A report published by the UN office in Afghanistan said the number of civilian casualties has increased each year and in the past five years (2007-2011) 11,864 Afghan civilians were killed by the Taliban rebels and Afghan and ISAF forces in Afghanistan.

The Report blamed the Taliban rebels for 2,332 civilian deaths in 2011 which has increased 14 percent compared to 2010.

The Taliban roadside mines and suicide attacks were the largest killers of Afghan civilians in 2011, the Report said.  

“Improvised Explosive Devices were the single largest killer of Afghan children, women and men in 2011, taking the lives of 967 civilians or nearly one in three (32 percent) of all civilians killed in the conflict. The suicide attacks in Afghanistan rose dramatically in 2011 to 450 (15 percent of total), an increase of 80 percent over 2010.”

The UN office also accounted Afghan and ISAF forces for 410 civilian deaths in 2011 which has decreased to four percent compared to 2010, but the aerial attacks of NATO forces were killed 187 Afghan civilians which has increased 9 percent compared to 2010.

The UN special envoy to Afghanistan, Jan Kubis called on the Taliban rebels and Afghan and ISAF forces to take steps reducing the number of civilian casualties in the country.  

“Afghan children, women and men continue to be killed in the pat war in ever-increasing number. For much too long Afghan civilians have paid the highest price of the war. Parties of the conflict must greatly increase their effort to protect civilians to prevent yet another increase in civilian deaths and injuries in 2012.” said the UN envoy to Afghanistan.

Civilian casualties remains a hot topic in Afghanistan and despite the efforts made by Human rights organizations and international community, both Taliban and the NATO forces are continuing to kill the Afghan civilians.