Iran Press/ Asia: The UN mission also expressed concern about stepped-up attacks and the brutality of the ISIS terrorist group.
A horrific attack last week at a maternity hospital in the Afghan capital has not been claimed by any group, but the United States said it bears all the hallmarks of Afghanistan’s IS affiliate – targeting the country’s minority Shiites in a neighbourhood of Kabul that ISIS militants have repeatedly attacked in the past.
The Taliban denied involvement in the maternity hospital attack, which killed 24 people, including two infants and several new mothers.
The UN report blamed the Taliban for killing or injuring a total of 208 civilians last month and also said that operations by Afghan forces in April had killed or injured 172 civilians. Civilians are often caught in the crossfire of the fighting and Afghan forces say they are targeting the insurgents, not civilians, in anti-militant operations.
“Parties have committed to finding a peaceful solution and should protect the lives of all Afghans and not jeopardize people’s hope for an end to the war,” said Deborah Lyons, the UN chief’s special representative to Afghanistan.
She added that “intra-Afghan peace negotiations need to start as soon as possible.”
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