RASC News Agency: The human rights organization Rawadari has reported that hundreds of people were killed in Afghanistan in 2024 due to bombings, suicide attacks, and other violent incidents, underscoring the country’s deepening security crisis. According to the organization’s annual report, released on Wednesday, March 19, at least 544 people were killed, and 234 others injured over the past year. The casualties resulted from targeted bombings, suicide attacks, the detonation of unexploded ordnance left over from past conflicts, and extrajudicial executions. Rawadari has warned that Afghanistan is facing severe security threats, with victims of last year’s violence including 403 men, 40 women, and 101 children. Among the wounded were 118 men, seven women, 60 children, and 39 individuals whose identities remain unknown.
The organization also expressed grave concern over a surge in clandestine and politically motivated assassinations, stating that fear of mysterious killings has reached an all-time high among Afghanistani citizens. The report highlights that former government officials and their families, women, children, tribal elders, as well as critics and opponents of the Taliban, are among the most targeted groups. While the report notes that civilian casualties from targeted suicide attacks and bombings decreased by 27.8% compared to 2023, several other forms of violence saw a sharp escalation:
Deaths caused by landmines and unexploded ordnance surged by 51.4%
Mysterious, targeted, and extrajudicial killings increased by 1.63%
Assassinations of former government officials rose by 9.63%
Killings of civilians accused of collaborating with anti-Taliban groups doubled
Forced disappearances skyrocketed by 70%
Moreover, the report reveals that in 2024, the Taliban arbitrarily detained 885 individuals, marking a 42% increase from the previous year. Rawadari has called on the international community to take urgent action, warning that the escalating wave of secretive and politically motivated assassinations has plunged Afghanistan into a state of fear and uncertainty. The report further emphasizes that the country’s security situation continues to deteriorate, with civilians bearing the brunt of unchecked violence and oppression.
