Posts tagged civilian casualty series

The rising tide of violence and bloodshed in the first half of 2011 brought injury and death to Afghan civilians at levels without recorded precedent in the current armed conflict.
A UNAMA report on the civilian death toll, released today, gives a grim outlook. The past six months were the worst of the decade for civilians: 1462 were killed. Insurgents are responsible for 80% of the deaths, an increased share. Pro-government forces are also responsible for an increased number of casualties, particularly from the controversial air strikes. (Read more posts on civilian casualties in Afghanistan at The Political Notebook.)
Tracking the Civilian Death Toll in the Afghan War The Afghan Independent Human Rights Commission in conjunction with the UNAMA logged 2,777 civilian deaths in 2010. That’s a 15% increase from 2009. 75% of those deaths are attributed to “Anti-Government Elements,” an increase of 28% since last year. 55% (1,141) of the deaths were a result of suicide bombers and IEDs. 462 civilians were assassinated in 2010.  That’s a 105% increase in civilian assassinations from 2009.  Half of those assassinations took place in the southern regions, like Helmand (experienced a 588% increase in civilian assassinations) and Kandahar (a 248% increase). 16% of civilian deaths came from Afghan national security forces, down 26%.  Of those deaths, the most came from air attacks, although civilian death from pro-government aerial actions decreased by a dramatic 52%. 9% of civilian deaths could not be attributed. Overall, all regions saw increases in civilian casualties, which the report indicates is a result of the increase in the use of IEDs, assassinations and intensified military action.  The north saw an increase of 76%, the south an increase of 40%.   Civilian deaths, according to the two organisations, have increased every year over the past four, with a total of 8,832 civilian deaths in that time. Read the full report from the UNAMA and the Afghan Independent Human Rights Commission here. Above: A young Afghan girl holds a poster with photographs of the members her family who were killed in Azizabad in Shindan district, Herat in a US-led raid in 2008. Photo Credit: AP Photo/Fraidoon Pooyaa Read the other posts published here on The Political Notebook regarding recent numbers on civilian deaths in Afghanistan.

Tracking the Civilian Death Toll in the Afghan War

The Afghan Independent Human Rights Commission in conjunction with the UNAMA logged 2,777 civilian deaths in 2010.

  • That’s a 15% increase from 2009.
  • 75% of those deaths are attributed to “Anti-Government Elements,” an increase of 28% since last year.
  • 55% (1,141) of the deaths were a result of suicide bombers and IEDs.
  • 462 civilians were assassinated in 2010.  That’s a 105% increase in civilian assassinations from 2009.  Half of those assassinations took place in the southern regions, like Helmand (experienced a 588% increase in civilian assassinations) and Kandahar (a 248% increase).
  • 16% of civilian deaths came from Afghan national security forces, down 26%.  Of those deaths, the most came from air attacks, although civilian death from pro-government aerial actions decreased by a dramatic 52%.
  • 9% of civilian deaths could not be attributed.
  • Overall, all regions saw increases in civilian casualties, which the report indicates is a result of the increase in the use of IEDs, assassinations and intensified military action.  The north saw an increase of 76%, the south an increase of 40%.  

Civilian deaths, according to the two organisations, have increased every year over the past four, with a total of 8,832 civilian deaths in that time.

Read the full report from the UNAMA and the Afghan Independent Human Rights Commission here.

Above: A young Afghan girl holds a poster with photographs of the members her family who were killed in Azizabad in Shindan district, Herat in a US-led raid in 2008. Photo Credit: AP Photo/Fraidoon Pooyaa

Read the other posts published here on The Political Notebook regarding recent numbers on civilian deaths in Afghanistan.


Tracking the Civilian Death Toll in the Afghan War

Science journalist John Bohannon discusses his reporting on the ISAF’s Afghan civilian casualty data. 

Read more on the data here at The Political Notebook.

USA Today

The ISAF’s civilian casualty data, visualised by George Michael Brower.  You can notice the seasonal changes and the increases in intensity in this excellent graph. An interactive version can be viewed here. Science 11 March 2011: vol. 331 no. 6022 1256-1260 Read my accompanying posts on civilian casualties in Afghanistan.

The ISAF’s civilian casualty data, visualised by George Michael Brower.  You can notice the seasonal changes and the increases in intensity in this excellent graph.

An interactive version can be viewed here.

Science 11 March 2011: 
vol. 331 no. 6022 1256-1260

Read my accompanying posts on civilian casualties in Afghanistan.

Tracking the Civilian Death Toll in the Afghan War This January, the ISAF (International Security Assistance Force) granted Science access for the first time to its dataset on civilian casualties in the Afghan war - pretty important stuff.  The basic results from the ISAF internal records, called CIVCAS, isthat 2537 civilians were killed and 5594 were wounded over the past 2 years, with 12% of those casualties attributed to ISAF forces and the rest to insurgents. Compared to Wikileaks data, this is 93% accurate.  UN estimates (which I will be posting on shortly) are much higher, which the ISAF acknowledge, but show similar overall trends. The team at Science analysed the datasets from the ISAF and the UN and compared them.  The conclusion is, despite the overall increase in civilian deaths (attributed largely to insurgent forces), that ISAF has become a safer overall gig.   Read the full story by John Bohannon about analysing the data and putting raw numbers into strategic context. Here are Excel downloads of the datasets and other documents from CIVCAS, UNAMA, and more. Above: Villagers watch soldiers from the 101st Airborne in Talukan, Kandahar. Photo Credit: Antonio Olmos via the Guardian.   This is the first post of a handful that will be posted here at The Political Notebook regarding the civilian casualty counts in Afghanistan.

Tracking the Civilian Death Toll in the Afghan War

This January, the ISAF (International Security Assistance Force) granted Science access for the first time to its dataset on civilian casualties in the Afghan war - pretty important stuff.  The basic results from the ISAF internal records, called CIVCAS, isthat 2537 civilians were killed and 5594 were wounded over the past 2 years, with 12% of those casualties attributed to ISAF forces and the rest to insurgents. Compared to Wikileaks data, this is 93% accurate.  UN estimates (which I will be posting on shortly) are much higher, which the ISAF acknowledge, but show similar overall trends.

The team at Science analysed the datasets from the ISAF and the UN and compared them.  The conclusion is, despite the overall increase in civilian deaths (attributed largely to insurgent forces), that ISAF has become a safer overall gig.  

Read the full story by John Bohannon about analysing the data and putting raw numbers into strategic context.

Here are Excel downloads of the datasets and other documents from CIVCAS, UNAMA, and more.

Above: Villagers watch soldiers from the 101st Airborne in Talukan, Kandahar. Photo Credit: Antonio Olmos via the Guardian.  

This is the first post of a handful that will be posted here at The Political Notebook regarding the civilian casualty counts in Afghanistan.

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