UNICEF expresses concern over increasing violence against children in Afghanistan

Amid ongoing offensive in war-torn Afghanistan, UNICEF has condemned escalation in violence against children in state. At least 27 children have been killed and 136 have been injured in past 72 hours in country, UNICEF said on Monday. 

UNICEF expresses concern over increasing violence against children in Afghanistan 

top UN ncy in its latest statement said it is "shocked by rapid escalation of grave violations against children" in Afghanistan. "In last 72 hours, 20 children have been killed and 130 children have been injured in Kandahar province; Two children were killed and three were injured in Khost province; and in Paktia province, five children were killed and three were injured," UNICEF said.

"se are t numbers. Each one of se deaths and each case of physical suffering is a personal trdy. se children are much loved and longed-for daughters and sons, brors and sisters, cousins and friends. All of m are children whose right to protection, under international humanitarian law, has been disregarded by warring parties," UNICEF Afghanistan Representative Herve Ludovic De Lys said in a statement.

UNICEF emphasized that se atrocities are also evidence of brutal nature and scale of violence in Afghanistan which preys on already vulnerable children. Expressing concern about reports that children are, increasingly, being recruited into conflict by armed groups, UNICEF said that many or boys and girls are deeply traumatized as y witness atrocities committed against ir families and ors in ir communities. " atrocities grow higher by day," it added.

"Children should t pay for this worsening conflict with ir childhoods. Only a complete end of hostilities can protect Afghanistan's children. As long as conflict rs, children's right to thrive is compromised; ir futures jeopardized, and ir contributions to ir nation's prospects diminished," statement said.

"All children, including children with disabilities, need protection and peace w. UNICEF calls on all those engd in mediation efforts to uphold warring parties to ir international obligations to children, it added.  

Recently, Taliban have increased ir attacks against civilians and Afghan defence forces and captured several key districts in Afghanistan.

Taliban gains control of provincial capitals

Over last week, Afghan forces have faced numerous setbacks as insurgents move swiftly to put rth under severe pressure by capturing several provincial capitals. On Friday, Taliban captured ir first provincial capital by taking over border city of Zaranj in Afghanistan's sourn Nimroz province. This was followed by Sheberghan in Jawzjan, following day. According to its deputy goverr, Zaranj city in Nimroz fell "without a fight". authorities have yet to comment on fall of provincial capitals.

Herat in West and Kandahar in South are some of recent strategic areas where Taliban is engd in a fierce battle with Afghan security forces. Heavy fighting was reported on outskirts of Herat, and in south, Lashkar Gah and Kandahar. 

Government forces have been caught off guard by Taliban advances, but y received some relief late Saturday when US airplanes struck Taliban positions in Sheberghan, Jawzjan province capital taken earlier in day. Major Nicole Ferrara, a Central Command spokesperson, said that US troops have conducted a number of airstrikes in recent days in defense of ir Afghan partners. 

Im: Twitter
(With ANI Inputs)