A/HRC/31/46 I. Introduction 1. The present report is submitted pursuant to Human Rights Council decision 2/113 of 27 November 2006 and its resolution 14/15 of 18 June 2010. It has been prepared in cooperation with the United Nations Assistance Mission in Afghanistan (UNAMA). 2. UNAMA/OHCHR continues to pursue an overall strategy of embedding human rights in Afghanistan through targeted monitoring, documentation, reporting and analysis, together with advocacy and engagement in strategic partnerships and dialogues with the Government, national institutions and civil society actors and communities across Afghanistan and international partners. 3. In 2015, UNAMA/OHCHR prioritized five areas, namely, the protection of civilians in armed conflict; human rights and the protection of children in armed conflict; the elimination of violence against women and gender equality; the prevention of torture and arbitrary detention; and the integration of human rights into peace and reconciliation processes. In addition, UNAMA/OHCHR supports the strengthening of the Afghanistan Independent Human Rights Commission. These priorities reflect the mandate of UNAMA/OHCHR and the main human rights concerns of people in Afghanistan. They also serve as focus areas for the Government’s reform agenda following the transfer of security and other responsibilities from international actors. 4. In 2015, Afghanistan faced an intensified insurgency in the midst of a difficult political transition and serious economic issues. Taliban and other anti-Government elements intensified their efforts to seize territory and increasingly sought to take control of major population centres. While peace negotiations between the Government and the Taliban gained some momentum, they did not diminish efforts by the Taliban to increase its control of territory and did not result in decreased violence. The year 2015 was marked by an increase in fighting between Afghan forces and anti-Government element groups and the emergence of new groups pledging allegiance to the organization known as Daesh, notably in Nangarhar province. UNAMA/OHCHR observed that the emergence of such groups caused serious concern among civilians. 5. On 15 October, the President of the United States of America, Barack Obama, announced the extension of the United States military presence in Afghanistan beyond 2016 and the commitment to maintain 5,500 troops into early 2017. The President of Afghanistan, Ashraf Ghani, welcomed the announcement, adding that it would improve stability. On 1 December, the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) announced its agreement to sustain the presence of the Resolute Support Mission in Afghanistan through 2016, fund 350,000 troops of the Afghan National Security Forces through 2017 and ensure that it can finance the Afghan National Security Forces from 2018 to 2020. 6. Between 1 January and 30 November, UNAMA/OHCHR documented 10,169 civilian casualties (3,234 civilians killed and 6,935 injured), an increase of 4 per cent compared with the same period in 2014 and the highest number of casualties since 2009. This increase is mainly due to the escalation in ground engagements between Afghan forces and anti-Government elements, in particular in Kunduz city, and to several large suicide attacks in Kabul city. 7. While UNAMA/OHCHR documented a reduction in civilian casualties caused by anti-Government elements, the Taliban and other groups remained responsible for the majority of civilian casualties. Anti-Government elements continued to launch complex and suicide attacks and to conduct targeted killings of civilians. 3