Afghan War Casualties’ Weekly Report (January 13 – 19, 2020)

(Issue No: 45)

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 areas of the country during March 13 – 19, 2020. Overall, 324 people have been killed or wounded across the country (167 have been killed and 157 have been wounded).

According to the report’s statistics, the death toll of the war in the country has increased this week compared to last week. Last week, 264 people were killed or injured across the country, but this week, the number has reached 324.

The death toll for the Afghan forces this week was higher than it was last week. The deadliest incidents have been reported in Kandahar, Kunduz and Ghor provinces, where at least 21 security forces were killed and 45 others were injured in attacks by militants.

Civilian casualties show a decline compared to last week. The deadliest civilian casualties’ incidents were reported in Ghor, Kunduz and Takhar provinces, where at least seven civilians were killed and 20 others injured.

On the other hand, the death toll for the armed opposition of the government is also showing an increase compared to last week.

You would 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

March 13:

A policeman has been killed in a Taliban attack in Dasht-i-Abedan area of Kunduz province.

Taliban militants attacked an outpost at Qadis district in Badghis province, killing two national police, two local police and a special forces soldier.

March 14:

A local policeman opened fire on his commander and his other colleagues in Zherai district of Kandahar province, killing four local policemen and injuring another.

Three ANA soldiers were killed and another wounded in an attack by Taliban militants in Timurk and Hazrat Qishlaq areas of Chaharbulak district of Balkh province.

Taliban militants attacked an Afghan forces’ outpost in Salah Khana area of Shahrak district of Ghor province, killing two ANA soldiers and wounding seven others.

March 15:

Taliban militants attacked many security checkpoints and the center of Almar district of Faryab province, wounding two security forces.

An ANA soldier was shot dead and three more wounded by armed Taliban in Qazian area of ​​Dawlatar district of Ghor province.

Taliban militants attacked a security outpost in Nad Ali district of Helmand province, killing one policeman and injuring five others.

Due to an armed clash between Afghan forces and armed Taliban in Dahna-i-Ghori district of Baghlan province, two ANA soldiers were killed and three others were injured.

An unknown gunman shot and killed an ANA soldier in Shaidaiee area in the 8^th Police District of ​​Herat city.

March 16:

In Shahrak district of Ghor province, Taliban militants attacked an Afghan forces’ outpost, killing six commando soldiers, five ANA soldiers and two policemen and injuring 20 other security forces.

A soldier was killed during a security incident in Faryab province.

Due to an armed clash between Afghan forces and Taliban in Jannat Bagh area of ​​Khanabad district of Kunduz province, five local policemen have been killed and 14 others injured.

Three local policemen were killed and eight others injured in an attack of Taliban in Darqad district of Takhar province.

A policeman was killed and another was injured in a bomb blast in Mazar-e-Sharif city of Balkh province.

A policeman was killed and another injured in an attack of Taliban in Ghoryan district of Herat province.

A motorcycle-riding gunman shot and killed a National Directorate of Security (NDS) soldier and injured another in Lashkar Gah city of Helmand province.

March 17:

In Jawand district of Badghis province, an ANA soldier and three policemen were killed in an armed clash between Afghan forces and Taliban.

Three ANA soldiers were killed and three others were injured in a roadside bomb blast in Tangi valley of Saidabad district of Maidan Wardak province.

A policeman was killed in Taliban ambush in northern Balkh province.

The head of the crime branch management’s juvenile unit has been killed by unknown gunmen in Kohasan district of Herat province.

A policeman was killed and another was injured in an attack of a motorcycle-riding unknown gunman in Bolan area of ​​Lashkar Gah city of Helmand province.

A security personal was killed in a bomb blast on a police patrol in Mazar-e-Sharif, the capital of Balkh province.

Taliban militants attacked Afghan forces on Mazar-Jowzjan highway in Balkh province, wounding five ANA soldiers

March 18:

A policeman was killed in an armed attack by Taliban in Herat city’s sixth Police District.

Two policemen were killed and another injured in a roadside bomb blast in Ala-Sai district of Kapisa province.

March 19:

Three policemen were killed and eight others wounded in an armed Taliban attack in Nahrin district of Baghlan province.

Due to a bomb blast on Afghan forces in Shorshark area of ​​Nawa district of Helmand province, four ANA soldiers were killed and two others were injured.

Taliban militants attacked a security checkpoint in Khanabad district of Kunduz province, killing three policemen and wounding three others.

Gunmen shot and killed a policeman in Ghorian district of Herat province.

Taliban militants attacked a security post in Ali Abad district of Balkh province, killing three local policemen and injuring two others.

Table-1: Afghan Forces’ Casualties

 

Anti-government Armed Militants’ Casualties

March 13:

Taliban militants attacked an Afghan outpost at the center of Qadis district in Badghis province, which resulted in the death of three militants and wounding four others.

Five Taliban militants were killed in an armed clash between Afghan forces and Taliban in Marja district of Helmand province.

March 14:

In Salah Khana area of Shahrak district of Ghor province, Taliban attacked an Afghan outpost, after which a clash ensued, resulting in the death of six armed Taliban.

Five Taliban militants were killed in an airstrike in Marja district of Helmand province.

March 15:

Taliban militants attacked many security outposts and the center of Almar district of Faryab province, which led to a clash, resulting in the death of four armed Taliban.

In Shahrak district of Ghor province, Taliban militants attacked an outpost, after which a clash ensued, killing 15 armed Taliban.

March 16:

An armed clash between Afghan forces and armed Taliban in Kotal Salah Khana area of kamanj district of Ghor province has killed six armed Taliban.

In Faryab province, three armed Taliban were killed during a security incident.

Eight armed Taliban were killed in an armed clash between Afghan forces and armed Taliban in Jannat Bagh area of Khanabad district of Kunduz province.

March 17:

In Jawand district of Badghis province, an armed clash between Afghan forces and armed Taliban has resulted in the death of five Taliban militants and injuring six others.

March 18:

13 armed Taliban were killed and eight others were injured in clashes between Afghan forces and armed Taliban in Nahr-e-Siraj, Nad Ali, and Garmsir districts of Helmand province.

Three Taliban militants were killed and four others wounded in an armed clash between Afghan forces and armed Taliban in Khanabad district of Kunduz province.

March 19:

Six Taliban militants were killed and 12 others were injured in a bomb blast in Taloqan, the capital of Takhar province.

 Table 2: Casualties of the Anti-government Armed Militants

Civilian Casualties

March 16:

A civilian was killed during a security incident in Faryab province.

Three civilians were injured in an armed clash between Afghan forces and armed Taliban in Jannat Bagh area of Khanabad district of Kunduz province.

Son of a shepherd was killed in a roadside mine blast in Ab Kamari district of Badghis province.

Four civilians were injured in a mine blast in Mazar-e-Sharif of Balkh province.

March 17:

A civilian was killed in a mine blast on a police patrol in Mazar-e-Sharif city of Balkh province.

A civilian was killed in an armed Taliban attack in Chahar Bolak district of Balkh province.

A civilian was also killed in an armed Taliban attack in Balkh district of Balkh province.

A civilian was killed in an armed clash between Afghan forces and Taliban in Jwand district of Badghis province.

March 18:

A civilian was killed and ten others were injured when a roadside mine exploded on the Herat-Ghor highway in the center of Ghor province, Firoz Koh.

A civilian was killed and two others were injured when a mine attached to a car exploded in Sholgara district of Balkh province.

A civilian was killed and another injured in an armed clash between Afghan forces and armed Taliban in Adraskan district of Herat province.

March 19:

Two civilians were killed and ten others were injured in a mine blast in Taloqan of Takhar province.

Table 3: Civilian Casualties

 

Conclusion and Analysis of the Week

The report shows that all over the country, 324 people have been killed or injured (167 of them were killed and 157 wounded) from 13 – 19 March 2020.

The number of total death toll has increased this week. The death toll among the Afghan forces this week shows an increase compared to last week. Last week 34 Afghan security forces were killed; but this week, the level has risen to reach 74. The death toll among the anti government militants is also higher than it was last week. Last week, 58 anti government militants were killed, but this week the number is 82. Civilian casualties show a decline compared to last week. Last week, the number of civilian casualties was 43, yet this week the number has dropped to 11.

This week was the last week of solar year 1398, the year ended with dozens of Afghans being killed every day. Although the peace agreement between the United States and the Taliban has been reduced the level of violence throughout the country which resulted in the decrease of death toll as well; obstacles lie in the front to end the war.

In the agreement between the US and the Taliban, the exchange of prisoners between Taliban and the Afghan government has been accepted as a prerequisite for initiating an inter-Afghan dialogue on peace and reconciliation, but no precise steps have been taken in this regard. Although President Ashraf Ghani issued a conditional decree ordering the release of 5,000 Taliban prisoners; on one hand, Taliban do not agree to the conditional release of their prisoner and on the other hand ,the Afghan government has not taken any practical steps. That’s why the US Special Representative, Zulmai Khalilzad, said in a tweet “The United States would like to see prisoner releases begin as soon as possible in line with the U.S.-Taliban agreement. No prisoners have been released to date despite the commitment to do so expressed by both sides.”

In addition, there are other reasons for the failure to initiate intra-Afghan talks, most importantly because of the political situation caused after the presidential election and the spread of Corona virus in the country. Despite the efforts of the US Special Representative, the election dispute between Ashraf Ghani and Dr Abdullah has not been resolved, and Afghan politicians are mostly engaged in the election dispute rather than the peace process.

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

 

The end