This article is from the source 'nytimes' and was first published or seen on . It last changed over 40 days ago and won't be checked again for changes.
You can find the current article at its original source at https://www.nytimes.com/2020/07/09/magazine/afghan-war-casualty-report-july-2020.html
The article has changed 8 times. There is an RSS feed of changes available.
| Version 3 | Version 4 |
|---|---|
| Afghan War Casualty Report: July 2020 | Afghan War Casualty Report: July 2020 |
| (7 days later) | |
| The following report compiles all significant security incidents confirmed by New York Times reporters throughout Afghanistan for the month. 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. | The following report compiles all significant security incidents confirmed by New York Times reporters throughout Afghanistan for the month. 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. |
| At least 88 pro-government forces and 34 civilians were killed in Afghanistan during the past week. The deadliest attack took place in Kunduz Province, where the Taliban attacked two security outposts in the Makhmal Kocha and Pada Khwab areas of Imam Sahel District, where fighting continued for five hours. At least 16 security forces, including eight police officers, six soldiers, two pro-government militia members, and two civilians were killed. An additional 12 security forces were wounded, some of them with severe injuries. During the clashes three Humvees were destroyed by the Taliban when they arrived for backup. In Samangan Province, the Taliban detonated a vehicle laden with explosives in front of the provincial office of the National Directorate of Security, Afghanistan’s intelligence agency. Then attackers entered the building after the explosion. At least 12 members of the directorate were killed and 63 people including civilians were wounded. The building of the directorate was mostly damaged and houses close to the scene of the explosion were partly destroyed. | |
| [Read the Afghan War Casualty Report from previous weeks.] | [Read the Afghan War Casualty Report from previous weeks.] |
| July 16 Sar-i-Pul Province: one police officer killed | |
| The Taliban attacked security outposts in the Takhta area of Sar-i-Pul City, the provincial capital, killing one police officer. | |
| July 16 Balkh Province: eight security forces killed | |
| The Taliban attacked the center of Dawlat Abad District, killing seven pro-government militia members and one soldier. At least 18 security forces were wounded in the clash. | |
| July 16 Kunduz Province: one soldier killed | |
| A soldier, who was in the security tower of an outpost, was shot and killed by a Taliban sniper in the Naw Abad village of Imam Sahib District. | |
| July 16 Badghis Province: one police officer killed | |
| The Taliban attacked a security outpost in the Chaproud-ha village of Qadis District, killing one police officer and wounding four others. Local authorities claimed that at least two Taliban fighters were killed and six others were wounded. | |
| July 15 Kandahar Province: three police officers killed | |
| The Taliban attacked security posts in the Srabaghal area of Maiwand District, killing three police officers and wounding four others. Local authorities claimed that the Afghan Air Force targeted Taliban positions after the attack, killing 15 insurgents. | |
| July 15 Kunar Province: five civilians killed | |
| Five civilians were killed and eight others were wounded when Pakistani artillery hit houses and a market in the Naw Abad village of Sarkano District. Several artillery rounds landed on outposts of security forces in the border area, but security forces suffered no casualties. Afghan forces responded to the shelling, but it was not clear if they caused any damage. | |
| July 15 Parwan Province: two civilians killed | |
| Unknown gunmen shot and killed a religious scholar and his brother in the Incho village of Sayedkhel District before escaping from the area. | |
| July 14 Ghor Province: two local police officers killed | |
| The Taliban attacked security outposts in the center of Du Laynah District, killing two local police officers and wounding five others. Local authorities claimed that six Taliban fighters were killed and seven others were wounded. | |
| July 14 Kunduz Province: three police officers killed | |
| The Taliban attacked a security outpost in the Qerghiz village of Imam Saheb District, killing three police officers and wounding seven people, including two civilians and five officers. | |
| July 14 Kabul Province: five civilians killed | |
| A roadside bomb placed by the Taliban hit a minibus of civilians in the Jegdalak area of Sorobi District, killing five civilians and wounding 11 others, including women and children. | |
| July 14 Kapisa Province: three security forces killed | |
| The Taliban ambushed a group of pro-government militia members in the Zakirkhel village of Nejrab District, killing three of them. | |
| July 13 Balkh Province: four soldiers killed | |
| Four soldiers were killed and another was wounded in an insider attack in Dehdadi District. Soldiers were patrolling in a Humvee when a Taliban infiltrator shot and killed four soldiers and wounded another. The infiltrator then took the Humvee and left to join the Taliban. Afghan forces located the Humvee but did not find the defector. | |
| July 13 Faryab Province: four civilians killed | |
| Four Taliban fighters entered a mosque in the Seventh Police District of Maimana City, the provincial capital, killing four worshipers and wounding six others. Among the victims were a father and son, both local police officers, and the two brothers of a local police commander. | |
| July 13 Kunduz Province: 16 security forces and two civilians killed | |
| The Taliban attacked two security outposts in the Makhmal Kocha and Pada Khwab areas of Imam Sahel District, where fighting continued for five hours. At least 16 security forces, including eight police officers, six soldiers, two pro-government militia members, and two civilians were killed. An additional 12 security forces were wounded, some of them suffering severe injuries. During the clashes, three Humvees were destroyed by the Taliban when they arrived for backup. | |
| July 13 Kunduz Province: two local police officers killed | |
| The Taliban attacked a security outpost in the Konjak village of Imam Saheb District, killing two local police officers, including their commander. | |
| July 13 Ghazni Province: two civilians killed | |
| Two tribal elders were shot and killed by unknown gunmen in the Dey Khodaydad area of Ghazni City, the provincial capital, before the attackers escaped from the area. | |
| July 13 Badakhshan Province: seven security forces killed | |
| A Taliban Red Unit equipped with night-vision goggles attacked a security outpost in the Band-e-Separ area of Arghanj Khwa District, killing four police officers and three pro-government militia members while wounding three other security forces. | |
| July 13 Ghor Province: one police officer killed | |
| One police officer was killed and three others were wounded in a Taliban ambush in the Aahengaran village of Firoz Koh, the provincial capital. Afghan security forces had been on their way to the outpost when they came under Taliban fire. | |
| July 13 Parwan Province: four soldiers killed | |
| The Taliban attacked security outposts in the Namak Aab, Daraz Gord and Oshter Shahr villages of Shinwari District, killing four soldiers and wounding another over several hours of fighting. | |
| July 13 Samangan Province: 12 security forces killed | |
| The Taliban detonated a vehicle laden with explosives in front of the provincial office of the National Directorate of Security. A number of insurgents entered the building after the explosion. At least 12 members of the directorate were killed and 63 people, including civilians, were wounded. The building was badly damaged and the houses nearby were partly destroyed. | |
| July 13 Badghis Province: two soldiers killed | |
| The Taliban attacked security outposts in the village of Kharah-e-Asyab, in the center of Qadis District, killing two soldiers and wounding a soldier, a police officer and one civilian. An additional three soldiers were taken prisoner by the Taliban, who also destroyed a Humvee. Local authorities claimed that the Afghan Air Force bombed Taliban positions in the area, killing 13 fighters and wounding 16 others. | |
| July 13 Kunduz Province: three soldiers killed | |
| The Taliban attacked a military base and a security outpost in the Do Bandi area of Chardara District, killing three soldiers and wounding three soldiers and two police officers over three hours of fighting. The Taliban then ambushed reinforcements when they arrived, destroying two Humvees. | |
| July 12 Ghazni Province: six civilians killed | |
| A Taliban roadside bomb hit a minivan in the Qayaq Valley of Jaghatu District, killing six civilians and wounding eight others, including women and children. | |
| July 12 Daikundi Province: five police officers killed | |
| The Taliban attacked a security outpost in the Band Zeyarat area of Pato District, killing five police officers, wounding four others and taking another prisoner. Insurgents captured the outpost and seized all of the weapons and equipment there before the outpost was bombed by the Afghan Air Force. | |
| July 11 Baghlan Province: five soldiers killed | |
| Five soldiers were killed, and an additional five soldiers and four local police officers were wounded, in clashes between the Taliban and Afghan security forces in the Chashma-e-Shir area of Pul-i-Kumri City, the provincial capital. | |
| July 11 Ghor Province: one civilian killed | |
| Unknown gunmen shot and killed a religious scholar in the Maidan Barra Khanah village of Firoz Koh before escaping from the area. | |
| July 11 Badghis Province: one pro-government militia member killed | |
| The Taliban shot and killed a pro-government militia member who was heading home in the village of Baghban-ha of Qala-e-Naw City, the provincial capital. | |
| July 11 Takhar Province: one police officer killed | |
| The Taliban kidnapped and killed a police officer who was traveling by public transport in Chonzaie area of Taloqan, the provincial capital. | |
| July 10 Uruzgan Province: one civilian killed | |
| Two children were playing with an unexploded mortar shell in the center of Dehrawout District when it detonated, killing one of the children and wounding another. | |
| July 10 Uruzgan Province: two police officers killed | |
| The Taliban attacked a security outpost in Tarin Kot, the provincial capital, killing two police officers and wounding two others. Local authorities claimed that 10 Taliban fighters were also killed in the clash. | |
| July 10 Zabul Province: three civilians killed | |
| A rocket round left behind by the Taliban exploded when a group of children started playing with it in Qalat City, the provincial capital. Three children were killed and two others were wounded in the explosion. | |
| July 10 Badghis Province: one police officer killed | |
| The Taliban shot and killed a police officer in the Mobarak-Shah area of Qala-e-Naw City, the provincial capital. | |
| July 10 Kandahar Province: three civilians killed | |
| The Taliban entered the house of a former local police commander in the Chilghor area of Panjwai District, killing three of his family members and wounding three others, all civilians. | |
| At least 49 pro-government forces and 17 civilians were killed in Afghanistan during the past week. The deadliest attack took place in Zabul Province, where the Taliban attacked a military convoy that had been heading toward Shinky District with a roadside bomb before both sides opened fire, killing seven police officers. Days later, in Paktika Province, unknown gunmen entered a house in the Khwaza Khail area of Sharana, the provincial capital, killing six members of a family, including a young girl. It remains unclear if the attack was carried out by insurgents or motivated by personal enmity for the family. | |
| July 9 Faryab Province: two police officers killed | July 9 Faryab Province: two police officers killed |
| The Taliban attacked the Yangi Zarghawi village of Qaisar District, killing two police officers and wounding one police officer and two civilians. Local authorities claimed that four Taliban fighters were killed in the battle. | The Taliban attacked the Yangi Zarghawi village of Qaisar District, killing two police officers and wounding one police officer and two civilians. Local authorities claimed that four Taliban fighters were killed in the battle. |
| July 9 Baghlan Province: four soldiers killed | July 9 Baghlan Province: four soldiers killed |
| The Taliban struck a Humvee of security forces with a rocket, killing four soldiers, in the Chashma-e-Shir area Pul-i-Kumri, the provincial capital, where checkpoints have been set up in order to push insurgents out of the area. | The Taliban struck a Humvee of security forces with a rocket, killing four soldiers, in the Chashma-e-Shir area Pul-i-Kumri, the provincial capital, where checkpoints have been set up in order to push insurgents out of the area. |
| July 9 Herat Province: one civilian killed | July 9 Herat Province: one civilian killed |
| An employee of Torghundi Port, located on the border with Turkmenistan, was killed by the Taliban in the village of Chehl Dokhtaran in Kushk-e- Robatsangi District, while three other civilians were kidnapped. The employees were traveling from Herat City to the port via private vehicle. | An employee of Torghundi Port, located on the border with Turkmenistan, was killed by the Taliban in the village of Chehl Dokhtaran in Kushk-e- Robatsangi District, while three other civilians were kidnapped. The employees were traveling from Herat City to the port via private vehicle. |
| July 8 Baghlan Province: six civilians killed | July 8 Baghlan Province: six civilians killed |
| Security forces fired mortars at the Taliban, but a mortar shell hit a house in the Chashma-e-Shir area of Pul-i-Kumri, killing six civilians, including women and children, and wounding another. | Security forces fired mortars at the Taliban, but a mortar shell hit a house in the Chashma-e-Shir area of Pul-i-Kumri, killing six civilians, including women and children, and wounding another. |
| July 8 Balkh Province: one soldier killed | July 8 Balkh Province: one soldier killed |
| The Taliban ambushed a military convoy in the Alam Khil area of Balkh District, killing one soldier and wounding four others. | The Taliban ambushed a military convoy in the Alam Khil area of Balkh District, killing one soldier and wounding four others. |
| July 8 Ghazni Province: three police officers killed | July 8 Ghazni Province: three police officers killed |
| The Taliban attacked a security outpost in Deh Yak District. When the district police chief was trying to reach the area for backup, his vehicle hit a roadside bomb, killing him and two other officers. | The Taliban attacked a security outpost in Deh Yak District. When the district police chief was trying to reach the area for backup, his vehicle hit a roadside bomb, killing him and two other officers. |
| July 8 Kandahar Province: three police officers killed | July 8 Kandahar Province: three police officers killed |
| The Taliban tried to target the district police headquarters of Shawalikot District with a large truck laden with explosives, but the truck was targeted by security forces. Three police officers were killed and 14 others were wounded in the explosion, while the police headquarters were damaged. | The Taliban tried to target the district police headquarters of Shawalikot District with a large truck laden with explosives, but the truck was targeted by security forces. Three police officers were killed and 14 others were wounded in the explosion, while the police headquarters were damaged. |
| July 8 Wardak Province: one security force killed | July 8 Wardak Province: one security force killed |
| The Taliban fired several mortar shells on the district governor’s office in Nerkh District, killing one police special force member. | The Taliban fired several mortar shells on the district governor’s office in Nerkh District, killing one police special force member. |
| July 8 Badghis Province: two civilians killed | July 8 Badghis Province: two civilians killed |
| A roadside bomb placed by the Taliban hit a group of children in the village of Gandah Ab in Ab Kamari District, killing two children. | A roadside bomb placed by the Taliban hit a group of children in the village of Gandah Ab in Ab Kamari District, killing two children. |
| July 8 Kandahar Province: two police officers killed | July 8 Kandahar Province: two police officers killed |
| Two police officers were shot and killed by the Taliban in the Nakhoni area of Panjwai District. The attackers managed to escape from the area. | Two police officers were shot and killed by the Taliban in the Nakhoni area of Panjwai District. The attackers managed to escape from the area. |
| July 8 Kandahar Province: one security force killed | July 8 Kandahar Province: one security force killed |
| A member of the National Directorate of Security, Afghanistan’s intelligence agency, was shot and killed in the 10th Police District of Kandahar City, the provincial capital. | A member of the National Directorate of Security, Afghanistan’s intelligence agency, was shot and killed in the 10th Police District of Kandahar City, the provincial capital. |
| July 8 Kandahar Province: two police officers and one civilian killed | July 8 Kandahar Province: two police officers and one civilian killed |
| Unknown gunmen opened fire on police officers who were on duty in the Fourth Police District of Kandahar City, killing two police officers and one civilian. Police officers in the area engaged with the attackers, killing them both. | Unknown gunmen opened fire on police officers who were on duty in the Fourth Police District of Kandahar City, killing two police officers and one civilian. Police officers in the area engaged with the attackers, killing them both. |
| July 7 Paktika Province: six civilians killed | July 7 Paktika Province: six civilians killed |
| Unknown gunmen entered a house in the Khwaza Khail area of Sharana, the provincial capital, killing six members of a family, including a young girl. The motive for the attack was unclear. | Unknown gunmen entered a house in the Khwaza Khail area of Sharana, the provincial capital, killing six members of a family, including a young girl. The motive for the attack was unclear. |
| July 7 Kandahar Province: one police officer and one civilian killed | July 7 Kandahar Province: one police officer and one civilian killed |
| Unknown gunmen shot and killed a police officer and a municipality in Kandahar City before escaping from the area. | Unknown gunmen shot and killed a police officer and a municipality in Kandahar City before escaping from the area. |
| July 7 Paktia Province: one soldier killed | July 7 Paktia Province: one soldier killed |
| A vehicle carrying Afghan soldiers hit a roadside bomb in the Karkin Khwla area of Ahmad Khail District, killing one soldier and wounding two others. | A vehicle carrying Afghan soldiers hit a roadside bomb in the Karkin Khwla area of Ahmad Khail District, killing one soldier and wounding two others. |
| July 7 Nangarhar Province: five police officers killed | July 7 Nangarhar Province: five police officers killed |
| A car bomb targeted a convoy of local police forces in the main roundabout of Koz Kunar District, killing five police officers, including a local police team leader. Two other officers were wounded, as were nine civilians. | A car bomb targeted a convoy of local police forces in the main roundabout of Koz Kunar District, killing five police officers, including a local police team leader. Two other officers were wounded, as were nine civilians. |
| July 6 Herat Province: one soldier killed | July 6 Herat Province: one soldier killed |
| A soldier was shot and killed by unknown gunmen in the bazaar of Shindand District, where he was standing near his outpost. The attackers managed to escape from the area. | A soldier was shot and killed by unknown gunmen in the bazaar of Shindand District, where he was standing near his outpost. The attackers managed to escape from the area. |
| July 6 Zabul Province: four police officers killed | July 6 Zabul Province: four police officers killed |
| Four police officers were killed in an insider attack in Sharisfa District carried out by two Taliban infiltrators who later joined the insurgency after killing their colleagues. | Four police officers were killed in an insider attack in Sharisfa District carried out by two Taliban infiltrators who later joined the insurgency after killing their colleagues. |
| July 6 Faryab Province: one soldier killed | July 6 Faryab Province: one soldier killed |
| The Taliban attacked a military base in the Bala-Hisar area of Andkhoi District, killing one soldier. The attackers seized the soldier’s rifle before escaping. | The Taliban attacked a military base in the Bala-Hisar area of Andkhoi District, killing one soldier. The attackers seized the soldier’s rifle before escaping. |
| July 5 Baghlan Province: two police officers killed | July 5 Baghlan Province: two police officers killed |
| A Taliban fighter shot and killed two local police officers in Baghlan-e-Markazi District before escaping from the area. | A Taliban fighter shot and killed two local police officers in Baghlan-e-Markazi District before escaping from the area. |
| July 5 Nangarhar Province: one soldier killed | July 5 Nangarhar Province: one soldier killed |
| Afghan soldiers were trying to defuze a roadside bomb placed by the Taliban in the Fateh Abad Area of Surkhrood District when the bomb detonated, killing one soldier. | Afghan soldiers were trying to defuze a roadside bomb placed by the Taliban in the Fateh Abad Area of Surkhrood District when the bomb detonated, killing one soldier. |
| July 5 Zabul Province: seven police officers killed | July 5 Zabul Province: seven police officers killed |
| The Taliban attacked a military convoy that had been heading toward Shinky District with a roadside bomb before both sides opened fire, killing seven police officers. | The Taliban attacked a military convoy that had been heading toward Shinky District with a roadside bomb before both sides opened fire, killing seven police officers. |
| July 4 Kapisa Province: one security force killed | July 4 Kapisa Province: one security force killed |
| A member of the National Directorate of Security was shot and killed by unknown gunmen in the Dangarkhil village of Mahmod Raqi, the provincial capital. The attackers managed to escape from the area. | A member of the National Directorate of Security was shot and killed by unknown gunmen in the Dangarkhil village of Mahmod Raqi, the provincial capital. The attackers managed to escape from the area. |
| July 4 Herat Province: three police officers killed | July 4 Herat Province: three police officers killed |
| Three police officers were killed and three others were wounded when their Humvee hit a roadside bomb in the village of Ahmad Abad in Kohsan District. | Three police officers were killed and three others were wounded when their Humvee hit a roadside bomb in the village of Ahmad Abad in Kohsan District. |
| July 3 Baghlan Province: two police officers killed | July 3 Baghlan Province: two police officers killed |
| A police vehicle hit a roadside bomb planted by the Taliban in the Kotal-e-Hafiz Bacha area of Nahrin District, killing two police officers and wounding three others. | A police vehicle hit a roadside bomb planted by the Taliban in the Kotal-e-Hafiz Bacha area of Nahrin District, killing two police officers and wounding three others. |
| July 3 Paktia Province: one police officer killed | July 3 Paktia Province: one police officer killed |
| The Taliban attacked the district headquarters of Mirzaka District, killing one police officer. | The Taliban attacked the district headquarters of Mirzaka District, killing one police officer. |
| Reporting was contributed by the following New York Times reporters: Najim Rahim from Kabul, Taimoor Shah from Kandahar, Zabihullah Ghazi from Jalalabad, Asadullah Timoory from Herat and Farooq Jan Mangal from Khost. | Reporting was contributed by the following New York Times reporters: Najim Rahim from Kabul, Taimoor Shah from Kandahar, Zabihullah Ghazi from Jalalabad, Asadullah Timoory from Herat and Farooq Jan Mangal from Khost. |