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UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs 20 December 2006

AFGHANISTAN: Kandahar residents support UN call for NATO to do more to avoid civilian casualties

KANDAHAR, 20 Dec 2006 (IRIN) - Kandahar residents have welcomed a United Nations (UN) report into the killing of civilians by British soldiers earlier this month and have called on NATO to treat the report seriously.

In the report, released on Monday, the UN called on NATO to take strict measures to avoid further civilian deaths and to create a mechanism for compensation of civilian victims of NATO-led military actions.

At least two civilians were killed, while three British soldiers and some 11 Afghans were injured on 3 December when a 27-vehicle UK International Security Assistance Force (ISAF) convoy was attacked by a vehicle-borne suicide bomb in the western part of Kandahar city.

The ISAF convoy split up and made its way out of the area, but bullets were fired from the convoy towards two cars and a motorcycle that did not respond to warning shots or signs, reportedly killing two and injuring up to 14 people, the report of the United Nations Assistance Mission in Afghanistan (UNAMA) said.

The UNAMA report warned that public feeling has been running high in insurgency-hit Kandahar after the 3 December incident, and called on the NATO-led ISAF to review its procedures to ensure that civilians are protected in all circumstances even in situations of “extreme stress”.

There were positive reactions to the UNAMA report in Kandahar city.

“This is a very good report. This is what the people of Kandahar want. NATO is very careless and this report has come at a good time. Otherwise the people of Kandahar can not tolerate anymore and will demonstrate,” 30-year-old Nassurrallah, a glass seller in Kandahar city, told IRIN.

Bari Rohani, a local journalist in Kandahar criticised NATO for what he called repeated violations and killing of civilians.

“NATO has repeatedly said that it will not do it any more, but they are repeatedly committing this. This report should be taken seriously by the government and NATO because these actions have created a negative sentiment among the people in Kandahar against NATO and the government,” Rohani claimed.

“If this is not addressed then it will be dangerous for both government and NATO and the people will be against them.”

Rohani urged NATO to include locals in any investigation on civilian casualties.

Some, such as 35-year-old resident Gul Mohammad, have asked NATO convoys to use the city during the night as there would be less people and traffic.

Kandahar is the heartland of Taliban militants who are waging a deadly insurgency against the government and NATO-led ISAF forces. So far this year, around 4,000 people, including some 1,000 civilians, have lost their lives. More than 100 suicide attacks have taken place, mainly in the south of the country.

Commenting on the UNAMA report, Maj Dominic Whyte, spokesman of the NATO-led ISAF in Kabul, said that the 31,500-strong alliance was taking the matter of civilian casualties very seriously.

“ISAF employs a range of measures that seek to minimise the risk to civilians. These procedures (or rules of engagement) are in accordance with international law concerning self-defence. The intent is to avoid civilian casualties, as it goes against what NATO/ISAF is here to do,” Whyte told IRIN in Kabul.

Following the investigation, ISAF stated that the soldiers had acted within the rules of engagement, responded to perceived threats in a proportionate and reasonable manner and that the UK military did not intend to take any criminal or disciplinary action against those involved in the event.

The UN also called on Britain and other NATO member states to establish a fund to make immediate compensation payments.

“Compensation of civilian victims is a national responsibility and any issues relating to this should be directed along national lines,” NATO/ISAF’s Whyte said.

SM/JL/DS

[ENDS]

This material comes to you via IRIN, a UN humanitarian information unit, but may not necessarily reflect the views of the United Nations or its agencies. If you re-print, copy, archive or re-post this item, please retain this credit and disclaimer. Quotations or extracts should include attribution to the original sources. All materials copyright © UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs 2006