Afghan War Casualty Report: Jan. 4-10

AVA- The following report compiles all significant security incidents confirmed by New York Times reporters throughout Afghanistan from the 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.
Hopes from recent weeks that the level of violence was finally tailing off as winter set in seemed dashed with another upturn over the past week, when at least 139 members of pro-government forces and 15 civilians were killed as both sides increased the tempo of violence despite cold and inclement weather throughout Afghanistan. The Taliban carried out numerous deadly attacks in Balkh Province, which had been one of the safest parts of the country, and in several neighboring provinces.
Jan. 10 Herat Province: 11 soldiers killed
The Taliban attacked security outposts in Shindand and Pashtun Zarghon districts, killing 11 soldiers and wounding 11 others.
Jan. 10 Jowzjan Province: five soldiers killed
The Taliban attacked a security outpost in Faizabad District that is near the highway connecting Balkh and Jowzjan province. Five soldiers were killed and three others were wounded in the clashes. The Taliban captured the outpost and then blew it up. Insurgents also seized one Humvee and weapons and ammunition.
Jan. 10 Baghlan Province: nine security forces killed
A Taliban Red Unit attacked three security bases in the Hussainkhel village of Pul-i-Kumri City, the provincial capital. Two local police bases were captured by insurgents; nine local police officers were killed and nine others were wounded in the clashes.
Jan. 10 Badghis Province: eight security forces killed
The Taliban attacked security outposts in Ab Kamari District, not far from the district governor’s office. Three members of a National Directorate of Security (N.D.S.) special forces’ unit and five soldiers were killed in the fighting. At least 16 people were wounded, including the district governor of Ab Kamari, five soldiers, seven members of the N.D.S. Special Forces unit and three police officers. The Taliban tried to capture the district, but was pushed back.
Jan. 10 Takhar Province: eight security forces killed
The Taliban attacked six security outposts at the center of Khwaja Ghar District by approaching the area from four directions. Seven local police officers and one national police officer were killed and five local police officers were wounded in the clashes. The Taliban fighters eventually were pushed back.
Jan. 10 Kunduz Province: 10 security forces killed
The Taliban attacked the center of Qala-e-Zal District, killing 10 security force members and wounding 10 others. Seven soldiers, two Special Forces police officers and a commander of a militia battalion were among those killed. Officials did not provide a breakdown of the wounded, but claimed they killed 15 Taliban fighters.
Jan. 9 Balkh Province: 18 security forces killed
Using laser weapons and night-vision goggles, the Taliban attacked two security outposts in the Timorak village of Charbolak District, killing eight members of the security forces. At least 15 security forces were taken prisoner and one other was wounded in the clashes. Officials did not provide a breakdown of casualties. The outposts were located along the highway that connects Balkh and Jowzjan. Reinforcements arrived to the area, but they were ambushed by the Taliban. Nine members of a special forces police unit were killed and three of their Humvees were destroyed in the ambush. The insurgents seized one Humvee and captured both outposts. Later, security forces abandoned five other outposts in the area.
 
A police officer was shot and killed by the Taliban in the center of Balkh District. The attacker was followed and then killed by security forces.
Jan. 8 Khost Province: two civilians killed
Two civilians were killed and 32 were wounded in an explosion in Khost City, the provincial capital. The explosives were attached to a motorcycle that was parked close to the main mosque in the city.
Jan. 7 Balkh Province: seven local police officers killed
The Taliban attacked a security outpost in the Ornagha village of Charbolak District where the fighting continued for two hours. Seven local police officers were killed and five others were wounded during the clashes. The Taliban were pushed back by reinforcements.
Jan. 7 Paktika Province: six civilians killed
Several civilians were killed while trying to move a roadside bomb that they had uncovered in the Chambaram village of Janekhel District. The bomb, which they had placed in a wheelbarrow, exploded while they were trying to move it to safety, killing six people and wounding six others.
Jan. 7 Balkh Province: one pro-government militia member killed
The Taliban attacked a security outpost in the Hayatan village of Dawlat Abad District, killing one pro-government militia member and wounding two others. The Taliban fighters were pushed back by reinforcements.
Jan. 7 Badghis Province: 21 security forces killed
The Taliban attacked security outposts in the Qarchi area of Qades District, killing seven police officers, four local police officers and three soldiers. Three security forces were wounded. Insurgents also set one Humvee afire. The fighting began at 9 p.m. and continued for three hours. The government did not provide air support, despite repeated requests. Officials claimed 10 Taliban insurgents were killed.
In a separate incident, seven pro-government forces were killed and nine were wounded in the Ganda Aab area of Aab Kamari District.
Jan. 6 Faryab Province: five civilians killed
Five civilians were killed in American drone strikes that were targeting the house of a Taliban commander in the Toqizdarak village of Qorghan District. Ten Taliban fighters were also killed in the airstrikes.
Eleven Taliban fighters were killed in American airstrikes in Qara Gholi and Geldi villages of Almar District. A Taliban commander was also among those killed.
Jan. 6 Baghlan Province: five police officers killed
The Taliban hit a Humvee transporting Afghan police forces with a rocket in Doshi District, killing five police officers, including Capt. Fawad Atayi, the deputy of the highway police battalion.
Jan. 6 Jowjzan Province: four militia members killed
The Taliban attacked a security outpost in the Aliabad village of Faizabad district, killing four pro-government militia members, including their commander. The outpost was captured by insurgents, but it was later retaken by reinforcements.
Jan. 6 Ghazni Province: three police officers killed
Three police officers were killed and four others were wounded in a Taliban attack on a police outpost in the Zargar area of Ghazni City, the provincial capital. Insurgents were pushed back by security forces.
Jan. 5 Farah Province: one government employee and part-time journalist killed
Thirteen people were arrested by the Taliban on the outskirts of Farah City, the provincial capital. They were suspected of being government employees. Javeed Noori, who was a government employee and a journalist for a local radio station, was killed on the spot, after he was recognized by the Taliban.
Jan. 5 Kandahar Province: one civilian and 16 border forces killed
An employee of the Kandahar provincial court was shot and killed in Kandahar City by unknown armed men, who were on motorcycle and escaped after the attack.
The Taliban attacked a border forces outpost in the Nawa area of Spin Boldak District, where the fighting continued for an hour. At least 16 soldiers were killed during the fighting. Officials claimed 16 Taliban were killed as well.
Jan. 4 Samangan Province: two police officers killed
At least two police officers were killed and three others were wounded in the Taliban attack on a police outpost in the Chalchal village of Dar-i-Suf Payin District. The outpost collapsed to the Taliban, but it was later recaptured by Afghan security forces.
Jan. 4 Balkh Province: 12 local police officers killed
The Taliban attacked a local police outpost in the Gor Tipa village of Charbolak District, killing 12 local police officers, including a unit commander. Despite many requests for backup, reinforcements never arrived. The forces defending the outpost ran out of ammunition, enabling insurgents to capture it and seize all weapons and equipment. Only one local police officer escaped from the outpost.
Officials claimed they killed five Taliban insurgents during the fight.