Monitoring Desk
KABUL: The Afghan government on Tuesday announced that President Ashraf Ghani has approved the security plan for the current solar year as conflicts are intensifying between security forces and Taliban in different parts of the country.
The National Security Council said in a statement that the plan, named Khalid Security Plan, is aimed at boosting security across the country particularly the security of urban areas and highways. As well as, the plan is aimed at suppressing the enemy, recognizing vulnerable areas in terms of threats by militants, ensuring the safety of upcoming presidential elections, preventing civilian casualties and better deploying of forces.
This comes as government figures show that almost 45,000 members of Afghan National Defense and Security Forces lost their lives in the past four years under the National Unity Government.
Meanwhile, clashes have intensified in northern, northeastern and southern parts of the country as the weather is changing. In a recent incident on Monday night, at least eight members of the Afghan police were killed in an attack by the Taliban in northern Balkh province.
The announcement of the security plan comes amid the increasing efforts for peace by the Afghan government and its international allies including the United States.
In a report released in February, the United Nations said the organization has documented 3,804 civilian deaths, including 927 children, in 2018. In total, UNAMA documented 10,993 civilian casualties (3,804 deaths and 7,189) wounded), representing a five percent increase in overall civilian casualties and an 11 percent increase in civilian deaths compared with 2017.
In this report, UNAMA attributes the majority of civilian casualties – 63 percent – to anti-government elements (37 percent to Taliban, 20 percent to Daesh, and 6 percent to undetermined anti-government elements).
According to the report, pro-government forces caused 24 percent civilian deaths (14 percent by Afghan national security forces, six percent by international military forces, and four percent by other pro-government armed groups and forces).
The report says that key factors contributing to the significant increase in civilian casualties were a spike in suicide attacks by anti-government elements, mainly Daesh, as well as increased harm to civilians from aerial and search operations by pro-government forces.
The report says that 2018 witnessed the highest number of civilian casualties ever recorded from suicide attacks and aerial operations.
President Ghani at a security meeting on March 13 ordered strict rules to security forces to protect civilians in their operations. (TOLOnews)
Arghanj Khwa district retaken by security forces
Monitoring Desk
KABUL: Clearance operation of Arghanj Khwa district in Badakhshan ended Tuesday morning and it was retaken from the Taliban militants, the 209 Shaheen Military Corps said in a statement on Tuesday.
The district reportedly fell to the Taliban last week on Saturday but the Ministry of Interior Affairs’ spokesman Nusrat Rahimi said it was planned retreatment to prevent casualties.
According to the statement, at least 14 Taliban militants were killed and seven others were wounded in the operation.
The clearance operation was led by Army forces and after 24 hours of clash with the Taliban the district wad retaken from the Taliban, the statement added.
Last week, Badakhshan residents criticized government and the security forces for the fall of Arghanj Khwa district to the Taliban.
“The district has fallen to the Taliban due to the ‘negligence’ of the central and provincial government,” said a resident of Badakhshan.
Arghanj Khwa is located in the vicinity of Faizabad city, the provincial capital, and is a connecting point between the center of the province and 10 other districts.
Arghanj Khwa is the first district of Badakhshan fallen to the Taliban in 2019. However, in 2018, three districts of the province – Kohistan, Warduj and Yumgan – had fallen to the Taliban. (TOLOnews)
