Pallas Posh area of Balkh district of Balkh province.
Six commandos have been killed and four others wounded in a Taliban attack on a group of Afghan commandos in the Cham Qurghan area of Khwaja Ghar district of Takhar province.
October 24:
Badghis police chief was killed in an attack by unknown armed men in the PD5 of Kabul city.
Table-1: Afghan Forces’ Casualties
|
Name |
Killed | Injured | Total Killed and Injured |
| ANA | 29 | 19 |
48 |
|
Police |
47 | 6 | 53 |
| Total | 76 | 25 |
101 |
Anti-government Armed Militants’ Casualties
October 18:
Afghan forces have launched an attack in Barakat, Zara Qala and Warsak areas of Khwaja Omari district of Ghazni province, killing 15 Taliban militants and injuring four others.
Two Taliban militants were killed in an attack by Afghan forces in Ashk area of Wazi-khwa district of Paktika province. Also, three militants were killed due to Afghan forces attacks in Jamaja and Sharabat areas of the province.
October 19:
Six Taliban militants, including a commander of the Taliban, were killed in an airstrike by Afghan forces in Sakhi Dad and Mohajereen areas of Nahr-e-Siraj district of Helmand province. Moreover, nine Taliban militants were also killed in Marja district of the province.
Seven Taliban militants were killed and 11 others wounded in an attack by Afghan forces in Aibak city, Samangan province.
Two suicide bombers were killed due to airstrikes in Zankhan district of Ghazni province.
In a joint attack by security, defence and air forces in Andkhoy district of Faryab province, eight Taliban fighters were killed and 13 others were injured.
As a result of an armed clash between Taliban and police forces in Yangi Bala area of Qaisar district of Faryab province, six Taliban militants were killed and 11 others injured.
October 20:
Six Taliban fighters were killed and two others were injured in clashes with Afghan forces and Taliban in Sera Baghl area of Maiwand district of Kandahar province. In another clash, two Taliban fighters were killed and three others were wounded in Gizab district of Uruzgan province.
Three Taliban fighters were killed and two others were injured in an armed clash between security forces and the Taliban in Shinwaro-Chinzhaie area of Taluqan city of Takhar province.
Nine Taliban militants were poisoned and killed in Andar district of Ghazni province.
Four Taliban important members were killed in an airstrike in Dand Ghori district of Baghlan province.
October 21:
18 Taliban fighters were killed and 30 were injured, due to an armed clash between Taliban and Afghan forces in Gizab District of Uruzgan Province.
10 militants were killed during an armed clash in Sru-Suhanu area in Spin Buldak district of Kandahar province.
14 militants were killed and three others were injured in an armed clash in the Darqd district of Takhar province.
October 22:
Eight Taliban insurgents were killed and two others were injured in an armed clash between Afghan forces and Taliban in Pallas Posh area of Balkh district of Balkh province.
October 23:
Six Taliban militants were killed and three others were injured in an operation by Afghan forces in Charchaino district and Tirinkot city areas of Uruzgan province.
Taliban militants attacked an ANA outpost in Kishk-e-Kohna district of Herat province. A militant was killed in their defensive attacks.
Four Taliban militants were killed during a night raid by Afghan forces in Baraki-Barak district of Logar province.
October 24:
A local Taliban commander and his friend have been killed due to an airstrike in Garo area of Paktika province.
A Taliban judge and his bodyguard were killed in a night raid of the National Directorate of Security (NDS) forces (unit 02) in Mandal village of Nularam-Dara of Alingar district, Laghman province.
Table 2: Casualties of the Anti-government Armed Militants
|
Name |
Killed | Injured | Total Killed and Injured |
| Taliban | 147 | 84 |
231 |
|
ISIS |
– | – | – |
| Total | 147 | 84 |
231 |
Civilian Casualties
October 18:
An explosion occurred at a mosque in Jodra area of Haska-Mena district of Nangarhar province during Friday prayer, killing at least 73 civilians and injuring 33 others.
A judge in Ahmadabad district of Paktia province was killed by unknown gunmen.
Taliban militants attacked Afghan forces in Yangi area of Qaysar district of Faryab province, killing a civilian.
October 19:
Six people, including a woman and four children, were killed and five others were injured in a roadside bomb blast in Zawal district of Herat province.
An unknown gunman entered a house in the PD3 of Maimana city of Faryab province, killing a woman and injuring her husband.
The son of a police commander was killed in an ambush by unknown gunmen in Ashaba valley in Jabal-ul-Saraj district of Parwan province.
October 20:
A tribal elder was shot and killed by Taliban militants in Ahameda area of Jaghatu district of Ghazni province.
A tribal elder was shot and killed by unknown gunmen near a hospital in Gardez city of Paktia province.
Three civilians, including a woman and two children, were killed and 10 others were injured in a rocket attack of Taliban militants in the Bazargan area of Shajoi district of Zabul province.
October 21:
The manager of Ghazni’s Prosecutor’s office was shot and killed by unknown gunmen in Khwaja Ali Street of Ghazni province.
A Mullah Imam, who was also a member of the Adraskan district’s Ulema council, was killed by Taliban in Nawabad area of Adraskan district of Herat province.
Gunmen attacked a house in Syed Abad area of Chamtal district of Balkh province, besides killing a local policeman, his two sons were also killed in the incident.
Several rockets were fired by Taliban in Mang area of Charsadda district of Ghor province, killing a 22-year-old woman.
Seven civilians were killed in a bomb blast at a hotel in Ashkamish district of Ghor province.
October 22:
Two children were killed and three others injured when mortar shells struck a house in Kolala area of Ghazni province.
A civilian was injured in an attack by an unidentified gunman near Bibi Hawa High School in the PD2 of Jalalabad city.
October 23:
Three civilians were injured in a bomb blast in Belcharagh district of Faryab province.
A civilian was killed and two others were injured due to a roadside bomb blast in Buran area of Pashtun Zarghun district of Herat province.
A civilian named Fazal Rabi was abducted and later killed by a local militia commander, Ali Por, in Behsud district of Maidan Wardak province.
October 24:
Three civilians were killed in a rocket attack by Taliban militants in Lashkar Gah, the capital of Helmand province.
Taliban militants attacked a vehicle in Pai-Kamar area of Ferozkoh city, the center of Ghor province, killing a woman and injuring another.
Table 3: Civilian Casualties
|
Name |
Killed | Injured | Total Killed and Injured |
| Civilians | 108 | 57 |
165 |
|
Total |
108 | 57 |
165 |
Foreign Forces’ Casualties
October 23:
Five US Marines were injured in a rocket attack of the Taliban on a military base in Lashkar Gah city of Helmand province.
Conclusion and Analysis of the Week
The report shows that all over the country, 502 people have been killed and injured (331 of them were killed and 171 wounded) from 18 – 24 October 2019.
The total number of civilian casualties and fighting parties has increased this week. On the Afghan government’s side, 51 Afghan security forces were killed last week; but this week the number has risen to 76. Furthermore, the death toll for anti-government’s armed militants has increased this week. Last week, 117 armed militants were killed, but this week a total of 147 Taliban militants were killed in different parts of the country. On the other hand, the number of civilians killed has more than doubled compared to last week. Last week, the civilians’ death toll was 44, but this week the number has risen to 108.
This week, civilian casualties have risen steadily over the past few weeks, the deadliest incident occurred in Jodara area of Haska Mena district in Nangarhar province after the Friday prayers, where at least 73 people were killed and 33 others were injured. The incident has significantly increased the civilian casualties this week. No group has claimed responsibility for the incident. After the incident, Afghan President Ashraf Ghani also travelled to Haska Main district to offer condolences to the victims.
This is not the first time that a place of worship and worshipers have been attacked, the United Nations Assistance Mission in Afghanistan (UNAMA) said in a statement. According to the statement, many such incidents have been recorded in the last two years. According to UNAMA, 499 civilians have been killed or injured in similar attacks in 2017 (202 of them were killed and 297 were injured). In 2018, 453 civilians were killed or injured, where 156 were killed and 297 were injured.
The incident was widely condemned inside and outside the country. The United Nations, the Amnesty International, the United States, the Arab countries, the world’s largest scientific and religious centers, the Presidential Palace of Afghanistan, the Afghan Parliament and others have publicly condemned the event. Afghans have also expressed deep regret over the incident on social and print media. But condemning the attack does not benefit the victims of the attack nor helps prevent such incidents in the future, it is necessary to end the ongoing bloody situation in the country and all sides make a real effort to end the war and return peace. There are a number of unanswered questions about this attack. Although such attacks have been carried out by ISIS in the past, the nature of the incident is yet to be determined.
On the other hand, this week (October 23), five US soldiers were injured in a Taliban attack in Helmand province while Defense Secretary and other US officials travelled to Afghanistan a day earlier. The US Defense Secretary told reporters that purpose of his trip to Afghanistan is to reach a political settlement and that peace with the Taliban is the best way. Although, Zalmai Khalilzad, US Special Envoy for Afghan Peace, has also begun his trips regarding the Afghan peace, yet the delay in negotiating the peace is not sparked, and the ongoing conflict is sacrificing Afghans in a daily base.
Qased Strategic Research Centre as a war casualties’ monitoring organization in the country emphasizes that the only solution to the current crisis is peace and intra-Afghan talks and that the bloody situation will continue as long as foreign forces are present in Afghanistan.
Table 4: Total casualties of war and security incidents
|
Name |
Killed | Name | Wounded |
| Afghan Forces | 76 | Afghan Forces |
25 |
|
Anti-government Militants |
147 | Anti-government Militants | 84 |
| Civilians | 108 | Civilians |
57 |
|
Foreign Forces |
– | Foreign Forces | 5 |
| Total | 331 | Total |
171 |
|
Total Casualties 502 |
|||
The end
