A broadcaster reported on Saturday that at least 13 civilians had been killed in the airstrikes, carried out in the outskirts of the provincial capital.
"An airstrike conducted by international military forces on the night of Friday to Saturday in Kunduz in support of pro-Government forces on the ground killed 13 civilians and injured three more, according to preliminary findings. The incident occurred in the Telawka neighborhood close to Kunduz city during operations conducted by pro-government forces against Taliban in the area," UNAMA said in a statement. UNAMA called on Afghan authorities and parties involved in the airstrike to carry out their own investigation and take urgent measures to safeguard civilians from harm. "UNAMA expresses its condolences to the families of the victims and wishes a speedy recovery to the injured," the statement read.
The Afghan Defense Ministry said that the recent airstrikes in Kunduz had killed at least 58 members of the Taliban Islamist movement, without mentioning any civilian casualties.
Sgt. Debra Richardson, spokesperson for the NATO-led Resolute Support mission in Afghanistan, confirmed on Sunday that US forces carried out the air strike. She said the mission aims to prevent civilian casualties, while the Taliban intentionally hides among civilians.
A record number of Afghan civilians were killed last year as aerial attacks and suicide bombings increased, the United Nations said in a February report. Child casualties from air strikes have increased every year since 2014.
Fighting has accelerated during a period of recurring talks between US and Taliban officials aimed at ending Afghanistan’s 17-year war.
More than a dozen civilians were killed in northern Afghanistan by U.S.-led airstrikes, the UN announced on Monday.
The UN Assistance Mission in Afghanistan (UNAMA) reported that an airstrike conducted by international coalition forces on Friday night in the northeast of the country killed 13 civilians and injured three more.
The body indicated that 10 of those killed were the children of a single family that had been displaced by violence elsewhere in the country. “Armed dissidents entered several dwellings in the urban center of Kunduz and used civilians as human shields,” Governor Ismet Muradi told Anadolu Agency on the latest strikes. Muradi said 58 armed opposition members -- 11 of them holding senior positions -- were killed in the attacks and that injured 15 others, adding that women and small children were also among the dead.
Debra Richardson, spokeswoman for the NATO-led mission Resolute Support held the Taliban responsible for the deaths, telling reporters that members of the organization took shelter in the surrounding houses without considering damage to civilians.
Afghan media reported that locals protested the killing of women and children during the funeral of the civilians.
The alliance announced in a written statement that the strikes were held in response to the killing of two U.S. soldiers by opposition fighters.
On Monday, the Afghanistan Independent Human Rights Commission (AIHRC) condemned the civilian deaths, expressing deep concern on the increase in civilian casualties.
“Targeting civilians and their homes is a clear violation of human rights, and is explicitly contrary to the provisions of International Conventions on human rights, IHL, National laws and the holy religion of Islam,” AIHRC said in a written statement.
It called on opposition groups not to use civilians and their homes as human shields, and to “comprehensively respect the human rights of citizens and international humanitarian law’s provisions.”
According to UNAMA, 2017 saw the highest number of civilian casualties from airstrikes since it began documenting such incidents in 2009.
More than 3,000 civilians lost their lives with over 7,000 wounded in coalition airstrikes led by the U.S., as well as in attacks by the Taliban and Daesh.
One in three killed in blasts in the war-ravaged country were younger than 18, said Patricia Gossman, senior researcher on Afghanistan in an article published by the Human Rights Watch.
Gossman said the U.S. military played a “crucial role” in all aspects of Afghan air operations, and that it was the sole provider of training to the Afghan air force.
The UN Assistance Mission in Afghanistan (UNAMA) reported that an airstrike conducted by international coalition forces on Friday night in the northeast of the country killed 13 civilians and injured three more.
The body indicated that 10 of those killed were the children of a single family that had been displaced by violence elsewhere in the country. “Armed dissidents entered several dwellings in the urban center of Kunduz and used civilians as human shields,” Governor Ismet Muradi told Anadolu Agency on the latest strikes. Muradi said 58 armed opposition members -- 11 of them holding senior positions -- were killed in the attacks and that injured 15 others, adding that women and small children were also among the dead.
Debra Richardson, spokeswoman for the NATO-led mission Resolute Support held the Taliban responsible for the deaths, telling reporters that members of the organization took shelter in the surrounding houses without considering damage to civilians.
Afghan media reported that locals protested the killing of women and children during the funeral of the civilians.
The alliance announced in a written statement that the strikes were held in response to the killing of two U.S. soldiers by opposition fighters.
On Monday, the Afghanistan Independent Human Rights Commission (AIHRC) condemned the civilian deaths, expressing deep concern on the increase in civilian casualties.
“Targeting civilians and their homes is a clear violation of human rights, and is explicitly contrary to the provisions of International Conventions on human rights, IHL, National laws and the holy religion of Islam,” AIHRC said in a written statement.
It called on opposition groups not to use civilians and their homes as human shields, and to “comprehensively respect the human rights of citizens and international humanitarian law’s provisions.”
According to UNAMA, 2017 saw the highest number of civilian casualties from airstrikes since it began documenting such incidents in 2009.
More than 3,000 civilians lost their lives with over 7,000 wounded in coalition airstrikes led by the U.S., as well as in attacks by the Taliban and Daesh.
One in three killed in blasts in the war-ravaged country were younger than 18, said Patricia Gossman, senior researcher on Afghanistan in an article published by the Human Rights Watch.
Gossman said the U.S. military played a “crucial role” in all aspects of Afghan air operations, and that it was the sole provider of training to the Afghan air force.
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