SCA present at United Nations – Denounce attacks on health care

“From April 2015 to January 2017 Swedish Committee for Afghanistan (SCA) has documented 49 incidents in the health facilities we are running in Wardak and Laghman provinces. This includes burning down clinic, staff intimidation, abductions using clinics as military base etc”

These was the words from Khalid Fahim, Programme Director at SCA, when he participated at the launching of the report “Every Clinic is now on the frontline”, at UN Headquarter in New York, March 6th.

The report, that has been produced by Watchlist on Children and Armed Conflict, details how attacks have led to medical facilities in Afghanistan being temporarily or permanently closed, looted medical supplies, stolen ambulances etc. The Taliban and other anti-government groups were responsible for the majority of the attacks, but also the Afghan armed forces have committed abuses.

“In our case we can see that out of the 49 incidents 20 were committed by the Armed Opposition Groups and 13 by the Afghan Security Forces, and in other cases it was both parties, international military forces, or it was not possible to identify the perpetrator.” Said Khalid Fahim.

The report call on all parties to immediately stop attacks on medical facilities and personnel, which are protected during times of conflict under international humanitarian and human rights law. Watchlist also recommends the Afghan government to establish an independent and permanent body to investigate these attacks.

You can read the report from Watchlist on Children and Armed Conflict here

You can see the press conference here