people were airlifted in chaotic conditions AFGHANISTAN from Kabul airport, including thousands of Afghan nationals at risk of reprisals from the Islamic Republic of Afghanistan Taliban. Head of state and government: Mohammad Hassan The already precarious humanitarian Akhund (replaced Mohammad Ashraf Ghani in situation deteriorated further in the second September) half of the year due to the conflict, drought, the Covid-19 pandemic and an economic Parties to the conflict in Afghanistan crisis exacerbated by the suspension of continued to commit serious violations of foreign aid, the freezing of government international humanitarian law, including assets, and international sanctions against war crimes, and other serious human rights the Taliban. In December, the UN warned violations and abuses with impunity. that some 23 million people faced acute food Indiscriminate and targeted killings reached insecurity and hunger, including more than 3 record levels. Human rights defenders, million children at risk of death from severe women activists, journalists, health and malnutrition. humanitarian workers, and religious and INDISCRIMINATE ATTACKS AND ethnic minorities were among those UNLAWFUL KILLINGS targeted by the Taliban and non-state actors. A wave of reprisal killings was Government forces under the leadership of unleashed during the Taliban takeover of President Ghani, as well as non-state actors, the country. Thousands of people, carried out indiscriminate attacks with predominantly Shia Hazaras, were forcibly improvised explosive devices and air strikes, evicted. The limited progress made towards killing and injuring thousands of civilians. improving women’s rights was sharply According to the UN Assistance Mission in reversed under Taliban rule. Rights to Afghanistan, civilian casualties reached freedom of assembly and expression were record levels in the first half of the year, drastically curtailed by the Taliban. Access sharply increasing in May as international to healthcare, already severely compromised military forces began to withdraw. By June, by the pandemic, was further undermined 5,183 civilian deaths or injuries had been by the suspension of international aid. recorded, including 2,409 women and BACKGROUND children. More than two-thirds (68%) were attributed to the Taliban and other non-state The conflict in Afghanistan took a dramatic actors and 25% to Afghan National Defence turn with the withdrawal of all international and Security Forces (ANDSF) and other pro- troops, the collapse of the government, and government forces. On 29 August, a US the takeover of the country by Taliban forces. drone strike killed 10 members of one family On 14 April, US President Joe Biden in Kabul, including seven children. The US announced that remaining US troops in Department of Defense later admitted acting Afghanistan would be withdrawn by 11 in error and offered financial compensation to September. A subsequent Taliban military the victims’ relatives. offensive overran the provinces and reached Non-state groups deliberately targeted the capital, Kabul, on 15 August, causing the civilians and civilian objects throughout the government to collapse and President Ghani year. A bomb attack on Sayed-ul-Shuhada to flee the country. In early September, the High School in West Kabul on 8 May killed or Taliban announced an interim government. injured more than 230 people, nearly all 1 An evacuation operation accompanied the girls. On 26 August, a suicide attack outside final withdrawal of US and NATO forces, Kabul airport carried out by the armed group which was brought forward to 31 August in Islamic State – Khorasan Province (IS-K) the face of Taliban gains. Some 123,000 resulted in at least 380 casualties, mostly Amnesty International Report 2021/22 64