Iraq Reports Further Drop in Civilian Deaths

CNN ^ | December 2, 2007 | CNN Staff

[america4vr]

- Civilian deaths Iraq caused by war-related violence have dropped for a third straight month, according to November data compiled by Iraq's Interior Ministry.

Last month, 538 Iraqi civilians were killed in the violence across the country, including 131 bodies recovered by Iraqi security forces in Baghdad, according to the ministry's figures.

It is the lowest monthly civilian death toll since sectarian tensions heightened across Iraq, after the February 2006 bombing of the Askariya mosque in Samarra.

The figure compares with 758 Iraqi civilians killed in October and 844 in September, according to the ministry.

Prior to the last three months, the 2007 monthly death tolls from the ministry have been substantially higher. In January 1,990 deaths were reported; February 1,646; March 1,872; April 1,501 May 1,949; June 1,227; July 1,653; and August 1,773.

The U.S. troop death toll in Iraq for October was 38 and for November 37, marking the lowest two-month stretch of American fatalities in the war since early 2004, when there were 20 in February and 52 in March.

Overall, this year's death toll for the U.S. military is the bloodiest year since the war began.

Nearly 30,000 more American troops were deployed this year in and around Baghdad to take on insurgents as part of what Washington calls the "surge."

The year started out with 83 deaths in January and 81 in both February and March. The numbers jumped dramatically in the spring, with 104 in April, 126 in May and 101 in June.

Those three months were the deadliest stretch in the war in Iraq for U.S. troops.

As the military established its new counterinsurgency strategy, the attacks began dropping from the 101 deaths tallied in June to 78 in July, 84 in August, 65 in September, 38 in October and 37 in November.

[america4vr]

Here it is. Hope you like it.

[america4vr]

..Or perhaps you might prefer this, instead.

[Irish Eyes]

Absolutely no coverage of Ayatollah Sistani and the fatwa he issued this past week forbidding the shedding of Iraqi blood; especially the killing of Sunnis as ‘they are our brothers’. Sistani is the most highly respected Shia cleric in Iraq and does not issue statements frequently. Our news media is truly disgusting in their failing to recognize important developments and in their suppression of those that don’t fit their story line.

This is first time I have heard the entire story. The way the MSM (TV and print)ignore this fact. This the only place I will hear of this amazing event.

[Texas Eagle]

Perfect. Consider it stolen. Thanks much.