Casualties rise in Afghanistan

THE number of Afghan police killed during 2010 fell about 7% to 1,292, the government said yesterday, despite violence spreading across the country as the war entered its 10th year.

Foreign military and civilian casualties are at record levels, despite the presence of about 150,000 NATO-led troops, with 2010 the bloodiest year on record since the Taliban were ousted by US-backed Afghan forces in late 2001.

Ministry of the Interior spokesman Zemari Bashary said 2,447 Afghan police were wounded, while 5,225 insurgents were killed and 949 wounded. He said the government did not have a toll of insurgent casualties for 2009.