Spike in Iraq attacks exact bloody toll in May
At least 670 Iraqis, 77 Americans killed last month, officials say
BAGHDAD, Iraq - New statistics show that a spike in militants attacks in May took a bloody toll on ordinary Iraqis and U.S. soldiers alike, with nearly 200 more Iraqis killed last month than in April and the highest American military death toll since January.
Figures released by the Iraqi government on Wednesday show that at least 670 Iraqis were killed in May. That compared to 485 who were killed in April.
Among them were 434 civilians, up from 299 killed in April, according to Health Ministry figures. Some 775 civilians were also wounded last month, compared with 598 in April.
Police were also severely targeted, with 151 killed in May compared with 86 in April. At least 325 policemen were also wounded, compared with 131 in April, the Interior Ministry said.
Some 297 insurgents were also killed in May, an almost 400 percent increase on the 60 militants killed in April, according to statistics obtained by The Associated Press from the interior, defense and health ministries.
The Iraqi government did not provide year-on-year figures for comparison or for the months before April.
U.S. death toll rises againThis latest spree of violence by insurgents, who rose up after the American-led invasion in 2003 toppled President Saddam Hussein, put a dramatic end to a period when attacks on U.S. forces had waned after the historic Jan. 30 elections.
At least 77 U.S. troops were killed in May, according to a count of deaths announced by the military. That is the highest toll since 107 Americans were killed in January. It marked the second straight monthly increase since 36 U.S. troops died in March, among the lowest tolls of the war.
Lt. Col. Steve Boylan, a U.S. military spokesman in Baghdad, said insurgents are staging about 70 attacks nationwide per day.
Defense analysts said the recent violence was the latest evidence Iraq remains an uncertain project for the United States.
“Those who believed that the elections would be a decisive turning point undermining the insurgency are disappointed yet again,” Cato Institute defense analyst Ted Carpenter said. “The insurgency seems as capable as ever.”
The latest Pentagon figures listed 1,658 U.S. military deaths since the war began, with another 12,630 wounded in combat. The United States has 139,000 troops in Iraq, with another 23,000 British and other foreign soldiers.
http://msnbc.msn.com/id/8050339/
At least 670 Iraqis, 77 Americans killed last month, officials say
BAGHDAD, Iraq - New statistics show that a spike in militants attacks in May took a bloody toll on ordinary Iraqis and U.S. soldiers alike, with nearly 200 more Iraqis killed last month than in April and the highest American military death toll since January.
Figures released by the Iraqi government on Wednesday show that at least 670 Iraqis were killed in May. That compared to 485 who were killed in April.
Among them were 434 civilians, up from 299 killed in April, according to Health Ministry figures. Some 775 civilians were also wounded last month, compared with 598 in April.
Police were also severely targeted, with 151 killed in May compared with 86 in April. At least 325 policemen were also wounded, compared with 131 in April, the Interior Ministry said.
Some 297 insurgents were also killed in May, an almost 400 percent increase on the 60 militants killed in April, according to statistics obtained by The Associated Press from the interior, defense and health ministries.
The Iraqi government did not provide year-on-year figures for comparison or for the months before April.
U.S. death toll rises againThis latest spree of violence by insurgents, who rose up after the American-led invasion in 2003 toppled President Saddam Hussein, put a dramatic end to a period when attacks on U.S. forces had waned after the historic Jan. 30 elections.
At least 77 U.S. troops were killed in May, according to a count of deaths announced by the military. That is the highest toll since 107 Americans were killed in January. It marked the second straight monthly increase since 36 U.S. troops died in March, among the lowest tolls of the war.
Lt. Col. Steve Boylan, a U.S. military spokesman in Baghdad, said insurgents are staging about 70 attacks nationwide per day.
Defense analysts said the recent violence was the latest evidence Iraq remains an uncertain project for the United States.
“Those who believed that the elections would be a decisive turning point undermining the insurgency are disappointed yet again,” Cato Institute defense analyst Ted Carpenter said. “The insurgency seems as capable as ever.”
The latest Pentagon figures listed 1,658 U.S. military deaths since the war began, with another 12,630 wounded in combat. The United States has 139,000 troops in Iraq, with another 23,000 British and other foreign soldiers.
http://msnbc.msn.com/id/8050339/
posted by Kangaroo Brisbane Australia at 8:15 AM
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