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.

[Read the Afghan War Casualty Report from previous months.]

March 20-26, 2020

At least 71 pro-government forces and 60 civilians were killed in Afghanistan during the past week. The deadliest attack took place in Kabul, where 25 civilians were killed and eight others were wounded during an assault on a Sikh temple and community center in the First Police District. After insurgents fought security forces for six hours, 80 hostages were rescued by Afghan forces. The Islamic State claimed responsibility for the attack. Earlier in the week, in southern Zabul Province, the Taliban attacked a police and army joint base in the Spinghbrag area of Qalat, the provincial capital, capturing the base and killing at least 24 security forces, including police officers and soldiers. Local authorities believed the police officers aided the Taliban attack and later joined the insurgency.

March 26 Kunduz Province: seven police officers killed

The Taliban attacked security outposts in the Naw Abad village of Imam Sahib district, killing five officers and taking six others prisoners. At a different outpost, another officer was wounded and two police officers were killed when the Taliban hit a Humvee of reinforcements with a rocket.

March 26 Faryab Province: one security force killed

The Taliban attacked the center of Almar District with a rocket, killing one member of the National Directorate of Security and wounding six others while destroying the building, inside of which was the governor’s office.