KABUL, Afghanistan (AP) — The U.N. says the number of civilians killed and wounded in Afghanistan fell by 15% last year, compared to 2019. A report released Tuesday attributed the drop in civilian casualties in part to an apparent tactical change by insurgents to targeted killings, fewer suicide bombings, and a stark drop in casualties attributed to international military forces. The overall number of civilian casualties in 2020 of 8,820 – including 3,035 killed and 5,785 wounded – fell below 10,000 for the first time since 2013. The numbers were provided by the U.N. Assistance Mission in Afghanistan (UNAMA) and the U.N. Human Rights Office.
