Increased Afghan militancy, conflicts kill more than 100 in Feb.

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The Taliban-led attacks and conflicts claimed the lives of more than 100 people and wounded over 130 others across Afghanistan last month, according to official data.

The militants conducted about 21 major bomb attacks, including eight suicide bombings across the war-hit country over the past month.

Contrary to the past winters, the Taliban insurgent group fighting Afghan forces and more than 52,000 NATO-led coalition troops announced that they will continue their attacks against Afghan and foreign soldiers, adding there will be no pause in Taliban activities during the winter.

The latest suicide blast occurred on Feb. 25 in Tirin Kot, the capital of the southern Uruzgan province, when a suicide car bombing targeted a hotel, killing 13 civilians and injuring 40 others.

The attack took place when the Taliban urged civilians to stay away from official gatherings, military convoys and centers regarded as the legitimate targets by militants besides warning people not to support the government and foreign troops.

On Feb. 20, one security guard was killed and four people wounded in a suicide attack when a bomber tried to enter into a cultural association in the Afghan capital of Kabul.

Also in Kabul, a suicide bomber targeted a convoy of foreign security advisors near the Pul-e-Charkhi, the biggest prison in the country, killing two U.S. advisors and leaving three bystanders injured on Feb. 10.

The worst incident happened in Ghazi Abad district of Kunar province, bordering Pakistan, as the militants launched a massive attack on army outpost, killing 21 soldiers. As a result of the incident, two soldiers were wounded and four troopers were still held by the militants.

On Feb. 22, two policemen and a child were killed and five women were wounded as a group of militants targeted a women's clinic by guns in eastern Laghman province.

On the same day, five civilians were wounded in a Taliban rocket attack in the same province.

While the presidential election political campaign is in full swing, at least three political parties' members were killed and one wounded in separate attacks across the country.

The Afghanistan's third presidential and provincial council election is slated for April 5 this year. Political campaign by presidential candidates officially started on Feb. 2 and will close on April 2 or 48 hours before the Election Day.

Up to 11 contenders, including several former ministers and other politicians registered their name to compete for the country 's top slot.

Taliban claimed the responsibility for most of the attacks.

At least three targeted killings occurred in different provinces last month, claiming the lives of several government officials and local leaders.

In one attack, Taliban militants abducted the leader of Labors Union in Afghanistan's southern Helmand province named Khudi Noor and abandoned his beheaded body behind the gate of his house in the provincial capital Lashkar Gah on Feb. 25.

Local analysts feared that the Taliban would continue their attacks across the country as Afghan army and police took the lead in combat operations.

Most of the foreign forces are due to withdraw from Afghanistan by the end of the year.

The exact number of the casualties on Afghan army and police remained unknown last month while nine foreign soldiers were killed in separate incidents in Afghanistan in February.

On Feb. 12, two U.S. soldiers were killed and four others wounded when two Afghan soldiers fired on the coalition troops in eastern Kapisa province. The attackers were also killed in the incident.

A total of 16 soldiers of the NATO-led coalition were killed since Jan. 1 this year in the central Asian state.