Monday, July 02, 2007
Drop in Iraqi civilian deaths last month
Security
(Al Jazeera) - Iraqi civilian deaths dropped to 1,241 last month, the lowest since a US-led crackdown was launched in February in and around Baghdad. However, attacks continue to target the capital and neighbouring provinces, and at least four people were killed in separate attacks on Sunday.
The latest numbers, compiled from interior, defence and health ministry figures, were down from last month's total of 1,951. In May there had been a significant jump in casualties compared to April.
The government of Nuri al-Maliki, the Iraqi prime minister, no longer issues official casualty statistics and refuses to provide figures to UN human rights monitors. The June casualties are the lowest since the launch of the US and Iraqi military crackdown known as Operation Fardh al-Qanoon (Imposing the Law) in and around Baghdad on February 14.
In that month, 1,626 civilians were reported killed. One of the key reasons for the fall is thought to be that most senior Shia fighters considered responsible for the widespread killings of Sunni Muslims are thought to have left the capital to avoid the assault.
The latest numbers, compiled from interior, defence and health ministry figures, were down from last month's total of 1,951. In May there had been a significant jump in casualties compared to April.
The government of Nuri al-Maliki, the Iraqi prime minister, no longer issues official casualty statistics and refuses to provide figures to UN human rights monitors. The June casualties are the lowest since the launch of the US and Iraqi military crackdown known as Operation Fardh al-Qanoon (Imposing the Law) in and around Baghdad on February 14.
In that month, 1,626 civilians were reported killed. One of the key reasons for the fall is thought to be that most senior Shia fighters considered responsible for the widespread killings of Sunni Muslims are thought to have left the capital to avoid the assault.
Labels: civilian deaths, Iraq
Saturday, June 02, 2007
Interior Ministry records 2,000 civilian deaths during May
Security
(RFE/RL) - Al-Sharqiyah television reported on June 1 that the Interior Ministry has recorded 1,951 civilians killed in Iraq during the month of May. The news channel said the figures were "announced" by the Health, Interior, and Defense ministries. Citing sources from the three ministries, the news channel reported that the figure includes 746 unidentified bodies found in Baghdad, including 29 bodies found on May 31. It also cited the Interior Ministry as reporting 2,023 civilians wounded, 127 police officers and 47 soldiers killed, 297 insurgents killed, and 2,356 suspected insurgents arrested in May. According to Al-Sharqiyah, 1,689 civilians were killed in April. AP reported on May 1 that it calculated 2,077 Iraqis killed between May 1 and May 30, including 237 Iraqi security forces.
Labels: civilian deaths, Ministry of Interior
Tuesday, May 01, 2007
20 per cent drop in civilian deaths in Iraq in April
Security
(Reuters) - Violence in Iraq killed 1,506 civilians in April, nearly a 20 percent drop from the previous month, Iraqi government figures showed on Tuesday. A U.S.-backed security crackdown in Baghdad has helped reduce some violence in the city, such as sectarian death squad killings. But militants, especially al Qaeda, have sought to step up attacks outside the capital.
The figures were compiled by the interior, defense and health ministries and obtained by Reuters. The number of civilians killed in March was 1,861 from 1,645 in February. The Baghdad security plan aims to reduce sectarian violence in the capital and its surrounding areas to give the Shi'ite-led government the chance to make progress on national reconciliation with minority Sunni Arabs.
In April, 130 Iraqi policemen and 63 Iraqi soldiers were killed, the data showed. April has been a bad month for U.S. soldiers in Iraq, with 104 killed, making it one of the deadliest months since the invasion in 2003. The Iraqi data showed nearly 3,000 militants were detained during the month. Civilian casualty numbers are a sensitive issue in Iraq.
The United Nations last week accused Iraq of withholding figures for this year because the government feared the data would be used to paint a "very grim" picture of the country. The criticism was contained in a new U.N. human rights report on Iraq which drew fire from U.S. officials in Baghdad and the Iraqi government. They said it was flawed and contained numerous inaccuracies.
The figures were compiled by the interior, defense and health ministries and obtained by Reuters. The number of civilians killed in March was 1,861 from 1,645 in February. The Baghdad security plan aims to reduce sectarian violence in the capital and its surrounding areas to give the Shi'ite-led government the chance to make progress on national reconciliation with minority Sunni Arabs.
In April, 130 Iraqi policemen and 63 Iraqi soldiers were killed, the data showed. April has been a bad month for U.S. soldiers in Iraq, with 104 killed, making it one of the deadliest months since the invasion in 2003. The Iraqi data showed nearly 3,000 militants were detained during the month. Civilian casualty numbers are a sensitive issue in Iraq.
The United Nations last week accused Iraq of withholding figures for this year because the government feared the data would be used to paint a "very grim" picture of the country. The criticism was contained in a new U.N. human rights report on Iraq which drew fire from U.S. officials in Baghdad and the Iraqi government. They said it was flawed and contained numerous inaccuracies.
Officials from the United Nations Assistance Mission in Iraq (UNAMI) said they were given no official reason why their requests for specific official data had been turned down. In January, UNAMI said 34,452 Iraqi civilians were killed in 2006, figures that were much higher than any statistics issued by the government.
Labels: civilian deaths, Iraq violence, Ministry of Defense, Ministry of Health, Ministry of Interior, UNAMI
Saturday, April 14, 2007
Civilian deaths fall in Baghdad, rise outside the capital
Security
(AP) - Iraqi civilian deaths have fallen in Baghdad in the two months since the Feb. 14 start of the U.S.-led offensive, according to an Associated Press tally. Outside the capital, however, civilian deaths are up as Sunni and Shiite extremists shift their operations to avoid the crackdown. And the sweeps have taken a heavy toll on U.S. forces: Deaths among American soldiers climbed 21 percent in Baghdad compared with the previous two months.
Figures compiled by the AP from Iraqi police reports show that 1,586 civilians were killed in Baghdad between the start of the offensive and Thursday. That represents a sharp drop from the 2,871 civilians who died violently in the capital during the two months that preceded the security crackdown. Outside the capital, 1,504 civilians were killed between Feb. 14 and Thursday, April 12 compared with 1,009 deaths during the two previous months, the AP figures show.
Sunni and Shiite militants remain a potent force, regardless of whether they are slaughtering civilians in the capital at the previous rate. "It is not going to be possible to see just how well the resulting mix of capabilities will counter the insurgency until the late spring of 2008 at the earliest," wrote former Pentagon analyst Anthony Cordesman. "The various insurgents and hostile groups may be weakened or suppressed early on, but will do their best to react." It is unclear why deaths outside Baghdad have increased. However, U.S. military officials say both Sunni and Shiite extremists left Baghdad ahead of the crackdown, instead stepping up their operations in a belt of communities around the capital.
The rise in deaths outside Baghdad may also be partly a result of clashes in Anbar province between al-Qaida extremists and Sunni tribes that have broken with the extremist movement. One key finding of the figures: Although civilians deaths are down in the capital, a careful analysis of the figures shows that sectarian tensions remain high.
Of the 1,586 civilians killed in Baghdad since the start of the crackdown, more than half, or 832, appear to have been the victims of sectarian death squads. Their bodies were found scattered around the city. That number represents a significant drop from the 1,754 bodies found in the capital during the two months before the crackdown, according to AP figures. Still, the figure shows that the security crackdown has been unable to stop death squads entirely.
Furthermore, the number of civilians killed by suicide bombers has risen in Baghdad, 352 during the crackdown compared with 279 in the two months before. Suicide bombings are considered the signature attack of Sunni religious extremists, including al-Qaida in Iraq. And most of the suicide attacks occurred in largely Shiite areas of the capital, indicating attacks on Shiites by Sunnis.
The AP count includes civilians as well as government officials and police and security forces, and is considered a minimum based on AP reporting. There have been no figures provided by the U.N. or the Iraqi government since the Baghdad crackdown began.
Figures compiled by the AP from Iraqi police reports show that 1,586 civilians were killed in Baghdad between the start of the offensive and Thursday. That represents a sharp drop from the 2,871 civilians who died violently in the capital during the two months that preceded the security crackdown. Outside the capital, 1,504 civilians were killed between Feb. 14 and Thursday, April 12 compared with 1,009 deaths during the two previous months, the AP figures show.
Sunni and Shiite militants remain a potent force, regardless of whether they are slaughtering civilians in the capital at the previous rate. "It is not going to be possible to see just how well the resulting mix of capabilities will counter the insurgency until the late spring of 2008 at the earliest," wrote former Pentagon analyst Anthony Cordesman. "The various insurgents and hostile groups may be weakened or suppressed early on, but will do their best to react." It is unclear why deaths outside Baghdad have increased. However, U.S. military officials say both Sunni and Shiite extremists left Baghdad ahead of the crackdown, instead stepping up their operations in a belt of communities around the capital.
The rise in deaths outside Baghdad may also be partly a result of clashes in Anbar province between al-Qaida extremists and Sunni tribes that have broken with the extremist movement. One key finding of the figures: Although civilians deaths are down in the capital, a careful analysis of the figures shows that sectarian tensions remain high.
Of the 1,586 civilians killed in Baghdad since the start of the crackdown, more than half, or 832, appear to have been the victims of sectarian death squads. Their bodies were found scattered around the city. That number represents a significant drop from the 1,754 bodies found in the capital during the two months before the crackdown, according to AP figures. Still, the figure shows that the security crackdown has been unable to stop death squads entirely.
Furthermore, the number of civilians killed by suicide bombers has risen in Baghdad, 352 during the crackdown compared with 279 in the two months before. Suicide bombings are considered the signature attack of Sunni religious extremists, including al-Qaida in Iraq. And most of the suicide attacks occurred in largely Shiite areas of the capital, indicating attacks on Shiites by Sunnis.
The AP count includes civilians as well as government officials and police and security forces, and is considered a minimum based on AP reporting. There have been no figures provided by the U.N. or the Iraqi government since the Baghdad crackdown began.
Labels: civilian deaths, militias, sectarian violence
Sunday, April 01, 2007
Death toll up by 15 per cent from February
Security
(AFP) - At least 2,078 people died in Iraq last month, 15 percent more than in February despite a massive security crackdown in Baghdad, the epicentre of violence, a security official said on Sunday. On average, 67 people died across the country every day in March, compared to 64 in February. A significant increase in Iraqi civilian, army and police deaths was evident last month, the official said, based on detailed statistics collected by the defence, interior and health ministries. Civilian deaths topped the toll with 1,869 Iraqis killed in insurgency and sectarian bloodletting in March, compared to 1,646 in February. Another 2,719 civilians were wounded last month, compared to 2,701 in February.
In March, 165 Iraqi policemen were killed against 131 the previous month, while 44 Iraqi soldiers died compared to 29 in February, the official said. In March, 277 Iraqi policemen and 51 soldiers were wounded against 147 and 47, respectively during February. The official said the death toll among militants had fallen to 481 in March compared to 586 killed the previous month.
But those arrested surged to 5,664 in March against 1,921, reflective of the massive Iraqi-US security operation launched on February 14 in which 80,000 troops have been deployed in and around the capital to root out insurgents. The US military also lost 85 personnel in March, taking to 3,244 an AFP tally based on Pentagon statistics as of April 1, compared to 3,159 on February 28. The US military losses, heavily outweighing the deaths of Iraqi soldiers if not Iraqi policemen, come despite Washington's claim that Iraqi forces are leading the security crackdown in the capital.
In March, 165 Iraqi policemen were killed against 131 the previous month, while 44 Iraqi soldiers died compared to 29 in February, the official said. In March, 277 Iraqi policemen and 51 soldiers were wounded against 147 and 47, respectively during February. The official said the death toll among militants had fallen to 481 in March compared to 586 killed the previous month.
But those arrested surged to 5,664 in March against 1,921, reflective of the massive Iraqi-US security operation launched on February 14 in which 80,000 troops have been deployed in and around the capital to root out insurgents. The US military also lost 85 personnel in March, taking to 3,244 an AFP tally based on Pentagon statistics as of April 1, compared to 3,159 on February 28. The US military losses, heavily outweighing the deaths of Iraqi soldiers if not Iraqi policemen, come despite Washington's claim that Iraqi forces are leading the security crackdown in the capital.
Labels: arrests, civilian deaths, militant deaths, troop deaths
Wednesday, March 14, 2007
Civilian deaths decraese in Baghdad as attacks increase in other areas
Security
(Reuters) Civilian deaths and car bombs have fallen sharply in Baghdad since a U.S.-backed crackdown began a month ago, but attacks outside the capital were rising as militants change tactics, Iraqi officials said on Wednesday. In an upbeat assessment of the first 30 days of the security plan, Iraqi military spokesman Brigadier Qassim Moussawi said the number of Iraqis killed by violence in Baghdad since February 14 was 265, down from 1,440 killed in the previous month.
The number of car bombings, a favorite weapon used by suspected Sunni Arab militants fighting the Shi'ite-led government, was down to 36 from 56, Moussawi told reporters. But as thousands of U.S. and Iraqi troops flow into the capital, attacks in the area surrounding Baghdad have increased, he said, without providing specific figures.
The number of car bombings, a favorite weapon used by suspected Sunni Arab militants fighting the Shi'ite-led government, was down to 36 from 56, Moussawi told reporters. But as thousands of U.S. and Iraqi troops flow into the capital, attacks in the area surrounding Baghdad have increased, he said, without providing specific figures.
There are about 100,000 Iraqi and U.S. forces deployed in Baghdad under a plan to sweep neighborhoods and rid streets of Sunni Arab militants and Shi'ite militias. The U.S. military says the Mehdi Army Shi'ite militia is the greatest threat to security in Iraq and has conducted sweeps in the Shi'ite militia stronghold of Sadr City. So far Shi'ite militias have been lying low and many of their leading figures are believed to have fled the capital, a development that has coincided with a decline in execution-style killings.
But violence has been on the rise elsewhere, including in western Anbar province, a Sunni militant stronghold where al Qaeda and local tribes are engaged in a power struggle, and in Diyala, a religiously mixed area northeast of the capital.
But violence has been on the rise elsewhere, including in western Anbar province, a Sunni militant stronghold where al Qaeda and local tribes are engaged in a power struggle, and in Diyala, a religiously mixed area northeast of the capital.
Labels: Al Anbar, Al Qaeda in Iraq, Baghdad, Brigadier Qassim Moussawi, civilian deaths, Diyala, Mahdi Army, tribes
