QASED Non-government Research Organization
Issue No: 37)
Note: You can download the PDF format of the report from here.
Preface
This report covers the casualties of the ongoing war, which occurred in different parts of the country during January 17- 23, 2020. Overall, 220 people have been killed or wounded this week (158 killed and 62 wounded).
According to the report’s statistics, this week the total death toll due to the ongoing war in the country has dropped compared to last week. Last week, 232 people were killed or wounded across the country, but this week, 220 people were killed or wounded.
The death toll among the government forces has risen slightly compared to last week. The deadliest incidents have been reported in Uruzgan and Baghlan provinces, where Taliban attacks have killed ten policemen and wounded eight others.
Civilian casualties’ figures show a slight decline this week. The deadliest incidents were reported in Faryab and Khost provinces, where at least 11 civilians were killed and nine others injured.
The death toll among the anti-government armed militants also showed a slight increase compared to last week; however, the death toll for the armed opposition was lower than it was reported in the last few weeks due to the cold wave across the country.
You would read in this report the details of casualties of the 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 in last part.
Afghan Forces’ Casualties
January 18:
Three policemen were killed and 16 others surrendered to the Taliban after a Taliban attack in Arghandab district of Zabul province.
Three local policemen were killed in an armed clash between local police and Taliban militants in Khogyani and Momandra districts of Nangarhar province.
An ANA soldier was injured in an armed clash between Afghan forces and Taliban in Rahmatabad and Noraid villages of Chaharbulak district of Balkh province.
January 19:
Two policemen were shot dead by unknown motorcycle-riding gunmen in Mirwais Nika road area of Trincoat city of Uruzgan province.
Three policemen were killed in a Taliban attack in Gul Tepa district of Kunduz province.
January 20:
Three security personnel were injured in an armed clash between Afghan forces and armed Taliban in Sarkano district of Kunar province.
January 21:
In Herat Bazaar area of the first Police District of Kandahar province, a policeman was killed and another injured in an armed clash between antigovernment armed militants and the police.
January 22:
In Chinarto district of Uruzgan province, Taliban militants attacked a police outpost, killing four policemen in the first attack, then killing one policeman and injuring another in the second attack.
A security official was killed and another was injured in an attack in Lashkargah city of Helmand province.
A roadside bomb blast in Khwaja Sabzposh district of Faryab province killed three people including the chief of ANA 2nd battalion and wounded his two guards.
In Kapisa province, three security personnel were killed and two others were injured in a Taliban attack.
January 23:
In Chaila area of Bahark district of Takhar province, Taliban militants attacked an Afghan forces outpost, killing two national police and injuring another.
Armed Taliban attacked an outpost on Fabrica 9th Road of Kunduz-Baghlan highway, killing five policemen and wounding seven others.
Table-1: Afghan Forces’ Casualties
|
Name |
Killed | Injured | Total Killed and Injured |
| ANA | 3 | 3 |
6 |
|
Police |
27 | 16 | 43 |
| Total | 30 | 19 |
49 |
Anti-government Armed Militants’ Casualties
January 17:
Four Taliban fighters were killed and two others were injured in an armed clash between Afghan forces and armed Taliban in Khanabad district of Kunduz province.
Two Taliban militants have been killed in an armed clash between Afghan forces and Taliban in Belcheragh district of Faryab province.
Four Taliban militants were killed and another wounded in an airstrike by Afghan forces in Karez Shahr area of Farah province.
In Jawzjan province, ten armed Taliban were killed and 16 others were injured in Afghan forces operations in Faizabad and Khanqah districts.
January 18:
Six armed Taliban were killed in clashes between Afghan forces and Taliban in Momandara and Khogyani districts of Nangarhar province.
Seven Taliban militants were killed during an operation by Afghan commandos in Nahr-e-Saraj and Garamsir districts of Helmand province.
Two armed Taliban were killed and two others were injured during an operation by Afghan forces in Charkh district of Logar province.
Four militants were killed and three others were injured in an armed clash between police and Taliban in Kijran district of Daikundi province.
20 armed Taliban were killed in airstrikes by Afghan forces in Koh-Zur and Chesht-e-Sharif districts of Herat province.
Two armed Taliban were killed in clashes between Afghan forces and armed Taliban in Rahmat Abad and Noraid villages of Chaharbulak district of Balkh province.
January 19:
A Taliban fighter was killed and two others were injured in an armed clash between Taliban and Afghan forces in Faryab province.
Four Taliban militants were killed and another was injured in an airstrike by Afghan forces in the central areas of Farah province.
Four armed Taliban were killed in an airstrike in Sholgara district of Balkh province.
Seven people, including a Taliban commander, were killed in an attack by Afghan forces in Kata Sang area of Aryob Zazi district of Paktia province.
January 20:
Three Taliban militants were killed in an armed clash between Afghan forces and armed Taliban in the Pul Sangani area of Warduj district of Badakhshan province.
January 21:
11 Taliban militants were killed in an airstrike in Gilan district of Ghazni province.
Two militants were killed in an armed clash between militants and police in Herat Bazaar area of Kandahar province.
January 22:
14 militants were killed and two others wounded in an attack by Afghan Air Force in Maiwand district of Kandahar province.
January 23:
In Baharak district of Takhar province, Taliban attacked an Afghan forces outpost, in which four Taliban fighters were killed and two others were injured.
Table–2: Casualties of the Anti-government Armed Militants
|
Name |
Killed | Injured | Total Killed and Injured |
| Taliban | 111 | 31 |
143 |
|
Total |
111 | 31 |
143 |
Civilian Casualties
January 17:
A civilian was killed and a 12-year-old boy was injured in an attack by militants in Bilcheragh district of Faryab province.
January 18:
Gunmen killed six members of a family, including women and children, and injured two others in Khanqah area of Andkhoy district of Faryab province. The Afghan government has blamed Taliban for the incident, yet the Taliban have denied their involvement.
January 20:
Three civilians were killed in a bomb blast near the Jirga hall in Khost province.
January 21:
Taliban militants killed a polio worker in Aryob Zazi district of Paktia province
January 22:
A tribal elder has been killed and six other people have been injured in a grenade blast at a pharmacy in Dawlatabad district of Faryab province.
An unknown gunman killed a judge near an Afghan security forces base in Behsud district of Nangarhar province.
Two civilians were killed in a security incident in Kapisa province.
January 23:
Armed Taliban attacked a police outpost at Fabrica 9th Road on Kunduz-Baghlan highway, killing two civilians and wounding three others.
Table–3: Civilian Casualties
|
Name |
Killed | Injured | Total Killed and Injured |
| Civilians | 17 | 12 |
29 |
|
Total |
17 | 12 |
29 |
Conclusion and Analysis of the Week
The report shows that all over the country, 220 people have been killed and injured (158 of them were killed and 62 wounded) from 17 – 23 January 2020.
The overall death toll is low this week; however, the death toll for the Afghan forces is slightly higher than it was last week. 20 Afghan security forces were killed last week; however, this week the level has risen to reach 30 Afghan security forces been killed. The death toll among the anti-government militants is almost the same as last week. 109 armed insurgents were killed last week; but this week, the number is 111. Civilian casualties also show a slight decline compared to last week. Last week, the civilian death toll was 20, but this week the number has dropped to 17.
Although the death toll this week was low, casualties due to bomb explosions have occurred. According to the latest data from UNAMA and Chatham House, many casualties have occurred due to roadside bomb blasts in the ongoing war. According to UNAMA, 58% of civilian deaths in the last year have occurred due to explosions.
Civilians, on the other hand, are still the victims of widespread airstrikes. The Afghanistan Independent Human Rights Commission (AIHRC) confirmed this week that 15 civilians, including women and children, were killed or wounded in airstrikes in Shindand district of Herat last week.
Overall, the death toll due to the conflict this week is lower than it was in few previous weeks. A major reason for the decline is the decrease of the security incidents in the colder areas of the country and the expected agreement between the US and the Taliban.
The US and Taliban seem to have drawn closer to a peace agreement and a deal will be signed in the near future. This week, President Ashraf Ghani also met with US President Donald Trump in Davos, Switzerland, and spoke about the ongoing peace process. The US President stressed that there should be a clear and definite reduction in the level of violence in Afghanistan. Therefore, it appears that the United States will agree to the Taliban’s offer to reduce violence on the battlefield.
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 | 30 | Afghan Forces |
19 |
|
Anti-government Militants |
111 | Anti-government Militants | 31 |
| Civilians | 17 | Civilians |
12 |
|
Total |
158 | Total | 62 |
|
Total Casualties 220 |
|||
The end
