Peace activists extend sit-in protest outside U.S. embassy ‘indefinitely’

The peace activists from Helmand march on Saturday stressed that they will continue their sit-in protest outside the U.S. embassy in Kabul for an unknown time as the activists yet to receive their letter’s response from UNAMA.

The Helmand peace convoy members who launched their sit-in protest near the U.S. embassy on Wednesday are now aiming to place their demands in form a letter to the United States Congress.

“We yet to the response of our letter from UNAMA,” said Iqbal Khyber, head of the peace convoy. “We will try to maintain contacts with the U.S. people and Congress. We have set up a team in the United States and the regulation defines that the protesters should inform the [U.S.] government of their move 10 days earlier.”

Expressing concerns regarding the health condition of their fellows, the members of the peace convoy said that they are shifting at least their two members to hospitals every day.

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UNAMA registers 23 incidents against voter registration process

A new report released by the United Nations Assistance Mission in Afghanistan (UNAMA) on Thursday details a “disturbing pattern” of attacks at election-related facilities following the commencement of voter registration for the October 2018 polls.

UNAMA verified 23 election-related security incidents since voter registration began on 14 April. These incidents have resulted in 271 civilians being killed and injured, with the vast majority of civilian casualties occurring on 22 April from a suicide attack among a crowd gathered outside a national identity card distribution center in Kabul, resulting in 198 civilian casualties, the organization said in a statement on Thursday.
“I am outraged by these attacks deliberately targeting civilians seeking to exercise their constitutional right to vote,” said Tadamichi Yamamoto, the UN Secretary-General’s Special Representative for Afghanistan. “These attacks at election facilities are nothing less than an assault on democracy.”

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UN Concerns Over Civilian Casualties In Airstrikes

The United Nations Assistance Mission in Afghanistan (UNAMA) has concerned over civilian casualties in recent airstrikes in the country.

“The UN Assistance Mission in Afghanistan (UNAMA) is gravely concerned by the killing of at least 28 civilians and injury of 16 others – all women and children – during air strikes in Herat and Logar provinces this week,” the organization said in a statement on Thursday.

According to UNAMA’s initial enquiries, airstrikes reportedly targeting Anti-Government Elements in the Shindand district of Herat province on 28 August killed at least 15 civilians and injured four others after munitions hit at least two civilian homes, the statement said.

On 30 August, airstrikes conducted in the Pul-e-Alam district of Logar province killed at least 13 civilians and injured 12 others, UNAMA’s preliminary findings indicate, it added.

UNAMA notes the news release issued by United States Forces in Afghanistan that it is aware of an incident in the Logar area and that they have opened an investigation into it.

UNAMA will continue its independent work to establish the facts around the harm caused to civilians from these attacks, including looking into allegations that Anti-Government Elements deliberately used civilians or civilian locations as a shield.

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