MEXICO CITY - A new study says killings of women in Mexico have risen sharply over the last decade during the country's drug war, more than wiping out two decades of gains when the rate fell by half.

The report by the Mexican government and U.N. Women says the femicide rate was 3.8 per 100,000 women in 1985 before it began a steady decline to 1.9 in 2007. From there it spiked to 4.6 per 100,000 in 2012, tapered off somewhat and then shot up again last year to 4.4.

The rise coincides with a militarized anti-cartel offensive launched in late 2006. It also roughly tracks overall homicide trends during the period.

The study released Wednesday said of 52,210 femicides recorded since 1985, nearly a third took place in the last six years.