A/HRC/25/41
the displacement of 1,000 families, requiring a humanitarian response which was made
more urgent by the cold weather and the onset of winter.
18.
Despite Afghan forces leading almost all military operations countrywide, a
permanent structure does not yet exist in relevant ANSF bodies to systematically
investigate allegations of civilian casualties, initiate remedial measures and take follow-up
action. The Civilian Casualties Tracking Team in the Presidential Information Coordination
Centre, established in May 2012, only records reports of civilian casualties received from
security bodies and does not receive complaints from individuals or organizations.
19.
Human rights violations attributed to Afghan Local Police (ALP), including
violations leading to civilian casualties, are a growing concern; in the first 11 months of
2013, UNAMA/OHCHR documented 29 civilian deaths and 78 injuries in 60 separate
incidents, more than double the number of incidents and casualties compared to the same
period in 2012. In most cases, the deaths and injuries resulted from ALP members
committing human rights violations including punishments and revenge killings, carrying
out illegal searches and alleged accidental shootings in highly questionable circumstances.
In response to these violations, UNAMA/OHCHR has recommended the creation of a
national-level accountability mechanism in the ALP Directorate at the Ministry of Interior
Affairs, such as the appointment of a military prosecutor, to enable timely, independent and
transparent investigations and prosecution of alleged ALP crimes and human rights
violations.
20.
The escalated pace of ISAF base and firing range closure has led to concerns that
bases and firing ranges have not been sufficiently cleared of unexploded ordnance prior to
closure. At the end of November 2013, following intensive advocacy by
UNAMA/OHCHR, ISAF issued a standard operating procedure on base and firing range
closure/transfer to ensure clearance of explosive remnants and unexploded ordnance before
bases and ranges are closed or transitioned in 2014. ISAF also agreed to review 700 bases
and ranges that have closed since 2001.
21.
While UNAMA/OHCHR recorded a decrease in civilian casualties from aerial
operations in the first 11 months of 2013, civilian deaths and injuries from remotely piloted
aircraft (drones) more than tripled with 36 civilian deaths and 12 injuries. On 7 September,
a drone strike in Watapur, Kunar province, killed 10 civilians, including four children and
four women. UNAMA/OHCHR has urged international military forces to review
thoroughly pre-engagement targeting criteria and required precautionary measures to
reduce civilian casualties from drone strikes.
C.
Children and armed conflict
22.
Children continued to suffer disproportionately from the impact of the armed
conflict. Child casualties reported and verified between 1 January to 30 November 2013
were 36 per cent higher than those recorded during the same period in 2012. UNAMA
verified 705 incidents out of a total of 842 reported incidents in which children were killed
or maimed. During this period, at least 491 children (318 boys, 110 girls and 63 gender
unknown) were killed and a further 1,018 children (577 boys, 236 girls and 205 gender
unknown) were injured. During the first 11 months of 2013, at least nine children were
killed or injured every two days in Afghanistan.
23.
Ground engagements, which include crossfire, shootings, rocket and artillery
shelling, and hand grenade attacks, caused the highest number of child casualties: 552
deaths and injuries in total. AGEs were responsible for nearly 40 per cent and international
and Afghan security forces were responsible for almost 20 per cent of casualties caused
during ground engagements. Improvised explosive devices were the second leading cause
7
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