The United Nations Assistance Mission in Afghanistan (UNAMA) today condemned the killing of at least 18 civilians over the last 24 hours in three separate incidents, and extended condolences to the families of the victims.

United Nations officials in Afghanistan have strongly condemned the brutal killing of a 27-year-old mentally ill woman, who was attacked yesterday by an angry crowd accusing her of burning a copy of the Quran.

The Government of Afghanistan’s efforts to prevent torture and ill-treatment have shown some progress over the last two years but much more remains to be done, the United Nations Assistance Mission in Afghanistan (UNAMA) confirmed today as it released its latest report on the treatment of conflict-related detainees in Afghan custody.

As the United Nations refugee agency (UNHCR) and its partners begin distributing cold-weather supplies to some of Kabul’s most vulnerable residents, the Agency’s representative in Kabul has warned that many people, especially children, are continuing to suffer, particularly those living in Kabul’s informal settlements.