United Nations, Sept 17, SPA -- Afghanistan witnessed an almost 40 percent increase in the number of civilian casualties in the first eight months of the year, according to a new report from the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights. The report said 1,445 civilians have been killed this year to date, compared with 1,040 for the same period last year. August was the deadliest month for civilian killings with a total of 330 civilians killed, which included up to 92 casualties in an incident involving Afghan and international military forces in Shindand, in the west of the country.“This is the highest number of civilian deaths to occur in a single month since the end of major hostilities and the ousting of the Taliban regime at the end of 2001,” said Navi Pillay, High Commissioner for Human Rights. The Taliban and other insurgent forces are responsible for 800 killings, the report said. This is almost double the amount of killings attributed to them for the same period last eye when 462 killings were attributed to them.“There is substantial evidence indicating that the Taliban are carrying out a systematic campaign of intimidation and violence aimed at Afghan civilians they believe to be supportive of the government,” Pillay said. Pro-government forces, which include international military personnel working alongside the Afghan army, are responsible for 577 civilian deaths,” the report said. Responsibility for a further 68 casualties, including a number of cross-fire incidents, was not clear. Pillay also expressed concern at the increasingly difficult conditions faced by aid workers. On Sunday, two doctors and their driver were killed while on their way to give polio vaccinations to children.“Targeted attacks on aid workers are not only atrocious in themselves. They also have far-reaching negative consequences on the poorest and most vulnerable segments of the population,” Pillay said. Another worrying trend is the amount of children affected in many of the incidents. Air strikes carried out in Nangahar Province in early July resulted in 47 deaths, including 30 children, and an operation that took place in Shindand district of Herat Province in late August resulted in 92 civilian casualties, including 62 children. --SPA www.spa.gov.sa/590827