Nearly 300 Afghan soldiers killed in a month

Insurgents killed nearly 300 Afghan police and soldiers in the span of a month, the Interior Ministry said today, as casualties continue to mount among local forces now that NATO-led coalition troops have handed over responsibility for combat operations.

Interior ministry spokesman Sediq Sediqqi told reporters at a regular news conference that 299 police officers and soldiers had been killed between 10 May and 13 June, and another 618 were wounded. In the same time span, Sediqqi said 753 militants had been killed and more than 300 arrested; 180 civilians were also killed.

According to an AP count, the violence this year is similar to matches its worst levels in nearly 12 years of war.