Taliban responds to new UN report: 'Propaganda instead of facts'

Kandahar - The United Nations recently released a report titled: Afghanistan Mid Year Report 2010 Protection of Civilians in Armed Conflict, which highlights the increase in the number of casualties and holds the Taliban most responsible for the deaths and injuries.

According to the United Nations, the number of Afghan casualties is up 31 percent in the first half of 2010. More than 1,200 Afghans have been killed and approximately 2,000 civilians were injured. The report states that the Taliban and other anti-government forces were responsible for 76 percent of civilian deaths. Press TV reports that the Taliban has now responded unfavourably to the report by publishing a statement on their website and accused the United Nations Assistance Mission in Afghanistan of taking the side of the United States and NATO forces “instead of surfacing the facts.” “Observing the statistics issued by UNAMA, it appears crystal-clear that the report is based on political expedience, exaggeration and propaganda instead of surfacing the facts,” the Taliban said. “Every observer would easily determine the truth of such reports as this and assess how authentic and spurious such reports may be.” Taliban spokesperson Zabiullah Mujahid said, reports CNN, that the report was part of a propaganda campaign by the Pentagon to turn the Afghan people against the Taliban. The United Nations, Mujahid said, should turn to reality.