An "unprecedented" number of civilians were killed or wounded in Afghanistan from July to September this year, the United Nations said in a new report released Thursday, calling the violence "totally unacceptable". The figures of 1,174 dead and 3,139 injured represent a 42 percent increase over the same time period last year, the report noted. July saw more casualties than in any other month on record since the United Nations Assistance Mission in Afghanistan (UNAMA) began documenting the violence in 2009, the report said, AFP reported. The first six months of the year had seen casualties drop somewhat compared to previous years. The UN recorded 8,239 civilian casualties in total in the first nine months of 2019 -- 2,563 killed and 5,676 injured. Some 41 percent of them were women and children, UNAMA said. "Civilian casualties are totally unacceptable," especially given most parties recognize that there is no military solution in Afghanistan, said Tadamichi Yamamoto, the UNs special representative in the country. The figures show the need for peace talks leading to a ceasefire and a permanent political settlement, he added.