Besides serving as an indicator of some of the numbers of policemen, soldiers and private military contractors (PMCs) deaths during specific time periods, this article allows readers to investigate the circumstances of those deaths by reading the citation articles.
By mid-October 2009, overall it was confirmed that more than 5,500 soldiers and policemen were killed since the start of the war.[1] In early March 2014, the number was updated to 13,729. Another 16,511 soldiers and policemen were wounded. Among the dead were 4,551 soldiers who died by 20 March 2013.[2] The number of soldiers killed was updated to 6,835 by September 20, 2014.[3] In 2017 casualty figures of the ANSDF became classified information.[4]
Based on the numbers below, in the Afghan Defense and Interior Ministry section figures, by December 31, 2014, 21,008 soldiers and policemen had been killed since June 2002. According to Neta C. Crawford, a Professor of Political Science at Boston University and Co-Director of the Costs of War Project, an estimated 23,470 security forces members, including 14,200 policemen and 7,750 soldiers, had been killed since the start of the war until the end of 2014.[5] Additionally, 28,529 policemen and soldiers were reported killed in the period between January 2015 and mid-November 2018,[6] but this was later revised to over 45,000 fatalities for the period between the end of September 2014 and late January 2019.[7] The Turkish Anadolu Agency reported that, according to declassified figures, an estimated 7,000 Afghan security forces were killed during 2019.[8] Additionally, between 29 February and 21 July 2020, about 3,560 soldiers were killed.[9] Crawford also presented a new updated estimate of 66,000–69,000 dead for the whole war, up to April 2021,[10] and 69,095 dead by August 2021.[11] In addition, right after the end of the war, Afghan general Sami Sadat confirmed 66,000 troops were killed during the 20 years of conflict,[12] while general Yasin Zia, former Chief of General Staff of Afghanistan and Acting Defence Minister, reported to The Washington Post that Afghan security forces counted 92,000 killed members since 2001, citing data he collected.[13] According to Zia, the last days of the war, from July 1 to August 15, were particularly deadly with 4,000 troops killed and 1,000 missing.[13]
Afghan security forces losses confirmed by time periods
Malalai Kakar was assassinated in the morning outside her house on 28 September 2008.
Yearly totals per the Afghan Defense and Interior Ministry
2015–19
Military and Police fatalities (per specific time periods reported)
February 18 - Taliban militants attacked a police post in Helmand province killing three policemen.[39]
March
March 12 - Various Taliban attacks in the country left three policemen.[40]
March 17 - Various Taliban attacks in the country left 10 policemen dead.[41][42]
March 19 - A Taliban attack on a police post in Kandahar province left two policemen dead and four missing.[42]
2005
In 2005, in addition to the overall above-mentioned totals, 42 policemen were reported killed.
May
May 30 - Four policemen were killed in an attack on a police station in Zabul province.[43]
August
August 2 - Taliban militants attacked a police checkpoint in Nuristan province killing four policemen.
August 17 - A roadside bomb killed one policeman in Kandahar province.[44]
August 21 - A roadside bomb killed two policemen in Zabul province.[45]
August 22 - A roadside bomb killed two policemen in Oruzgan province.[46]
August 31 - Militants kidnapped David Addison, a British engineer, and his interpreter after an attack in western Afghanistan that left at least three policemen dead. Addison’s body was found September 3.[47]
September
September 4 - Various Taliban attacks in the country left eight policemen dead.[48]
September 17 - A Taliban attack in Kabul killed three policemen.[49]
September 18 - Fighting in the east of the country left two policemen dead.[50]
September 26 - A roadside bomb killed two policemen in Helmand province.[51]
September 28 - A land mine killed two policemen in Kunar province.[52]
October
October 23 - Nine policemen were killed in an ambush in Helmand province.[53]
Afghan private security guard losses
2013
March 1 – Seven PMCs were killed by a roadside bomb in Konar province.[54]
2009
February 5 – Six PMCs, guarding the governor of Musa Qala district, were killed by a roadside bomb in Helmand province.[55]
March 19 – Three PMCs, guarding an Afghan lawmaker, were killed by a roadside bomb in Helmand province. The lawmaker and a senior policeman were also killed.[56]
April 1 – Ten people were killed, including one PMC, in a Taliban attack on a provincial council building in Kandahar.[57]
April 20 – One PMC was killed by a roadside bomb in Oruzgan province.[58]
April 25 – Three PMCs were killed by suicide bombers targeting the governor's offices in Kandahar province.[59]
April 26 – Two PMCs were killed in a Taliban attack.[60]
May 2 - One PMC was killed along with an American PMC in a Taliban attack.[61]
May 4 – Various Taliban attacks in the country killed nine PMCs.[62]
July 14 - Three PMCs were killed by a roadside bomb in Helmand province.[74]
July 25 - Three PMCs were killed by a landmine in Helmand province.[75]
July 28 - Various Taliban attacks in the country killed nine PMCs.[76]
July 30 - Four PMCs were killed by a roadside bomb in Helmand province.[77]
August 4 - Three PMCs were killed in an accidental explosion in Ghazni province.[78]
September 12 - Six PMCs were killed when Taliban fighters attacked their offices in Kunar province.[79]
October 2 - A PMC was killed by another South African PMC in Helmand province.[80]
October 5 - Two PMCs, guarding a businessman, were killed in Kabul.[81]
October 9 - Six PMCs were killed by a suicide bomber in Paktia province.[82]
November 16 - Four PMCs were killed when Taliban fighters attacked a bridge construction project in Kunduz province.[83]
2008
January 14 – An attack by Taliban commandos on a popular luxury hotel in Kabul left six people dead, including two PMCs.[84]
February 23 – Seven PMCs were killed by a roadside bomb.[85]
April 8 – 18 PMCs were killed when militants attacked them in Zabul province.[86]
July 7 – Six PMCs were killed in a Taliban attack.[citation needed]
July 18 – Various Taliban attacks in the country killed seven PMCs.[87][88]
July 21 – Four PMCs were killed when their food convoy was ambushed.[89]
August 17 - Nine PMCs were killed when a NATO supply convoy was ambushed.[90]
September 12 - Five PMCs were killed and three were captured when a convoy transporting logistics for NATO troops was ambushed in Farah province.[91]
September 21 - Two PMCs were killed in a Taliban attack.[92]
September 25 - 11 PMCs were killed when Taliban militants attacked Indian workers constructing a dam in Herat province.[93]
October 10 - Two PMCs were killed in an ambush in Farah province.[94]
October 26 - 24 PMCs were killed in a NATO air strike in Ghazni province.[95]
November 30 - One PMC was killed by a roadside bomb in Kandahar province.[96]
December 28 - One PMC was killed in a Taliban attack.[97]
2007
February 7 - Three PMCs were killed when an explosive-packed motorcycle exploded in Kandahar province.[98]
March 23 - 15 PMCs were killed and four were missing when a convoy transporting logistics for NATO troops was ambushed in Shahwalikot district of Kandahar province.[99]
April 25 - Three PMCs were killed when Taliban fighters stormed a road construction company site near the main highway between Kabul and Kandahar.[101]
May 17 - A roadside bomb struck the vehicle of a private security company in Kandahar killing four PMCs.[102]
May 30 - A roadside bomb struck the vehicle of a private security company in the province of Helmand killing two PMCs.[103]
July 16 - A suicide bomber killed one PMC in Kandahar.[104]
March 5 - One PMC was killed in an ambush in Zabul province.[122]
August 29 - Three PMCs were killed in an attack outside the doors of their compound in Kabul.[123]
2003
April 29 - One PMC was killed when his checkpoint was attacked in Kandahar province.[124]
September 27 - Seven PMCs guarding the governor of Helmand province were killed in an ambush.
2002
September 5 - An assassination attempt on the Afghan president in Kabul left one PMC guarding him dead along with a civilian.[125]
Total Based on the above listed reports, an estimated 356 private security guards were killed, six were missing and three were captured during the war.
^2,770 policemen were killed between March 21, 2009 and March 20, 2011,[1] of which 1,410 were killed in the 2009-2010 period,[2] leaving 1,360 to had died from 2010 to 2011
