A/HRC/31/46 8. The Assistant Secretary-General for Human Rights, Ivan Šimonović, visited Afghanistan from 15 to 22 April. In that context, he engaged with relevant authorities in Kabul, Kapisa and Nangarhar provinces, encouraging the advancement of human rights, in particular stronger protection of civilians, and urging the Government to ratify the Optional Protocol to the United Nations Convention against Torture and Other Cruel, Inhuman or Degrading Treatment or Punishment. 9. While the Government made a number of clear commitments in 2015 to improve its adherence to international human rights standards, UNAMA continued to document human rights violations and abuses, including widespread and prevalent violence against woman and girls, with an overall climate of impunity for perpetrators. II. Protection of civilians 10. Following the final transition of security responsibility from international military forces to the Afghan National Security Forces on 1 January, anti-Government elements multiplied their attempts to gain control of population centres, seizing more district administrative centres than in previous years. In September, the Taliban briefly captured Kunduz, the first provincial capital to fall since the overthrow of the Taliban regime in 2001. 11. Despite transitioning to a “train, assist, advise” mission on 1 January, international military forces continued to provide support to their Afghan counterparts as fighting intensified. However, the protection of civilians has been further complicated by the emergence of new armed opposition groups, the fracturing of the Taliban following the revelation of the death of Mullah Omar, and a resurgence of pro-Government armed groups in parts of the country. 12. From 1 January to 30 November , civilian deaths and injuries from conflict-related violence increased by 4 per cent compared with the same period in 2014. Current figures indicate that 2015 saw the highest number of civilian casualties recorded in a year by UNAMA/OHCHR since 2009. 13. Between 1 January and 30 November, UNAMA/OHCHR documented 10,169 civilian casualties (3,234 civilians killed and 6,935 injured). It was able to attribute 64 per cent of them to anti-Government elements and 16 per cent to pro-Government forces (defined as the Afghan National Security Forces, pro-Government armed groups and international military forces). Seventeen per cent of casualties caused by ground engagements between pro-Government forces and anti-Government elements could not be attributed. Three per cent of civilian casualties resulting mainly from explosive remnants of war were unattributed. 14. Although certain trends, such as the increase in targeted killings of civilians, remained consistent across the country, UNAMA/OHCHR documented a decrease in civilian casualties in all regions compared with 2014, except for the north-eastern and central regions. In the central region, specifically in Kabul city, an increase in complex and suicide attacks contributed to the rise in civilian casualties. 15. On 28 September, the Taliban launched an attack on and captured Kunduz city, in the north-east, precipitating more than two weeks of urban fighting as pro-Government forces attempted to regain control of the area. Fighting continued until 13 October, when the Taliban formally announced its withdrawal from the city. During this period, UNAMA/OHCHR recorded a preliminary figure of 848 civilian casualties (289 deaths and 559 injured) from conflict-related incidents in Kunduz city and surrounding districts. The vast majority of civilian casualties reportedly resulted from ground fighting between 4