Heavy civilian casualty toll reported in past month amid sharp increase in violence

At least 141 civilians have been killed and 311 others wounded in the last 30 days as Taliban offensives dramatically increased across Afghanistan, the Interior Ministry (MoI) said Sunday.

According to the Ministry, the militants have also captured 63 civilians.

The Taliban, however, has not commented in this regard.

Meanwhile, thousands of civilians have been displaced as a result of ongoing, fierce clashes in Kunduz province.

Sources said at least 7,000 people have fled their houses in the area during the past week.

Sources, meanwhile, stated that Taliban fighters have captured Chaki Wardak and Sayed Abad districts of Maidan Wardak province; Ghorak and Maroof districts of southern

Kandahar; and Rustaq district of Takhar province in the last 24 hours.

The insurgents have also seized control of the highway from Maidan Shahr to the entrance gate of Ghazni city [Kabul-Kandahar highway] sources added.

The Afghan Security and Defense Forces (ANSDF) have inflicted heavy casualties on the Taliban in the past month of skirmishes.

The MoI stated that at least 1,265 militants were killed and 675 others wounded in the clashes.