At least 287 were killed or found dead during May, and another 203 were wounded. The numbers are slightly higher than in April, when at least 211 people were killed, 34 bodies were found, and 105 others were wounded. An attack in Kirkuk towards the end of the month contributed to this rise.
In May, 70 civilians, 36 security personnel, and 120 militants were killed during attacks. And, 37 bodies were unearthed from a mass grave. Also, 131 civilians, 70 security personnel were wounded, as was one militant. Only one new mass grave was discovered, and it yielded 37 bodies.
In the conflict between Turkey and the Kurdistan Workers’ Party (P.K.K.) that is bleeding over the border, five Turkish personnel and 19 guerrillas were killed; one Turk was wounded. These casualties occurred in Iraq or nearby in Turkey, during attacks launched from Iraq. Attacks that exclusively took place in Turkey are not considered. These numbers are small, so far, in view of Turkey launching Operation Claw in the last days of May. Casualties could quickly escalate in June, as Turkey is now claiming to be using ballistic missiles in Iraq.
At least 13 were killed in recent violence:
Five bodies were found in a mass grave in Rutba. All victims of the Islamic State.
In Jurf al-Sakhar, gunmen killed two militiamen.
Security forces killed six militants in Ayadiya.
Also, a Turkish airstrike near Khalifan killed 20 animals belonging to a Kurdish villager.
