The following report compiles all significant security incidents confirmed by New York Times reporters throughout Afghanistan for past seven days. It is necessarily incomplete as many local officials refuse to confirm casualty information. The report includes government claims of insurgent casualty figures, but in most cases these cannot be independently verified by The Times. Similarly, the reports do not include Taliban claims for their attacks on the government unless they can be verified. Both sides routinely inflate casualty totals for their opponents.
Dec. 27, 2019-Jan. 2, 2020
At least 109 pro-government forces and 11 civilians were killed in Afghanistan during the past week. The deadliest attack took place in the Khowaja Bahauddin District in Takhar Province, where a Taliban red unit attacked a security outpost and killed 17 pro-government militia members. A day earlier, another 16 Afghan soldiers were killed in Helmand Province after insurgents planted explosives beneath an Army checkpoint in Sangin District.
Jan. 2 Helmand Province: one civilian killed
A radio station technician was killed in the Second Police District of Lashkar Gah, where officials found his body and discovered he had been tortured and shot several times. An official investigation is underway.
Jan. 2 Baghlan Province: five local police officers killed
The Taliban attacked a security outpost in Baghlan-e-Markazi District, killing five local police officers and wounding two others.
Jan. 2 Herat Province: one police officer killed
The Taliban shot and killed one police officer in the Saq-dan village of Ghoryan District. The attackers managed to escape from the scene. (NY Times)