By Xinhua,
Kabul : The International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) in a statement released in Kaubl on Wednesday deplores and concerns over the high number of civilian casualties caused by recent attacks in different parts of the war-torn Afghanistan.
“At least 250 civilians are reported to have been killed or injured in various incidents in Afghanistan since 4 July,” it said.
ICRC calls on all parties to the conflict, in the conduct of their military operations, to distinguish at all times between civilians and fighters and to take constant care to spare civilians, said Franz Rauchenstein, head of the ICRC’s delegation in Kabul.
“Civilians must never be the target of an attack, unless they take a direct part in the fighting,” Rauchenstein said. “These fundamental requirements of international humanitarian law, also known as the laws and customs of war, are binding on all parties to an armed conflict.”
The ICRC in the statement particularly expresses concerned about the continuing use of indiscriminate attacks, which by their nature strike military objectives and civilians or civilian objects without distinction.
The ICRC therefore deplores the suicide attack against the Indian embassy on July 7 in Kabul leaving more than 41 dead and 141 others wounded.
The ICRC is also concerned about the civilian casualties resulting from the recent air strikes by the U.S.-led Coalition forces in the eastern Afghan province of Nuristan which reportedly claimed the lives of around 22 civilians.
Moreover, the ICRC said it maintains contacts with all parties to the armed conflict in Afghanistan including the government forces, NATO and the U.S.-led Coalition forces, and the armed opposition with a view to reminding them of their obligations under international humanitarian law.