Deutsche Presse Agentur, February 6, 2011

January death toll in Afghanistan was 100 civilians, 80 police

A total of 2,400 civilians were killed in 2010

Kabul - The death toll in January in Afghanistan reached 100 civilians and 80 police, from a total of more than 300 attacks, the interior ministry announced Sunday.

Associated Press, Jan. 7, 2011: A Taliban suicide bomber blew himself up among men washing in a bathhouse ahead of Friday prayers, killing 17. (Photo: AP)

The figure for January represents a four per cent drop on December's figures. Most of the civilian victims were killed by roadside bombs, the favoured weapon of the Islamist militias.

'Unfortunately one hundred of our innocent civilian countrymen and women were martyred in January and 148 others were wounded in various attacks,' Zemarai Bashiri, interior ministry spokesman said in his weekly press conference in Kabul.

A total of 2,400 civilians were killed in 2010.

'Police causalities jumped by 21 percent in the first month of 2011, unfortunately,' Bashari said.

Afghan security forces killed 286 armed insurgents in January, Bahsiri said.

'Security forces were able to detain 559 suspected militants involved in destructive attacks last month. Also 574 bombs were defused by security forces all over in Afghanistan,' the interior ministry official added.

Characters Count: 1643