‘Liberated’ Iraq: Over 1,300 People Killed and 1,800 Injured in August Only in Baghdad

Terrorism, violence and armed conflict in Iraq killed more than 1,300 people and injured over 1,800 others last month, reflecting a “steadily increasing number of casualties,” according to casualty figures released on 2 September 2015 by the United Nations Assistance Mission in the country (UNAMI).

Two small children who fled the escalating violence in Iraq (file photo). UN Photo/Bikem Ekberzade

The number of civilians killed was 585, and the number of civilians injured was 1,103 in August 2015, the Mission reported.

“Baghdad was the worst affected Governorate with 1,069 civilian casualties (318 killed, 751 injured),” according to the report. “Diyala suffered 108 killed and 162 injured; Ninewa 69 killed and 3 injured; Salah al-Din 23 killed and 13 injured and Kirkuk 17 killed and 15 injured.”

The UN Special Representative for Iraq, Ján Kubiš, acknowledged the immense sacrifices Iraqi civilians and security forces continue to make in the ongoing war against terrorism.

“With the steadily increasing number of casualties, internally displaced persons, and the alarming rate of Iraqis fleeing war, persecution and poverty to seek refuge abroad, the successful implementation of the government reform plan will be paramount to restore order, legality and social justice in the country and renew confidence in the fair participation of all in the society,” Kubiš said.

According to casualty figures released by UNAMI, “a total of 1,325 Iraqis were killed and another 1,811 were injured in acts of terrorism, violence and armed conflict in August 2015.”

An increasing number of people, including families with children and the elderly, have encountered deadly ambushes as they try to escape areas controlled the Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant (ISIL). Photo: UNAMI

The report said the mission has been hindered in effectively verifying casualties in conflict areas, and that it “also received, without being able to verify, reports of large numbers of casualties along with unknown numbers of persons who have died from secondary effects of violence after having fled their homes due to exposure to the elements, lack of water, food, medicines and health care.”

“For these reasons, the figures reported have to be considered as the absolute minimum,” the mission said.

In light of the above-noted limitations in methodology, UNAMI does not claim that the information it provides is complete, and it may well be that UNAMI is under-reporting the extent, nature or seriousness of the effect of armed violence and acts of terrorism on the civilian population. (Source: UN).

2015 Human Wrongs Watch