Amnesty International condemns the killing of civilians in south

Amnesty International (AI) on Wednesday condemned a recent spate of civilian killings in southern Afghanistan, calling on the government to take solid measures to investigate these crimes and to bring those responsible to justice. "Amnesty International condemns the recent wave of killings of civilians in southern Afghanistan, notably the 16 January suicide bomb attack on spectators at a sporting event in Spin Boldak, in southern Kandahar province, killing at least 22 people and injuring 20 other," the rights group said in a statement. The groups and individuals carrying out indiscriminate attacks such as that in Spin Boldak were criminals, the watchdog added, noting such actions undermine any claim they might have in pursuing a legitimate cause. The US-based group called upon the government of Afghan President Hamid Karzai to take concrete measures to investigate these crimes and to bring those responsible to justice, including those involved in the planning and organising of such attacks, while maintaining full compliance with international standards of fairness, AI said in a statement. According to the United Nations, there has been a wave of 19 suicide attacks over the past 12 months, including 13 in the past 10 weeks. The attacks come at a time Washington is considering to cut back its troop presence in the Central Asian state from more than 18,000 to 16,500 over the next few months. Members of the North Atlantic Treaty Organisation (NATO), who have an Afghan peacekeeping force of almost 10,000 on the ground, are due to increase their numbers to 15,000 and take over responsibilities from US forces in the restive southern parts of the country. AI urges armed groups to immediately cease all attacks against civilians and indiscriminate attacks, and calls on community leaders who remain in contact with the leadership of armed groups to speak out against such attacks, ensuring that there can be no circumstances that allow or justify war crimes and crimes against humanity. Insecurity remains a key issue in post-Taliban Afghanistan. Despite the deployment of thousands of US and NATO forces, at least 1,600 people died in conflict-related violence last year. Ninety-one US troops died in combat and through accidents in 2005, more than double the total for 2004.