UNAMA Report Reveals Alarming Civilian Casualties in Afghan Conflict

The United Nations Assistance Mission in Afghanistan (UNAMA) has reported that all factions involved in the conflict have caused harm to civilians, with approximately 40,000 civilian deaths recorded between 2009 and 2021.

Civilian Casualties in Afghanistan

UNAMA has released a report highlighting the impacts on civilians caused by all parties engaged in the conflict. According to the report, from January 2009 until the Taliban regained power in August 2021, nearly 40,000 civilians lost their lives, and more than 77,000 others were injured.

UNAMA’s Investigation into War Victims

This report is the result of an investigation carried out by UNAMA’s human rights division conducted in 2024 and 2025 to assess the needs and experiences of victims of the conflicts. The research focused on the period from the onset of the U.S. military intervention in 2001 to the Taliban’s takeover of Afghanistan on August 15, 2021.

Details and Findings of the Report

In compiling the report, UNAMA interviewed 195 war victims and their family members, along with 23 non-governmental organizations and 23 Taliban officials. The findings reveal that Afghanistan was embroiled in conflict from 2001 to 2021, involving the former government’s forces, the Taliban, ISIS, and U.S.-led foreign troops.

Lack of Disaggregated Data

UNAMA noted that war victims have been affected by the actions of all parties involved, and their stories are part of the complex reality shaped by over two decades of conflict in Afghanistan. However, the report does not provide a breakdown of fatalities and injuries based on the parties involved, attributing the responsibility of these occurrences to various groups and forces.

End of U.S. Military Intervention

The U.S. military intervention, along with that of its allies, began on October 7, 2001, and continued until August 2021. With the withdrawal of the last American military forces on August 31, 2021, the two-decade military presence of the U.S. in Afghanistan came to a close, and the Taliban took control of Kabul on August 15 of the same year.