Brussels - Civilian casualties in Afghanistan were down 44 per cent in the first four months of this year when compared to the same period in 2008, despite a 64 per cent rise in insurgency attacks, according to NATO data released Wednesday.

However, the security situation remains precarious, with latest polls showing that 35 per cent of Afghans say security has improved over the past six months and a further 13 per cent saying it has got worse.

The figures were released by the transatlantic alliance amid reports of a worrying number of suicide bombing attacks targeting both civilian and military targets in the south-eastern Khost province that have claimed scores of lives.

The latest such attack took place on Wednesday, when seven Afghan workers were killed and 21 were wounded at a US military base in Khost. Six Taliban and two non-combatants were also killed by US soldiers, officials said.

Presenting the figures, NATO spokesman James Appathurai said the increase in the number of Taliban attacks between January and April was attributable to a milder winter and increased instability on the Pakistani-Afghan border.

According to NATO, the bulk of the attacks continue to be concentrated in just 12 per cent of the Afghan territory.

NATO insists it will stay in Afghanistan until the country is capable of taking care of itself.

To date, 50 out of 79 Afghan battalions are capable of conducting security operations without the assistance of international forces, Appathurai said. (dpa)