The Silent Casualties of a Forgotten War
Paula Bronstein documents the heavy price paid by civilians in battle-torn Afghanistan
June 29, 2016
Rachel Lowry
Five-year-old Kabir was in a seemingly safe place—his own house in the remote district of Faryab—when the rocket-propelled grenade struck on an early April day.
His brother and sister were declared dead before he was driven more than 500 miles to the nearest emergency hospital in Kabul. There, his shrapnel wounds were treated and both of his legs were amputated. This wide-eyed boy, quietly staring up, has not even begun to grasp the effect that the previous 24 hours will have on the rest of his life. “This is what happens in Afghanistan,” says photojournalist Paula Bronstein. “It’s what happens in war zones. It’s nonstop carnage, these people are the collateral damage, and they’re barely making the news.”
Now in its 15th year, the Afghan conflict is America’s longestforeign war yet. Despite nearly $800 billion appropriated by Congress for military operations in the country—and with the continuing withdrawal of U.S. and NATO forces—the Afghan government has struggled to maintain control of the country. As factions fight for influence and power, warlordism infiltrates nearly every part of the system: American diplomats only travel by helicopter; car bombs and land mines have become an everyday occurrence; and Afghans rarely socialize in public spaces. Too many have been caught in the crossfire.
Last year, more than 11,000 Afghan civilians were killed and wounded, the deadliest on record for civilians in Afghanistan since the U.S.-led invasion 15 years ago, according to a latest UN report. Thousands are fleeing to neighboring countries including in Europe, but for those unable to leave, the horrors of war are right at their doorstep.
http://time.com/4376623/afghanistan-silent-casualties-war/
http://www.un.org/apps/news/story.asp?NewsID=53229#.V3UQnj9THct
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