Afghanistan: Civilian Death Toll Still High Despite Peace Talks

Thousands of Afghan civilians died last year despite peace talks taking place between Taliban militants and the government. The United Nations documented 8,820 civilian casualties in 2020 with 3,035 people killed and 5,785 wounded. Even though 2020 marked the first time the figure dropped below 10,000 since 2013, Afghanistan experienced a surge of violence in the final quarter of 2020 amid renewed fighting between militants and the government.

The 2,792 casualties in the final quarter of 2020 represents the second-highest total for that period of the year since 2009. As opposed to previous years when airstrikes resulted in widespread deaths among civilians, ground engagements accounted for 36 percent of total casualties in 2020. IEDs caused 34.5 percent while airstrikes contributed to just eight percent of the total.