Iraqi Government Recognizes Rise in Casualties during July

Official figures from the Iraqi government showed a significant surge in casualties. The government found that 325 Iraqis were killed in July, while another 697 were wounded. These statistics include civilians and security personnel.

About 545 deaths were counted for July in Antiwar.com’s daily figures. That number — which includes civilians, security forces and a handful of insurgents — is only one death higher than Antiwar.com’s June figures. The Iraqi government claimed only 131 deaths in June, even though many news outlets had noted a significant surge in June.

Meanwhile, at least eight Iraqis were killed and five more were wounded in new violence.

Four policemen were killed in an attack on their patrol in Taji. Gunmen killed two guards and wounded a third during an attempted jailbreak.

Gunmen killed a policeman and wounded four others when they shot up a Falluja checkpoint.

A man believed to be a high-ranking al-Qaeda figure was killed during a military operation in Motaybijiya.

A bomb left no casualties at the entrance of an army base in al-Baghdadi.

Author: Margaret Griffis

Margaret Griffis is a journalist from Miami Beach, Florida and has been covering Iraqi casualties for Antiwar.com since 2006.