Scattered violence ranging from airstrikes to roadside bombs killed at least 21 people over a 48-hour span, including U.S. troops, Afghan children and members of the Afghan security forces, reports the Los Angeles Times.

The Muslim holy month of Ramadan has failed to provide a respite from the deaths and injuries of civilians and soldiers across Afghanistan, although U.S. military fatalities are climbing at a slower rate this month than July, the deadliest month of the war for American forces.

This year has seen a sharp increase in civilian casualties. The United Nations reported a 31% jump in noncombatant deaths and injuries in the first half of 2010, three-quarters of which were blamed on the Taliban and other insurgents.

The NATO force accepted responsibility, however, for some of the deaths Friday and Saturday.

Read the entire story at latimes.com