Report: Pace of civilian deaths nearly double that of last year

Above: A child’s bike lies in a Salman Pak street after a road-side bomb killed the child last week.

This year's U.S. troop buildup has succeeded in bringing violence in Baghdad down from peak levels, but the death toll from sectarian attacks around the country is running nearly double the pace from a year ago...

The AP tracking includes Iraqi civilians, government officials, police and security forces killed in attacks such as gunfights and bombings, which are frequently blamed on Sunni suicide strikes. It also includes execution-style killings - largely the work of Shiite death squads.

The figures are considered a minimum based on AP reporting. The actual numbers are likely higher, as many killings go unreported or uncounted. Insurgent deaths are not a part of the Iraqi count.

The findings include:

- Iraq is suffering about double the number of war-related deaths throughout the country compared with last year - an average daily toll of 33 in 2006, and 62 so far this year.

- Nearly 1,000 more people have been killed in violence across Iraq in the first eight months of this year than in all of 2006. So far this year, about 14,800 people have died in war-related attacks and sectarian murders. AP reporting accounted for 13,811 deaths in 2006. The United Nations and other sources placed the 2006 toll far higher.

Read the rest at the Guardian

Related Link:
Report: Civilian deaths in July exceed pre-surge levels

Related Link:
Report: Daily attacks in Iraq hit new high in June

Related Link:
Report: Civilian death toll in Iraq rises to nearly 2,000 in May

Related Link:
Report: 726 bodies found in Baghdad in May, 70% rise over April

Related Link:
UN Report: Iraq hiding civilian death toll data

Related Link:
U.S. suffers highest 6-month casualty total of the war

Related Link:
Military: Expect a 'high level of violence' in coming month

Related Link:
Report: Suicide bombings up 50% and more lethal

Related Link:
Iraq civilian deaths up in March despite crackdown

Related Link:
Report: U.S. casualties during March twice that of Iraqi forces

Related Link:
General Barbero: Suicide attacks, car bombings up 30% since security crackdown; Another child used in bombing

Related Link:
Pentagon Report: Attacks in 2007 at record high

Related Link:
Pentagon Report: Some Iraq violence constitutes 'civil war'; Last 3 months of 2006 most violent of war

Related Link:
DOD Intelligence Director Maples: Attacks on forces match record high in January

Related Link:
U.N.: 34,000 Iraqis killed in violence in 2006