In Afghanistan, conflict and militancy claimed the lives of 229 civilians last month, marking a 15 percent increase over the previous month. Spokesman for Interior Ministry Zamari Bashari said today that majority of the deaths occurred in Improvised Explosive Device (IED) attacks, roadside bombings and suicide attacks. He said 313 other civilians including women and children had been injured during the same period in 527 terrorist attacks. According to him, 587 Taliban militants were killed and 58 others wounded in October; while Afghan police arrested 445 militants over the same period of time.He also stated that 114 police officers and soldiers were killed while 218 other police personnel were injured in October.Meanwhile, Afghan and NATO-led troops have killed at least 10 suspected militants, including two foreign fighters, in the northern province of Kunduz. Provincial police chief Abdul Rahman Sayedkhaili said at least 15 other suspected militants were wounded in the ongoing operation in the Chardarah district. He said that the two suspected foreign militants killed allegedly belonged to an insurgent group in neighbouring Uzbekistan.