UN, Afghan Taliban dialogue to reduce civilian casualties

United Nations, Dec 20 , 2014: The top UN official in Afghanistan said the world body has been in touch with the Taliban in an effort to reduce civilian casualties and to make them aware of their obligations under international human rights laws. "We think it is really important to engage all parties to the conflict on the question of civilian casualties," Nicholas Haysom, Special Representative of the Secretary-General and Head of the United Nations Assistance Mission in Afghanistan (UNAMA), said at a news conference here Friday. "We have more recently engaged with the Taliban." The UNAMA shared reports and asked the Taliban for comments in its outreach effort to the organisation, he said. At the meetings with the Taliban that took place in Doha, he said, "We have also necessarily engaged with them on what the international human rights law framework is and what it expects from combatants." The UN outreach to save civilians appears to be taking place despite a UN report Thursday that said the Taliban leadership seems unwilling to enter into political negotiation "in a meaningful way". Although the "situation has not measurably improved" and the Taliban was responsible for the majority of the civilian casualties, according to Georgette Gagnon, UNAMA's Director of Human Rights, the message may be making a dent. "We have recently seen a change in their method of targeting," she said.