Record number of Afghan civilians killed in first half of 2018: UN
Kabul, July 15 : A total of 1,692 Afghan civilians were killed due to conflicts and terrorist attacks in the first half of this year, hitting a record high, a UN mission said on Sunday.
"Latest figures released today by the UN Assistance Mission in Afghanistan (UNAMA) show continuing record high casualty rates being inflicted on the Afghan civilian population by the warring parties" Xinhua news agency quoted the mission as saying in a statement
"Covering the period from January 1 to June 30, findings include the killing of more civilians in the first six months of this year - 1,692 deaths - than at any comparable time over the last 10 years since records have been kept."
The UN mission started to monitor the situation of civilians and coordinate efforts to ensure their protection in 2009.
A total of 3,430 civilians were also injured during the period. Improvised explosive devices (IEDs) was the leading cause of civilian casualties.
"The combined use of suicide and non-suicide IEDs caused nearly half of all civilian casualties," the statement said.
Ground engagements were the second leading cause of civilian casualties, followed by targeted and deliberate killings, aerial operations and explosive remnants of war, according to the report.
The mission has attributed 67 per cent of the civilian casualties to the Taliban and other insurgent groups, 20 per cent to security forces over the period while the rest were unattributed or caused by other reasons.
The UNAMA also renewed its call to the conflicting parties to increase efforts to protect the civilian population and encouraged them to work towards reaching a peaceful settlement.
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Over 1 lakh students appear for NEET across TN
Chennai (PTI): About 1.4 lakh students appeared for the NEET 2026 exam for admission to medical degree courses across 31 centres in Tamil Nadu on Sunday.
Students claimed that the exam paper was easier than the previous year.
Organised by the National Testing Agency (NTA), 22.80 lakh students had registered for the National Eligibility cum Entrance Test (NEET) undergraduate exam nationwide.
NTA sources said that CCTV surveillance was installed at all examination centres, with feeds linked to centralised control rooms.
In view of the large candidate volume and prevailing summer conditions, the NTA ensured reliable power back-up, including generators at all centres, to ensure candidate comfort during the exam. Also, drinking water and on-site medical support were provided to students.
The sources further said that no malpractices were reported, especially in Chennai. The results of NEET are expected to be declared in June, 2026.
