A/HRC/43/74 9. UNAMA/OHCHR saw the continuation of certain trends from 2018: a further decrease in civilian casualties from ground engagements and a continued rise in civilian casualties from aerial operations. Civilian casualties caused by suicide attacks decreased, while civilian casualties from the use of non-suicide improvised explosive devises increased. 10. UNAMA/OHCHR recorded 473 civilian casualties from violence relating to the 2019 presidential election, mainly attributable to the Taliban. 1 On polling day alone, on 28 September, election-related violence caused 280 civilian casualties (31 deaths and 249 injured); two election-related attacks in July and September caused 152 civilian casualties (51 deaths and 101 injured). 2 In addition, the Taliban offensive targeting the presidential election infringed upon the right of Afghans to participate safely and freely in the elections. 11. In 2019, UNAMA released six public reports on the protection of civilians (including two special reports), highlighting civilian deaths and injuries, analysing key trends and making recommendations for all parties to the conflict.3 A. Anti-government elements 12. Between 1 January and 30 November, UNAMA/OHCHR attributed 6,063 civilian casualties (1,542 deaths and 4,521 injured) to anti-government elements, representing 62 per cent of the total of civilian casualties, a 9 per cent decrease compared with 2018; 46 per cent of civilian casualties were attributed to the Taliban, 13 per cent to ISIL-Khorasan Province, and 3 per cent to undetermined anti-government elements. The leading cause of civilian casualties attributed to anti-government elements was the combined use of improvised explosive devices in suicide and non-suicide attacks, accounting for 42 per cent of civilian casualties. Suicide and complex attacks accounted for 20 per cent of all civilian casualties, while the use of improvised explosive devices in non-suicide attacks accounted for 22 per cent. Anti-government elements caused 1,181 civilian casualties (239 deaths and 942 injured) during ground engagements (the second type of tactic causing civilian casualties), accounting for 12 per cent of the total number of civilian casualties. 13. During the period under review, UNAMA/OHCHR documented 2,738 casualties (784 deaths and 1,964 injured) resulting from the deliberate targeting of civilians, a 32 per cent decrease compared with the same period in 2018. Incidents of such deliberate targeting included attacks relating to the presidential elections and against the Shia Muslim minority, the majority being ethnic Hazaras. UNAMA documented seven cases of sectarian-motivated attacks claimed by ISIL-Khorasan Province against minority Shia Muslims, that caused 473 civilian casualties (112 deaths and 361 injured). The overall decrease in civilian casualties attributable to anti-government elements during the period under review was mainly due to a 48 per cent decrease in civilian casualties attributed to ISIL-Khorasan Province for these types of attack. 14. UNAMA/OHCHR also continued to document indiscriminate and disproportionate suicide and non-suicide attacks attributed to anti-government elements. In the first 11 months of 2019, some of these attacks affected schools and hospitals, hindering the provision of and access to education and health-care services. On 7 July, in Ghazni city, Ghazni province, the Taliban detonated a truck bomb near the entrance of a National Directorate of Security compound located in a residential area, close to three private schools. The attack caused 174 civilian casualties (6 killed and 168 injured), mostly students of nearby schools. Due to the damage to the schools, emergency tents and mats had to be provided to allow continuation of educational services. On 19 September, in Qalat city, Zabul province, a Taliban-claimed attack on the National Directorate of Security headquarters, which damaged the nearby 1 2 3 Violence relating to the 2018 parliamentary elections caused 1,007 civilian casualties (226 deaths and 781 injured). Final civilian casualty figures will be published in the Protection of Civilians in Armed Conflict: Annual Report 2019 (expected release in February 2020). See UNAMA Protection of Civilians reports, available at https://unama.unmissions.org/protection-ofcivilians-reports. Two of the reports were issued with OHCHR. 3