A/HRC/25/41 7. On 18 September 2013, the Government of the Netherlands published a list of 5,000 victims who had disappeared or been killed during the communist regime in Afghanistan between 1978 and 1979. The publication of these “death lists”, compiled by Afghan authorities at the time, had some effect on mobilizing victims’ families, civil society and the President’s Office on the issue of transitional justice. The AIHRC conflict mapping report, which documents serious international crimes and human rights violations committed in Afghanistan between 1977 and 2001, was not formally submitted to the President’s Office in 2013. 8. On 16 June 2013, President Karzai appointed five new Commissioners and reappointed four serving Commissioners to the AIHRC. Civil society actors, donors and UNAMA raised concerns that the selection process for the new Commissioners failed to meet the Paris Principles. During my visit to Afghanistan in September 2013, I expressed concern at the non-consultative process leading to the appointments and its potential impact on the “A” status of the AIHRC. A decision on accreditation was deferred for one year following a review of the AIHRC on 18 November 2013 by the Sub-Committee on Accreditation of the International Coordinating Committee for National Human Rights Institutions (ICC). This decision outlined concerns for the Government and the AIHRC to address, including changes to the selection and appointment process and increased State financing of the AIHRC operations budget in line with the Paris Principles, failing which a downgrade to “B” status would be likely. II. Protection of civilians 9. Conflict-related violence is increasingly affecting the civilian population. Changes in the political and security landscape have impeded the protection of civilians and further restricted the full enjoyment of human rights. The heightened pace of transition of security responsibilities from international military forces to Afghan forces and the closure of international forces’ military bases was met with increased attacks by AGEs (the Taliban and other armed opposition groups) on ANSF, mainly at checkpoints, on strategic highways, in some areas that had been transitioned and in districts bordering neighbouring countries. 10. In the first 11 months of 2013, civilian deaths and injuries from conflict-related violence increased by 10 per cent compared to the same period in 2012. The rise in civilian casualties reverses the downward trend recorded in 2012, and reflects a return to the high numbers of civilian deaths and injuries recorded in 2011, the highest figures recorded by UNAMA/OHCHR. May 2013 was the deadliest month of the conflict with the highest number of civilian deaths, while August was the second. Between 1 January and 30 November 2013, UNAMA/OHCHR documented 7,899 civilian casualties (2,730 civilians killed and 5,169 injured). UNAMA attributed 75 per cent of civilian deaths and injuries to AGEs, 10 per cent to pro-Government forces (ANSF and international military forces) and 11 per cent to ground engagements between pro-Government forces and AGEs in which attribution was not possible. The remaining 4 per cent of civilian casualties were unattributed and were caused mainly by explosive remnants of war. 11. As in previous years, improvised explosive devices (IEDs) used by AGEs caused the most civilian casualties. Ground engagements between Afghan forces and AGEs, particularly in civilian populated areas, were the second leading cause of civilian deaths and injuries, representing a trend and an increasing threat to civilians in 2013. Security gaps and contests between AGEs and pro-Government forces over territory gave rise to increased numbers of armed clashes, particularly in the southern and eastern regions, with civilians increasingly being killed or injured in the crossfire or by IEDs planted by AGEs. UNAMA/OHCHR also documented increased civilian casualties attributed to AGEs, 5