Deadliest Month in 5 Years: Bloodshed Soars in War-Ravaged Iraq

Aftermath of a Baghdad car bombing near a Sunni mosque on July 24th 2013 (Photo: AP/Karim Kadim)

Deadliest Month in 5 Years: Bloodshed Soars in War-Ravaged Iraq

Society decimated by decade of war faces mounting civilian casualties as bombings and shootings spike in July

More than 1,000 Iraqis--most of them civilians--were killed by political and sectarian violence in Iraq during July, marking the deadliest month in this country since 2008, the U.N. Assistance Mission in Iraq announced on Thursday.

The spike in violence follows the so-called US withdrawal after a decade of war and occupation in Iraq--marked by staggering civilian death rates, high-profile atrocities, and decimation of social infrastructure.

1,057 Iraqis were killed and 2,326 injured by deadly waves of bombings and shootings, with Baghdad the hardest hit, according to the UNAMI report.

The five year spike follows an increasingly deadly year, as Sunni and Shi'ite sectarian and political conflict escalates.

"The impact of violence on civilians remains disturbingly high, with at least 4,137 civilians killed and 9,865 injured since the beginning of 2013," U.N. envoy for Iraq George Busztin said Thursday.

_____________________

Join Us: News for people demanding a better world


Common Dreams is powered by optimists who believe in the power of informed and engaged citizens to ignite and enact change to make the world a better place.

We're hundreds of thousands strong, but every single supporter makes the difference.

Your contribution supports this bold media model—free, independent, and dedicated to reporting the facts every day. Stand with us in the fight for economic equality, social justice, human rights, and a more sustainable future. As a people-powered nonprofit news outlet, we cover the issues the corporate media never will. Join with us today!

Our work is licensed under Creative Commons (CC BY-NC-ND 3.0). Feel free to republish and share widely.