Afghan National Police continues to bear the heaviest toll in the war against militants. The Interior Ministry in its latest figures has said Police casualties have increased by 22 percent during the last one month.

Ministry Spokesman Siddique Siddiqui says 299 policemen, 753 Taliban and 180 civilians were killed. He added that most police casualties resulted from the roadside bombs planted by the Taliban militants. The attacks also signify the increase due to summer. Already several high profile targets have been attacked in capital Kabul.

Siddiqui say 180 civilians were killed in insurgent assaults over the past month when 305 Taliban, including 15 suicide attackers, were arrested and 214 wounded. About 618 police personnel were also injured, most of which caused by road side bombs and suicide attacks. He added that to reduce roadside bombings, the Government has banned import of ammonium nitrate used in explosive devices. He added that Police defused around 200 bombs planted in residential areas and seized 500 light and heavy weapons along with 2500 kg of explosives,

As the transition has been completed, with almost the entire country under security control of Afghan forces, the percentage of casualties increases.

Despite the fact that ANP does not go through heavy military training for combat, they are largely a counterinsurgency force that has paid high sacrifice with huge number of casualties. Indeed our police does the most difficult job in the world and they deserve utmost praise for the extraordinary performance.

However, there have also been reports about Afghan Local Police, controlled by the Interior Ministry, taking law into its own hands and committing atrocities. Some protest demonstrations have been held for the last couple of months in individual cases of injustices and atrocities such as rape. Corruption and bribery is the most common complaint. It has put a deep impact on the perception of ordinary Afghans about the National Police. People do not differentiate between the ANP and ALP. The Government needs to pay serious attention towards a systematic reform in ALP. Many quarters have also called for complete devolution of the force, but it has also contributed in improving security and fighting militants in many areas and it has proved effective.