270 civilians killed in July in Afghanistan

KABUL - As many as 270 civilians were killed in July in different incidents across Afghanistan, an official said Sunday.

“Two hundred and seventy civilians were killed in different security incidents in July across the country which shows a 29 percent increase in comparison with the previous month,” Xinhua quoted a spokesman for the interior ministry as saying.

He said that 588 civilians, including women and children, were injured during the period in 765 terrorist and violent attacks elsewhere in the militancy-hit country.

At least 673 Taliban militants were killed and 76 others wounded in July while security forces arrested 263 militants over the period, the spokesman said, adding 125 police officers and soldiers were also killed.

Taliban-led militancy and conflicts have claimed the lives of over 1,100 civilians and injured more than 1,300 since the beginning of this year in Afghanistan.