AFGHANISTAN: UNSPEAKABLE KILLINGS OF CIVILIANS MUST PROMPT END TO IMPUNITY

All parties to the peace negotiations must focus their utmost efforts on protecting civilians, upholding human rights for all, and ending impunity for these crimes

Responding to the bombing of Sayed -ul- Shuhada High School in West Kabul on Saturday afternoon, which killed at least 85 people and injured at least 150, and the bombing of a bus in Zabul Province on Sunday night which has reportedly left at least 11 people dead and dozens injured, Samira Hamidi, Amnesty International’s South Asia Campaigner, said:

“The appalling scenes in West Kabul and Zabul Province must serve as a wake-up call to the world. These unspeakable crimes brutally highlight the failure of authorities to protect civilians, particularly girls and minority groups. People are being slaughtered on a weekly basis and the bloodshed shows no sign of letting up.

“Now is not the time for the international community to turn its back on Afghanistan. Targeting civilians, especially children and schools, is a war crime and violation of international humanitarian law. All parties to the peace negotiations must focus their utmost efforts on protecting civilians, upholding human rights for all, and ending impunity for these crimes.”