BAGRAM, Afghanistan (July 1, 2012) – Insurgents caused 52 casualties in eastern Afghanistan from June 23 through July 1.  They injured 40 innocent civilians, killing 12.

The most recent insurgent-caused civilian casualty occurred this morning when a civilian bus hit an insurgent-placed IED in Ghazni district, Ghazni Province. Afghan officials are reporting as many as 10 Afghans were killed and 19 were wounded. 

The Ghazni provincial governor Musa Khan Akbarzada issued the following statement: "Today around 9 a.m. a bus full of Afghan civilian passengers was struck with an IED planted by the enemies of Islam, peace and the people of Afghanistan. Killing our defenseless and innocent fellow civilian citizens is an unforgiveable crime that insurgents should know the people of Afghanistan will neither forget nor forgive it. I offer my condolences to the families of the victims and wish a speedy recovery for the wounded ones and condemn this act of enemies of people of Afghanistan with the strongest terms."

According to a recent statement issued by the United Nations Assistance Mission in Afghanistan, anti-government elements were responsible for 98 per cent of the civilian casualties in Afghanistan over the past week.

Despite the efforts of the enemies of Government of Islamic Republic of Afghanistan, ISAF forces in eastern Afghanistan remain committed to partnering with their Afghan National Security Forces counterparts to secure a stable and prosperous future for the Afghan people.