KABUL - More than 1,400 perpetrators of violence against women have been arrested across the country during the ongoing Afghan calendar year, officials said on Monday.

Addressing a meeting at the Ministry of Women's Affairs in Kabul, Deputy Director of Gender and Human Rights Department at Ministry of Interior Syed Umar Saboor expressed concerns over the growing violence against females.

He said cases against the detainees had been referred to the Attorney General Office (AGO), a move that would deter various forms of violence against women.

"We have created separate units, staffed by women, to track family violence cases in the capital and provinces. The ministry's intelligence organs are secretly operating in villages to curb anti-women violence," the official added.

Head of the special prosecution office fighting violence against women, Qudsia Niazi, said most cases of violence resulted from family problems and the culprits were put on trial. She told Pajhwok Afghan News that 700 cases of violence in Kabul were handled by her department this year.

Over the past three years, 1,540 cases of violence, including sexual abuse of women and children, physical violence and harassment, were investigated across the country.

Deputy Minister of Women's Affairs Muzhgan Mustafavi said that bad practices and beliefs had caused a surge in violence against women. About 4,000 cases of violence against women have been registered since March 21, compared to 5,000 in the previous Afghan year. (Pajhowk)