UN mission condemns fatal attack in Afghanistan

The UN Assistance Mission in Afghanistan (UNAMA) has condemned yesterdays attack in the southeastern province of Ghazni that killed 19 civilians travelling on a mini bus. Sixteen women and children were among those killed when the improvised explosive device (IED) detonated in Andar district. Another four women suffered serious injuries, according to a statement issued by the mission. "Yesterdays tragic event again highlights the increasing toll that IEDs are taking on civilians in Afghanistan," said the Secretary General's Special Representative and head of UNAMA, Jan Kubis. "Indiscriminate use of these weapons must stop." The mission extended its condolences to the families of those killed in the attack and wished a speedy recovery to all those injured. IEDs kill and injure more Afghan civilians than any other tactic in the country's armed conflict, the mission noted. From January 1 to October 27, 2013, IEDs killed 828 civilians and injured 1,627, accounting for more than a third of all civilian casualties in the conflict so far this year. UNAMA emphasized that the indiscriminate and disproportionate use of IEDs may amount to war crimes