Human Rights and Democracy - Official Documents

Assistance Force have helped to bring rule of law, democratic government and
human rights improvements to an increasing proportion of the population.
However, despite Afghan government and International Security Assistance Force
successes in 2010, the insurgency continued to wage an aggressive campaign in
several provinces, including by targeting civilians. The conflict resulted in 3,368
civilian casualties in the first half of 2010, including 1,271 deaths, according to the
August report on the protection of civilians from the UN Assistance Mission in
Afghanistan. While the International Security Assistance Force takes the strongest
possible measures to prevent civilian casualties, the insurgency deliberately targets
civilians. This distinction was reflected in the London and Kabul communiqués and
UN Security Council Resolutions 1917 and 1943, all of which condemned the
Taliban’s responsibility for causing civilian casualties. In 2010, the insurgency made
increasing use of improvised explosive devices and stepped up a campaign of
intimidation and murders of civilians. During the first half of the year, insurgents
killed approximately 30 civilians a month. They targeted teachers, nurses, doctors,
officials, tribal elders, community leaders and civilians working for international
organisations.
The International Security Assistance Force and UK forces take the strongest
possible measures to protect civilians. In 2010, the International Security Assistance
Force continued to revise its tactical directives and standard operating procedures to
give greater protection to civilians and learn the lessons from earlier incidents. Airto-ground
munitions and indirect fire are only used against residential compounds in
an extremely limited set of conditions. Furthermore, international forces routinely
work with Afghan forces that have local knowledge of residential areas and can
assist with culturally sensitive searches and operations. As a result of International
Security Assistance Force and Afghan National Security Forces measures taken to
protect the local population, the number of civilian fatalities fell 29% from the first half
of 2009 to the same period in 2010, according to the UN. In particular, the number
of casualties resulting from aerial attacks was cut by more than a half. We will
continue to work with International Security Assistance Force and the Afghan
government to take the strongest measures to protect the local population.
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