The United Nations is reporting civilian casualties have risen by 31 percent in the first half of 2010, a much sharper rise than the recent estimate by an independent Afghan human rights body. The UN report blamed the Taliban and other militant groups for three-quarters of the killings. The number of children killed or injured over the past six months has jumped by 55 percent. Staffan de Mistura of the United Nations said, “Afghan children and women are increasingly bearing the brunt of the conflict.” Meanwhile, the UN said the US and NATO killed 223 civilians in the first six months, a lower tally than in the first six months of last year.