AP: Afghan Civilian Deaths Hit High Mark In August

Intimidation by the Taliban in advance of the presidential elections made August the deadliest month of the year for Afghan civilians, according to a United Nations report covered by the Associated Press.

Of the 1,500 civilians who died from January through August, three-quarters were killed by militants, and one-quarter by NATO forces, mostly during air strikes.

The AP estimates that 174 civilians were killed in August, and officials in Afghanistan expected another spike in violence once the election results are declared. Though this has been the deadliest year of the war for Americans and NATO allies, the number of Afghan civilian deaths is still below 2008 levels, when 2,118 civilians were killed.