A/HRC/34/41 A. Anti-government elements 14. Between January and November 2016, UNAMA/OHCHR attributed 62 per cent of the total number of civilian casualties, namely 6,496 civilians (1,958 of whom died and 4,538 of whom were injured), to anti-government elements. The term “anti-government elements” is used to refer to a wide range of armed groups, including the Taliban, Da’esh and Hizb-i Islami. That figure represents a 1 per cent decrease in total civilian casualties attributed to such groups compared with the same period in 2015. 15. Although improvised explosive devices remained the second leading cause of civilian casualties, UNAMA/OHCHR documented a 13 per cent decrease in civilian casualties from such devices (a similar decrease was recorded in 2015), with 1,984 civilians dying or suffering injuries. Improvised explosive devices accounted for 19 per cent of all civilian casualties, while complex and suicide attacks and improvised explosive devices together accounted for 37 per cent of the total. The Taliban claimed responsibility for a complex attack against the VIP Security Directorate in Kabul on 19 April 2016, when the detonation of a truck laden with heavy explosives killed 56 civilians and injured 337 others. On 20 June, anti-government elements detonated a remote-controlled improvised explosive device in a market area in the Kishem district of Badakhshan Province, killing 12 civilians and injuring 36 others. No group claimed responsibility for the attack. 16. Anti-government elements continued targeting civilians who worked for or were perceived to support government and international military forces. During the reporting period, UNAMA/OHCHR recorded 1,078 deaths and injuries resulting from targeted and deliberate attacks on civilians — a 21 per cent decrease compared with the same period in 2015. On 5 March, in Kandahar city, anti-government elements shot and killed a custodian in front of the mosque where he worked. The Taliban claimed responsibility for the incident, alleging that the victim was working with the intelligence services. 17. UNAMA/OHCHR documented a 27 per cent increase in civilian casualties related to attacks by anti-government elements against religious figures and places of worship in the first 10 months of 2016 compared with the same period in 2015. In total, 290 deaths and injuries related to such incidents were recorded in 2016, with the majority resulting from targeted killings. 18. UNAMA/OHCHR documented two attacks against Shia worshippers gathered to mark the Muslim day of remembrance, Ashura. On 11 October, a suicide attacker wearing an Afghan National Police uniform fired indiscriminately at worshippers at the Karte Shakhi Shia shrine and mosque in Kabul, killing 19 people, including 4 women and 2 children, and injuring another 60, including 25 women and 4 children. The number of casualties could have been higher had Afghan security forces not shot the attacker dead before he could detonate his suicide vest. Da’esh claimed responsibility for the incident. On 12 October, a remote-controlled improvised explosive device was detonated at the entrance of a mosque in the Balkh district of Balkh Province, killing 18 civilians (11 men and 7 children) and injuring 67 others (31 men and 36 children). UNAMA/OHCHR documented two further incidents targeting Shia Muslims. On 21 November, a suicide attacker detonated a body-borne-improvised explosive device at a mosque in Kabul, killing 40 male civilians and injuring 74 other males. Da’esh claimed responsibility for the attack. On 22 November, anti-government elements detonated a remote-controlled improvised explosive device at the Razaiya mosque in Herat city, injuring four male worshippers. No group claimed responsibility for that act. 19. Furthermore, UNAMA/OHCHR documented numerous instances of abductions of civilians from the Hazara community by anti-government elements. Discriminatory intent based on ethnicity or religion was not reported as one of the motives for such acts as holding hostages for ransom or exchanging detainees; among the reported motives for such 5