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BAGHDAD: At least 2,078 people died in Iraq last
month, 15 percent more than in February despite a massive security
crackdown in Baghdad, the epicenter of violence, a security official
said on Sunday.
On average, 67 people died across
the country every day in March, compared to 64 in February.
A significant increase in Iraqi
civilian, army and police deaths was evident last month, the
official said, based on detailed statistics collected by the
defense, interior and health ministries.
Civilian deaths topped the toll
with 1,869 Iraqis killed in insurgency and sectarian bloodletting in
March, compared to 1,646 in February.
Another 2,719 civilians were
wounded last month, compared to 2,701 in February.
In March, 165 Iraqi policemen
were killed against 131 the previous month, while 44 Iraqi soldiers
died compared to 29 in February, the official said.
In March, 277 Iraqi policemen and
51 soldiers were wounded against 147 and 47, respectively during
February.
The official said the death toll
among militants had fallen to 481 in March compared to 586 killed
the previous month.
But those arrested surged to
5,664 in March against 1,921, reflective of the massive Iraqi-US
security operation launched on February 14 in which 80,000 troops
have been deployed in and around the capital to root out insurgents.
The US military also lost 85
personnel in March, taking to 3,244 an AFP tally based on Pentagon
statistics as of April 1, compared to 3,159 on February 28.
The US military losses, heavily
outweighing the deaths of Iraqi soldiers if not Iraqi policemen,
come despite Washington’s claim that Iraqi forces are leading the
security crackdown in the capital.
 --AFP
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