Taliban ‘to keep targeting government employees’February 21, 2013 - 15:01 AMT PanARMENIAN.Net - A Taliban spokesman says the group will keep targeting government employees and other Afghans with links to the U.S.-led coalition despite a warning from the United Nations that such killings may violate international law, The Associated Press reported. Zabiullah Mujahid said in an email to media on Thursday, Feb 21 that the Taliban reject a report earlier this week by the UN Mission in Afghanistan accusing them of targeting civilians and blaming the insurgency for the overwhelming majority of deaths in the war. Mujahid says the Taliban do not consider their targets to be civilians. The UN report found that 2,754 Afghan civilians were killed in 2012, a 12 percent decrease from 3,131 in the same period a year earlier. It was the first time in six years that the civilian death toll dropped. Top stories Authorities said a total of 192 Azerbaijani troops were killed and 511 were wounded during Azerbaijan’s offensive. In 2023, the Azerbaijani government will increase the country’s defense budget by more than 1.1 billion manats ($650 million). The bill, published on Monday, is designed to "eliminate the shortcomings of an unreasonably broad interpretation of the key concept of "compatriot". The earthquake caused a temporary blackout, damaged many buildings and closed a number of rural roads. Partner news | Czech-Armenian military cooperation discussed in Yerevan A delegation led by the Director General for the Industrial Cooperation Division of the Ministry of Defence of the Czech Republic visited Armenia. U.S. welcomes efforts to define Armenia-Azerbaijan border The United States welcomes efforts to define the border between Armenia and Azerbaijan, says Vedant Patel. Biden honors resilience of Armenian people on April 24 U.S. President Joe Biden has issued a statement on the 109th anniversary of the Armenian Genocide. Ex-Karabakh leader moved to solitary confinement cell in Baku, his son says David Vardanyan is the son of former Karabakh leader Ruben Vardanyan who who is currently imprisoned in Azerbaijan. |