Rising Afghan violence threatens aid efforts: NGOs

Violence in Afghanistan has reached its worst level since 2001 with more than 260 civilians killed in July alone, a group of 100 aid agencies said on Friday, calling on all sides to do more to protect the lives of non-combatants.
The number of insurgent attacks in Afghanistan was greater in both May and June than in any month since US-led and Afghan forces toppled the Taliban in 2001, said the Agency Co-ordinating Body for Afghan Relief (ACBAR), an umbrella group of non-governmental organisations in Afghanistan.
"We, the 100 national and international NGO members of ACBAR, express our grave concern about the deteriorating security situation in Afghanistan and the serious impact on civilians," ACBAR said in a statement. The escalating violence has forced the agencies to restrict their humanitarian and development work at a time when drought and high food prices are putting more people under pressure.