In Iraq, UN reports close to 2,000 casualties in October from terrorism and conflict

The number of civilians killed was 559, including 25 civilian police, and the number of civilians injured was 1,067, including 43 civilian police, the Mission reported. A further 155 members of the Iraqi Security Forces were killed, including Peshmerga, SWAT and militias fighting alongside the Iraqi Army, and 202 were injured.

“Once again, these figures illustrate the suffering of the people of Iraq from terrorism and conflict,” the Special Representative of the United Nations Secretary-General for Iraq, Ján Kubiš, said in a statement.

“I am hopeful that the suffering of the Iraqi people will come to an end with the support of the international community,” he added.

Baghdad was the worst affected Governorate with 1,150 civilian casualties (298 killed, 852 injured). Diyala suffered 92 killed and 141 injured, Ninewa 86 killed, Salahadin 28 killed and 40 injured, and Kirkuk 39 killed and 7 injured.

The report said in general, UNAMI has been hindered in effectively verifying casualties in conflict areas, and that it could not obtain the casualty figures for the month of October from the Anbar Health Directorate.

In addition, in some cases, the Mission could only partially verify certain incidents. 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, UNAMI noted that the figures reported have to be considered as the absolute minimum.

Photo: UNICEF/ Wathiq Khuzaie