The UN reported that civilian casualties in Afghanistan reached a record high in the first half of 2016, (1,601 civilians killed and 3,565 wounded) with children paying a heavy price as insurgent groups stepped up the fighting. The report came two days after the deadliest attack in Kabul since 2001. The Taliban has stepped up their insurgency and IS seeks to expand its foothold in east Afghanistan. Every event documented in this report revealed people killed while praying, working, studying, fetching water, recovering in hospitals, and every civilian casualty represents a failure of commitment and should be a call to action for parties to the conflict to take meaningful steps to reduce civilians’ suffering. History and the collective memory of the Afghan people will judge leaders of all parties to this conflict by their conduct.