Civilian casualties in US-led air strikes reach record high in Afghanistan: Report

In a shocking revelation, the number of civilian casualties in air strikes carried out by the United States and its allies in Afghanistan was found to have increased 330% since 2017. According to Brown University's Costs of War Project, as many as 700 civilians were killed in 2019, the highest since the first year of US-led attacks in the aftermath of 9/11. 

The project believes the sharp rise in the death toll is related to the US relaxing its rules of engagement in 2017, with the increased number of air strikes balancing the decreased number of troops on the ground. In the latest development, the US has agreed to pull back on air strikes following a deal with the Taliban in February 2020.  

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Meanwhile, the Costs of War Project states that Afghan forces have stepped up their own air strikes since the US-Taliban agreement even as the Kabul government negotiates a long-awaited peace deal with the militant group in Doha. As per the researchers, the Afghan Air Force is now "harming more Afghan civilians than at any time in its history." 

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Afghan peace talks breakthrough 

Earlier this month, the Afghanistan government and Taliban leaders announce reaching an understanding.The preliminary deal marks the first written agreement between the government forces and Taliban in 19 years of war. 

Afghan peace talks began on September 12 in the Qatari capital of Doha, where the Taliban has an office, but soon hit an impass over procedural matters. The negotiators were divided about which form of Islamic law should govern disputes between the sides. The latest agreement on the preamble of the peace negotiation will allow the negotiators to move on to substantive issues, including ceasefire discussions.

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The announcement has been welcomed by the international community as a 'springboard to peace'. US Special Representative for Afghanistan Reconciliation Zalmay Khalilzad welcomed the agreement in a series of tweets. He congratulated both sides on their perseverance and said "this is what the Afghan people want and deserve". 

Meanwhile, the US is preparing to withdraw its troops from the war-torn country at the earliest. The Trump administration is expected to cut the number of US forces in Afghanistan almost in half by January 15. 

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