Why is it an Area of Concern?

The conflict’s affect on Afghan civilians reaches levels seen in other GI-NET Areas of Concern. These levels of direct, fatal violence against civilians rival those seen in Pakistan, Somalia and the DR Congo. With more than 2,100 civilians killed in 2008, fatalities in Afghanistan align closely with GI-NET’s criteria for scale of violence.

Additionally, the typology of violence defines Afghanistan as an Area of Concern. The multiple insurgent groups consistently engage in the tactical targeting of civilians through the use of night letters, suicide bombings and extrajudicial executions. Insurgents also illustrate their indifference to civilian harm through the use of improvised explosive devices planted on major roads.

NATO Coalition forces also contribute to civilian casualties, primarily through the effects that airstrikes have on civilians near conflict areas. GI-NET considers these airstrikes to be a mixture of indifference to civilian casualties and following the laws of war.