Attachments
About this update
This update on the human rights situation in Afghanistan covering the period from January to March 2024 is based on monitoring undertaken by UNAMA’s Human Rights Service in accordance with its mandate from the UN Security Council.
Rights of women and girls
On 20 March, the new school year in Afghanistan commenced without the presence of Afghan girls in high schools, due to the de facto authorities continued ban on girls’ education beyond grade six. An invitation to attend a ceremony in Kabul marking the commencement of the new academic year, issued to media by the de facto Ministry of Education, specifically instructed women journalists not to attend, citing a “lack of proper place[s]” for women.
While UNAMA Human Rights continued to receive reports of the enforcement of the hijab instruction,⁵ primarily by de facto Propagation of Virtue and Prevention of Vice officials, such incidents significantly decreased after January 2024 with the cessation of the large-scale enforcement actions which took place between December 2023 and January 2024.
Harm caused by improvised explosive devices
Between 6-11 January, three IED explosions in Kabul city caused at least 79 civilian casualties:
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On 6 January in Dasht-e Barchi, a predominantly Shi’a Hazara area of Kabul, an IED explosion targeted a public minibus, killing at least five civilians (one woman, three men and one person of unknown age and gender) and wounding at least 20 others (18 men and two persons of unknown age and gender). Islamic State – Khorasan Province (ISKP) claimed responsibility for the attack as part of their ‘And kill them wherever you find them’ campaign, stating that the target was the ‘infidels’.
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On 9 January in Alo Khil area of PD16, an IED explosion targeted a commuter bus transporting staff of the de facto Office of the Prison Administration. At least three adult men were killed and at least 13 adult men wounded in the attack. ISKP claimed responsibility for the attack as part of their ‘And kill them wherever you find them’ campaign, stating that the target was a vehicle transporting Prison staff.
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On 11 January, at around 1500hrs, in Kabul city, Dasht-e-Barchi area, an explosion of an unknown nature occurred at a commercial centre. At least three people were killed (age and gender unknown) and at least 35 were wounded (one girl, five boys, eight adult women and 21 persons of unknown age and gender) in the attack. There was no claim of responsibility.
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On 21 March in Kandahar city, PD1, outside New Kabul Bank, a suicide attacker detonated his vest among a large group of de facto police who were lining up outside the bank to collect their salaries, resulting in at least 75 casualties: at least 25 adult men killed and at least 50 adult men wounded. The majority of casualties were de facto police. ISKP claimed responsibility for the incident, citing de facto security personnel as the target.