Casualties From Bombings In August Already Exceeds July’s Totals

The toll from bombings in Iraq continues to increase. The number of casualties from such attacks half way through August 2009 has already passed the total from July 2009. In that latter month there were a total of 35 mass casualty bombings that resulted in at least ten dead or wounded. 180 were killed and 655 wounded in July, averaging out to 5.8 killed per day and 21.2 wounded. From August 1 to 18 there have been 23 such bombings in Iraq causing 182 deaths, an average of 10.1 per day, and 677 wounded, 37.6 per day. There is not a direct correlation between the number of attacks and overall casualties in Iraq however. In June 2009 for example, there were 14 mass casualty bombings compared to the 35 in July, yet June had more deaths. May only had five fewer attacks than June, but recorded the lowest death figures since the U.S. invasion. The U.S. military has only reported a slight increase in the overall number of security incidents in Iraq, going from an average of 323.0 per month from January to March to 396.7 from April to July, and deaths have fluctuated up and down since the beginning of the year. What is unquantifiable at the moment is the feelings and perceptions of the Iraqi people. The constant reports of attacks could change people’s moods about the security situation in Iraq, and play into the hands of insurgents who are attempting to undermine the current status quo.

Mass Casualty Bombings In Iraq May to August 18, 2009

May 2009
Bombings: 9
Deaths: 111
Wounded: 262

June 2009
Bombings: 14
Deaths: 174
Wounded: 517

July 2009
Bombings: 35
Deaths: 180
Wounded: 655

August 1-18, 2009
Bombings: 23
Deaths: 182
Wounded: 677

SOURCES

Agence France Presse, “Car bomb kills 20 outside Shiite mosque in Iraq,” 8/7/09

Ahmed, Hamid, “String of bombings kill at least 43 in Iraq,” Associated Press, 8/10/09

Associated Press, “Bombs kill at least 8 at Iraqi market,” 8/17/09

Aswat al-Iraq, “Kirkuk bomb casualties rise to 32,” 8/6/09
- “Toll from Falluja car bombing increases to 23,” 8/3/09
- “URGENT/2 killed, 26 wounded in 2 blasts in Babel,” 8/3/09

Al-Badrani, Jamal, “Bombs targeting Shi’ite Muslims kill 44 in Iraq,” Reuters, 8/7/09

Gamel, Kim, “Double bombing kills more than 20,” Associated Press, 8/14/09

Hammoudi, Laith and Ashton, Adam, “Bombings kill dozens in Baghdad and northern Iraq,” McClatchy Newspapers, 8/10/09

Issa, Sahar, “Round-up of Daily Violence in Iraq –Friday 7 August, 2009,” 8/7/09
- “Round-up of Daily Violence in Iraq –Monday 10 August, 2009,” 8/10/09
- “Round-up of Daily Violence in Iraq –Monday 17 August, 2009,” 8/17/09

Londono, Ernesto, “Explosions in Iraq Leave at Least 36 Dead,” Washington Post, 8/7/09

Middle East Online, “Five police killed in Iraq bombing,” 8/5/09

Monsters & Critics, “Cab bomb kills at least seven, wounds 20, in Iraqi market,” 8/2/09

Reuters, “FACTBOX-Security developments in Iraq, Aug 7,” 8/7/09
- “FACTBOX-Security developments in Iraq, Aug 10,” 8/10/09

Santora, Marc, “Blasts Kill 21 at a Café n North Iraq,” New York Times, 8/13/09

Special Inspector General for Iraq Reconstruction, - "Quarterly Report and Semiannual Report to the United States Congress," 1/30/09
-"Quarterly Report and Semiannual Report to the United States Congress," 7/30/09

Xinhua, “Eight killed in Iraq car bomb attacks,” 8/12/09
- “Suicide bomber kills 2 security members in W Iraq,” 8/15/09
- “Suicide car bomb kills three in western Iraq,” 8/3/09