QASED Non-government Research Organization
(Issue No: 36)
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 January 10 – 16, 2020. Overall, 232 people have been killed or wounded this week (151 killed and 81 wounded).
This week, once again, the total death toll due to the ongoing war in the country has dropped compared to last week, according to the report. Last week, 259 people were killed or wounded across the country; but this week, 232 were killed or wounded.
The death toll among the government forces has dropped compared to last week, mainly due to the decline of Taliban attacks in the colder areas of the country. The deadliest incident was in Kunduz province, where at least 11 policemen were killed and two others wounded in a Taliban attack.
Civilian casualties’ figures also show a decline this week and many deaths have been attributed to landmines, airstrikes by Afghan and foreign forces and night raids. The deadliest incidents took place in Balkh and Zabul provinces, where at least seven civilians were killed and ten others injured.
The death toll for the armed opposition also showed a slight decline compared to last week; however, many deaths were reported in airstrikes, with the bloodiest incidents reported in Takhar, Nangarhar, Ghazni and Kunduz provinces.
Moreover, two US soldiers were also killed and two others injured in a roadside bomb blast in Dand district of Kandahar province this week.
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
January 10:
A policeman was killed in an armed clash between Afghan forces and Taliban in Qadis district of Badghis province.
January 11:
An explosion occurred near a police station in Lashkargah city, the capital of Helmand province, killing three policemen.
January 12:
A Taliban infiltrator killed three policemen in Khakrez district of Kandahar province
Two policemen were shot dead by their friends in Trincot city of Uruzgan province.
January 16:
Two soldiers were injured due to a bomb explosion on a vehicle of ANA in Ainu Mina area of Kandahar province.
In an armed clash between armed Taliban and police in Khanabad district of Kunduz province, 11 policemen were killed and two others were injured.
Table-1: Afghan Forces’ Casualties
|
Name |
Killed | Injured | Total Killed and Injured |
| ANA | – | 2 |
2 |
|
Police |
20 | 2 | 22 |
| Total | 20 | 4 |
24 |
Anti-government Armed Militants’ Casualties
January 10:
An armed clash occurred between two irresponsible armed men in Tajik Eltan village of Sholgara district of Balkh province, four people were killed from both sides.
January 11:
Airstrikes have killed five Taliban militants and wounded eight others in Acha-mili and Khatayee areas of Kushanda district of Balkh province and in Khoshkak-Dara valley of Dara-e-Suf Payan district of Samangan province.
18 Taliban militants were killed and 11 others wounded in a clearance operation by Afghan forces in Darqd district of Takhar province.
January 12:
An airstrike in Kunduz province’s Imam Sahib district has killed Taliban finance manager for the district.
Six Taliban militants were killed and seven others were injured in an attack by Afghan forces in Kunduz province’s Aqtash district.
Airstrikes in Gero and Gilan districts of Ghazni province killed 13 Taliban militants and injured three others.
A Taliban militant was killed in an attack by Afghan forces in the bazar of Alingar district of Laghman province.
January 13:
Four Taliban fighters were killed and two others were injured in a clearance operation by Afghan forces in Nahr-e-Siraj district of Helmand province.
January 14:
An armed clash between Afghan forces and armed Taliban in Zari district of Balkh province has killed five Taliban militants and wounded three others.
12 Taliban militants were killed and eight others injured in operations by Afghan forces in Momandara and Haska Mina districts of Nangarhar province.
January 15:
An armed clash in the Nani area of Andar district of Ghazni province has killed at least seven Taliban militants and injured three others.
January 16:
Ten militants were killed in an armed clash between Afghan forces and Taliban in Khanabad district of Kunduz province.
Three Taliban militants were killed and two others injured in a local police raid in Shamsi area of Muqur district of Ghazni province.
Six Taliban militants were killed and five others wounded in an attack by Afghan forces in Faizabad district of Jawzjan province.
11 Taliban militants were killed and five others injured in an operation by Afghan forces on Sheberghan-MazareSharif highway.
Table–2: Casualties of the Anti-government Armed Militants
|
Name |
Killed | Injured | Total Killed and Injured |
| Taliban | 109 | 57 |
166 |
|
Total |
109 | 57 |
166 |
Civilian Casualties
January 10:
A child was injured in an armed clash between Afghan forces and Taliban in Qadis district of Badghis province.
A civilian was injured in a motorcycle bomb explosion in Qaisar district of Faryab province.
January 12:
A civilian was killed and another injured in an airstrike in Pushtkoh district of Farah province.
In Qarabagh district of Ghazni province, Taliban militants have lowered two civilians from a vehicle and killed them.
A child was killed and three people, including two women, were injured in a mortar attack by Taliban militants on a civilian house in Nurkhil area of Takhar province’s Darqad district.
January 13:
An 11-year-old boy was killed and two others were injured in a mine blast in Pusht Koh district of Farah province.
Two civilians were killed in a night raid by Afghan forces in Laghra village of Shahre Safa district of Zabul province.
Three civilians have been killed in a rocket attack by Afghan forces in Zari district of Balkh province.
January 14:
In the sixth district of Farah province, the manager of the Municipal Directorate cleaning department, was killed in an attack by armed Taliban.
Two children were killed and nine more civilians were injured in two successive blasts near the ninth Police District of Mazar-e Sharif.
January 15:
A civilian, who was Imam of the villages, was killed in a night raid by Afghan forces in Kulalan village of Goda valley in Chack district of Maidan Wardak province.
January 16:
The head of the panel Diwan in the court was killed in an attack by an unknown gunman in Faryab province.
A bomb exploded on a car belonging to Da Afghanistan Breshna Sherkat (DABS) in Ziart area of Shahre Safa district of Zabul province, killing five civilians and injuring another.
In Ghor province, a woman was shot dead by unknown gunmen.
Table–3: Civilian Casualties
|
Name |
Killed | Injured | Total Killed and Injured |
| Civilians | 20 | 18 |
38 |
|
Total |
20 | 18 |
38 |
Foreign Forces Casualties
January 11:
A bomb blast in Dand district of Kandahar province killed two American soldiers and wounded two others.
Conclusion and Analysis of the Week
The report shows that all over the country, 232 people have been killed and injured (151 of them were killed and 81 wounded) from 10 – 16 January 2020.
The overall death toll this week has dropped significantly compared to last week. On the Afghan government’s side, 26 Afghan security forces were killed last week; yet the number dropped to 20 Afghan security forces killed this week. The death toll for the government’s armed opposition is also showing a slight decline this week. 114 Taliban fighters were killed last week, but this week 109 Taliban militants were killed. Civilian casualties have also dropped by almost half over this week. Last week, the civilian death toll was 38, but this week the number has dropped to 20.
Although the death toll for civilians has dropped this week compared to last week, civilian casualties in night raids continue despite widespread reactions and criticism. Once again this week civilians have been killed in night operations by Afghan forces, which has been reported by the Afghan security forces to be Taliban militants, but information obtained from the incident sites shows that the victims are civilians. Last week, a night raid also took place in Kabul city, where five civilians were killed, President Ghani ordered an investigation into the incident, but the results of the investigation have not yet been published. Instead of arresting people during night operations, usually innocent people are killed in their homes, which always provoked public reaction; but the government has not yet been able to prevent such incidents.
Meanwhile, the death toll for the war has dropped significantly this week, mainly due to snowfall and cold wave in the colder regions of the country. This has led to a decrease in the level of security incidents. In addition, the Taliban’s political office in Qatar this week submitted thier offer to the US Special Representative to reduce violence in Afghanistan, and it looks like that this has also led to the reduction in violence and casualties in addition to cold weather.
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 | 20 | Afghan Forces |
4 |
|
Anti-government Militants |
109 | Anti-government Militants | 57 |
| Civilians | 20 | Civilians |
18 |
|
Foreign Forces |
2 | Foreign Forces | 2 |
| Total | 151 | Total |
81 |
|
Total Casualties 232 |
|||
The end
