Civilian casualties spiked last week: Bashari

KABUL registered a three-fold increase over the past one week, when 82 non-combatants were killed and another 108 wounded, the interior ministry announced on Sunday.

Compared to the previous two weeks, when 23 people were killed and 65 wounded, the casualties showed a three-fold increase, the ministry spokesman Zmaray Bashari told reporters in Kabul. 

Bashari added 111 militants were killed, 35 wounded and 198 arrested. There has also been a spike in the killing and arrest of insurgents, compared to previous weeks, when 62 guerrillas were killed, 18 injured and 182 arrested, he said.

The official said 92 criminal cases took place during the period. Another 41 cases were prevented by police, who arrested 58 suspects who were referred to relevant authorities for investigation.

Bashari said 2,200 kilograms of drugs were seized in Nangarhar, Nimroz, Helmand, Baghlan and Herat provinces and 24 people were arrested on the charges of being involved in smuggling narcotics.

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