KABUL, Feb. 15 (Xinhua) -- The number of civilian casualties in conflict-hit Afghanistan documented by the United Nations Assistance Mission in Afghanistan (UNAMA) in 2017 reached more than 10,000, according to a report released here on Thursday.

"The key finding in the report is that more than 10,000 civilians died and injured as a result of conflicts in 2017, the majority of civilians killed are the consequence of attacks by anti government elements, and it includes not only the Taliban but also the Daesh or Islamic State (IS)," UNAMA chief and Special Representative of the UN Secretary-General for Afghanistan Tadamichi Yamamoto told reporters here.

Out of 10,453 casualties in 2017, the report said, 3,438 were killed and 7,015 others injured.

According to the report, the suicide attacks had attributed to 40 percent of the civilians casualties in 2017.

Meanwhile, spokesman for Afghan Defense Ministry, Dawlat Waziri, said that the security forces would do their best to protect civilians during military operations against militants in Afghanistan.