Afghanistan: 1,000 Civilians Killed since Taliban Takeover

More than 1,000 Afghan civilians have been killed in bombings and other violence since the Taliban took control in 2021, according to the United Nations.

In a report released on Tuesday, the United Nations Assistance Mission in Afghanistan (UNAMA) said there were 3,774 civilian casualties, including 1,095 deaths, in the country, between mid-August 2021 and May 2023.

Among the dead were 92 women and 287 children.

The number of deaths has fallen sharply compared to the period before the Taliban took power — more than 3,035 civilians were killed in 2020 alone, according to UN estimates.

The new UN report noted that the majority of deaths were caused by improvised explosive devices in "populated areas, including places of worship, schools and markets".

Although the number of suicide attacks has decreased since the Taliban came to power, the UN report expressed concern about the "lethality" of the attacks.

Security challenges also remain particularly high due to persistent threats from the so-called Islamic State militant group. UNAMA said the group is responsible for the majority of attacks in Afghanistan.

The report added that the violence took place while Afghanistan was suffering from a nationwide economic and financial crisis.

The report also said that a sharp drop in donor funding since the Taliban took control has made it difficult for victims to obtain "medical, financial, and psychological support."