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Iraq Civilian Death Toll Almost Doubles in July
A total of 396 civilians were killed by bomb blasts or other attacks last month, after 204 died in June and 275 in May, government figures issued late on Saturday showed.
Iraqi Army soldiers search a truck at a checkpoint in Baghdad on March 4. The US military has refuted Iraqi figures released a day earlier which showed July was the single deadliest month in the war-torn country since May 2008. (AFP/File/Ali Yussef) The July toll was a far cry from the dark days of all-out sectarian war in 2006/07 but remained high.
Overall violence has fallen sharply since the height of the sectarian war that followed the U.S.-led invasion in 2003. But bombings and assassinations still occur on a daily basis as Sunni Islamists try to reverse the rise of the Shi'ite majority to political dominance.
Iraqi political parties are still trying to form a government after inconclusive parliamentary elections in March.
Shi'ite, Sunni and Kurdish factions have been negotiating to bring together enough seats for a parliamentary majority but remain stuck over who will hold the highest offices.
Former Prime Minister Iyad Allawi's cross-sectarian Iraqiya alliance, backed by minority Sunnis, won 91 seats, two more than the State of Law bloc headed by Shi'ite incumbent Prime Minister Nuri al-Maliki.
Allawi has warned that any attempt by a Shi'ite-led union of State of Law and the third-place finisher, the Iraqi National Alliance, to exclude Iraqiya from government could lead to more violence.
Sunnis dominated Iraq under Saddam Hussein and resentment at their loss of power after the 2003 U.S.-led invasion helped to fuel the insurgency and sectarian fighting.
The monthly casualty statistics, issued by the interior, defense and health ministries, showed that 89 police officers, 50 soldiers, and 100 suspected militants were killed in July and another 955 militants were arrested.
Last week, two car bombs killed at least 19 mainly Shi'ite pilgrims near the holy Shi'ite city of Kerbala, 80 km (50 miles) southwest of Baghdad.
At least 15 people were killed when a car bomb exploded in a crowded market near the city of Baquba in restive northern Diyala province on July 21.
Around 100,000 civilians have died violent deaths in Iraq since the invasion, according to www.iraqbodycount.org.
(Writing by Ulf Laessing; editing by Tim Pearce)
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8 Comments so far
Show AllIt's a good thing those people aren't Caucasian or Americans would be very upset...
See as per John Mcain "That war is already won". As long as they are killing each other and not "Americans" it spells VICTORY in his books.
They now seek such "Victories" in Afhanistan, Pakistan, Yemen, Iran,Venezuela, Russia, China.........
I guess if we "defeated" (lol) China we wouldn't have to pay back the money.
You are right about being white! We don't even seem to count the deaths of darker skin people as deaths, at least no more than dead animals on a farm.
Notice though,that no one cares,the News or Civilians about poor Iraq. These people have very little left,rolling electricity, even with Sadaam they had that, and homes and schools. Now they have nothing. We have all but forgotten them, so we could move on to Afghanistan, where we have beefed up the murders and are killing at a much faster pace. Of course we to are being killed at a faster pace....that's war ain't it great. Everybody is getting tired of the wars ,so soon something must give...I know let's get Isreal to attack Iran, and then when Iran attacks back, we can go all out, and use all those real big bombs, and kill millions instead of thousands, now if I were a demented General I would be thrilled to get a chance to finnaly use a Nucular Weapon, to kill everyone. We did it to Japan, ad now we are best friends....with a deep hate for us in the background...they would jump at the chance to pay us back if we are desstroyed. We suck....this is an ObamaNation,embarrasing,sick,twisted. I want to help both Countries & people once the occupyers are gone.(USA)
Killing caucasions, has never been a problem for Americans, Hell they killed their own Brothers, and even families during the Civil War. We have killed whites, in many wars. However, because of racism, killing dark skin people is a bit easier, for the public at home. It is just amazing how we got the least educated kids in America to fight for us. I guess if you take most good Teachers, and books away, from inner city kids ,and then throw drugs in the mix, many young people have no choice but to enter the Military, or they go to jail. Now the officers are the Graduates from fine Military Institutions, or fine private schools. These are the ones that carry out the orders, and we have taught these young people to Kill very well. We are there to attack Iran, and to steal Afghanistans newly found minerals, and of course the pipeline to hell... Hope the Public knows all this. Looking for terrorists is second nature to our real duties.
Dick Cheaneys War Machine is for Profits, and he has made billions. what an evil man to have made his money, on the blood and sorrow, of so many people around the World. Anyway I don't want to be in Cheaneys gang, I want the world to know I am against Americas, war of the worlds !
Anyways ,I wish that story was his and hisalone...but as long as the American People continue to look away from the truth about their own complicity with these murders that ar being committed in our name...mine and yours.
I am at least learning, and doing what I can, and will do more. But most Americans are doing NOTHING !!
The Obama Administration, remember, has brought in a post-racist era. It's kind of like Colbert, "I don't see color." But really, it's not even like they're 3/5ths of a person. It's okay if only a few of "our boys" die and a whole lotta them come home physically and/or mentally screwed up. Hell, we'll hide or downplay that too the best we can.
We are the terrorists, Weee are the terrorists, We are the terrorists of the woorrrllllldddddd!!!! What the hell is going on?!! Human is human. A simple twist of fate and anyone of us could have been born with brow skin in some impoverished 3rd world country being occupied by forign invaders who think we are less than human. Watch what you put on your plate, sure don't want to get any on you.
I have seen repeatedly the Apache gunship firing 30mm cannon shells at bystanders and children and heard the de-sensitising training that these and other video game killer's receive.
It is clear to me that the US military regards Iraqis, Afghanis and people from probably anywhere other than the US to be "untermensch".