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Taliban call for probe into civilian deaths
[Iran Press TV Latest] Taliban militants in Afghanistan have called for a joint investigation into the growing number of civilian casualties in the war-torn country. In a statement, the group said it was ready to cooperate with international forces, the UN and human rights groups to assess the issue. It said this committee should be given a free hand to collect information from all across the country and publish its findings worldwide. The group accused the West of ignoring civilian deaths caused by NATO troops. Ah. I get it... It said these countries are using the issue as propaganda for their presence in the country. The UN says it is looking into the Taliban proposal. "We are aware of the (Taliban) statement and we are studying it," a UN spokesman said. Boy! Bring the whitewash! Chop-chop! Yes Effendi! And the rose-colored glasses as well? According to the UN, civilian casualties in Afghanistan have gone up by 31 percent since the start of 2010. A recent report by the United Nations Assistance Mission in Afghanistan (UNAMA) in early August put the number of civilian casualties at 1,270 so far this year. The report says nearly 2,000 others have been injured as a result of the conflict. "Afghan children and women are increasingly bearing the brunt of the conflict," Staffan de Mistura, the special representative of UN Secretary General Ban Ki-Moon said in Kabul early this month. "They are being killed and injured in their homes and communities in greater numbers than ever before," he added. The assessment also blamed 25 percent of the deaths on attacks by foreign forces stationed in Afghanistan, adding that the rest of the killings were mainly caused by Afghan militants. According to my calculator, that would be 75 percent... Posted by: Fred 2010-08-17 |
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