Travel warning: No Afghan territory safe

WASHINGTON, Feb. 21 (UPI) -- There is no territory in Afghanistan that should be considered safe from violence, a warning from the U.S. State Department said.

The State Department issued a travel warning Thursday, saying the Taliban and other groups hostile to the government are active throughout the country.

"No province in Afghanistan should be considered immune from violence and banditry, and the strong possibility exists throughout the country for hostile acts, either targeted or random, against U.S. and other foreign nationals at any time," the warning said.

U.S. and international forces are winding up their combat operations in Afghanistan as national forces take on more security responsibilities.

The U.N. Assistance Mission in Afghanistan said in an annual report published in early February nearly 3,000 civilians were killed and more than 5,600 were injured in 2013, an increase from last year. More than half of the casualties were attributed to "anti-government elements."

Afghanistan is scheduled to hold presidential and parliamentary elections in April. Afghan President Hamid Karzai is ineligible to compete because of term limits.