Iraq Releases September Casualty Figures; 23 Killed Today

The Iraqi government released its official casualty figures for September. At 365 dead, the toll is the highest in two years. Meanwhile, insurgents began adding to the October toll. New attacks left at least 23 killed and 16 wounded today.

Casualty figures released by the Iraqi government today revealed an increase in violence over last month. According to these official figures, at least 365 people were killed during September. Of those, 182 were civilians. Another 683 people were wounded. Last month, the government reported 164 people killed and 260 injured. September’s figures are the highest since August 2010.

As in previous months, Antiwar.com counted a higher number of casualties. At least 444 people were killed, and 1233 more were wounded, including 11 Iranians. Oddly, the number of deaths shrank from August’s 511 fatalities. This is the lowest number of deaths compiled in the last four months. Whether this reflects fewer attacks or fewer reports of fatalities in the western press is unclear.

A booby-trapped car killed six policemen and wounded one more in western Iraq.

In Baghdad, a bomb targeting a general’s convoy in Mansouriya left one civilian dead and four others wounded, including two bodyguards.

A roadside bomb in Imam Weis killed three family members.

Two people were killed and three more were wounded when a roadside bomb exploded in Tikrit.

In Mosul, an assailant killed a man, a woman and her daughter during a knife attack on the victims’ home. Another civilian was gunned down in a separate attack.

Two people were killed and a third one was wounded when a sticky bomb on their vehicle exploded in Dujail.

In Falluja, a grenade killed one soldier and wounded two more. A clash left one gunman dead and two soldiers wounded. A sniper killed a soldier.

Gunmen in Baaj killed a soldier.

A gunman was killed in Samara.

A sticky bomb in Hit left one policeman with injuries.

Gunmen wounded a policeman in Muthanna province.

In the border area of Bazorkan, a landmine left over from the Iran-Iraq War wounded an army officer who was surveying the area for landmines.

Author: Margaret Griffis

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