Aid agencies in Afghanistan say violence has reached its worst level since 2001 with more than 260 civilians killed in July alone. The aid agencies say they may become unable to operate in parts of Afghanistan because of the increasing violence. The groups criticized the rising number of civilian deaths caused by both the Taliban and US-led NATO air strikes. The aid groups said the number of US and NATO air strikes have increased by about 40 percent since last year.
Nineteen aid workers have been killed so far this year — more than during all of 2007.