KABUL - The United Nations Assistance Mission in Afghanistan (UNAMA) condemns yesterday’s attack in Andar district, in the south-eastern province of Ghazni, in which an improvised explosive device (IED) detonation killed 19 civilians travelling in a mini-bus.

Those killed included 16 women and children; another four women suffered serious injuries.

“Yesterday’s tragic event again highlights the increasing toll that IEDs are taking on civilians in Afghanistan” said the Secretary-General’s Special Representative for Afghanistan and head of UNAMA, Ján Kubiš. “Indiscriminate use of these weapons must stop.”

IEDs kill and injure more Afghan civilians than any other tactic in the country’s armed conflict. From 1 January to 27 October 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. Civilian casualties from IEDs have increased by 13 per cent this year compared to same time period in 2012, and by 17 per cent compared to the same time period in 2011.

UNAMA emphasizes that the indiscriminate and disproportionate use of IEDs may amount to war crimes.

The UN Mission extends its condolences to the families of those killed in the attack and wishes a speedy recovery to all those injured.