July was the deadliest month in Iraq in nearly two years according to official figures released by the country's health, interior and defense ministries on Wednesday. 325 people were killed in attacks over the course of the month.
July 23 peaked as the deadliest day in the country since December 2009, when coordinated attacks struck 19 cities killing up to 106 people. Al-Qaeda's front group, the Islamic State of Iraq (ISI), claimed the attacks.
Of the 325 people killed throughout the month, 241 were civilians, 40 were police and 44 were soldiers. Another 697 people including 480 civilians were wounded.
Attacks are still a daily part of life throughout much of the country according to the recent statistics. 27 of the 31 days in July saw attacks, with 10 or more people killed in attacks on five separate days -- 39 on July 3, 11 on July 4, 17 on July 22, 113 on July 23, and 23 on July 31.
Bombings and other attacks on civilians have increased since the supposed withdrawal of the US occupation in 2011, amid the deepening political tensions in the country, according to Amnesty International. In total, since the US invasion in 2003, deep sectarian divisions have drastically worsened throughout the country.
