All the organizations that track violence in Iraq saw a drop in
deaths in February 2014. Despite the decline, 2014 looks like it could easily
finish with over 10,000 deaths for the year. It wasn’t that long ago that it
seemed like the Iraqi insurgency was on its way out. Instead its been
revitalized, and the country looks to be heading towards years more of
instability.
There was a consensus that the number of people killed in Iraq
went down from January to February 2014. Iraq Body Count went from 1,076 deaths
in January to 930 in
February. The Iraqi government reported
790 in February down from January’s 1,013. The United Nations had 733
killed in January compared to 703 in February. However neither number included
Anbar because the on going fighting there made it impossible for the U.N. to
cover casualties. Agence France Presse (AFP) recorded 744 fatalities down from
January’s 991. Finally Musings On Iraq’s own count had 1,296 deaths in February
and 1,495 in January. Even with the decline the average number of deaths in
February was still higher than last year. For example, Iraq Body Count had 33.2
killed per day in February compared to 25.9 for 2013. The U.N. had 25.1 per day
versus to 24.5 in 2013, and AFP went from 18.6 per day in 2013 to 26.5 in
February. If those numbers keep up Iraq could very well see 10,000 or more
deaths for the year. Last year already saw over 9,000 fatalities according to
Iraq Body Count. Now many more groups could meet and surpass that figure in
2014.
Deaths In Iraq 2003-2013
Month/Year
|
Iraq Body
Count
|
Avg.
Daily Deaths
|
Iraqi
Ministries
|
Avg.
Daily Deaths
|
United
Nations
|
Avg.
Daily Deaths
|
Agence
France Presse
|
Avg.
Daily Deaths
|
Musings
On Iraq
|
Avg.
Daily Deaths
|
2003
|
4,675
|
19.0
|
-
|
-
|
-
|
-
|
-
|
-
|
-
|
-
|
2004
|
11,608
|
31.8l
|
11,313
|
30.99
|
-
|
-
|
-
|
-
|
-
|
-
|
2005
|
16,186
|
44.2
|
15,817
|
43.3
|
-
|
-
|
-
|
-
|
-
|
-
|
2006
|
29,144
|
79.8
|
32,622
|
89.3
|
34,452
|
94.3
|
-
|
-
|
-
|
-
|
2007
|
25,519
|
69.9
|
19,155
|
52.4
|
-
|
-
|
-
|
-
|
-
|
-
|
2008
|
9,839
|
26.9
|
9,046
|
24.7
|
11,536
|
31.6
|
-
|
-
|
-
|
-
|
2009
|
5,132
|
14.0
|
3,682
|
10.0
|
4,611
|
12.6
|
-
|
-
|
-
|
-
|
2010
|
4,109
|
11.2
|
3,949
|
10.8
|
4,855
|
13.3
|
-
|
-
|
-
|
-
|
2011
|
4,147
|
11.3
|
2,781
|
7.6
|
4,150
|
11.3
|
-
|
-
|
-
|
-
|
2012
|
4,573
|
12.5
|
2,174
|
5.9
|
3,878
|
10.6
|
1,531
(7 mo.)
|
7.1
|
-
|
-
|
Jan. 2013
|
357
|
11.5
|
177
|
5.7
|
319
|
10.2
|
246
|
7.9
|
-
|
-
|
Feb.
|
360
|
12.7
|
136
|
4.8
|
418
|
14.9
|
220
|
7.8
|
-
|
-
|
Mar.
|
403
|
13.0
|
163
|
5.2
|
456
|
14.7
|
271
|
8.7
|
-
|
-
|
Apr.
|
545
|
18.1
|
208
|
6.9
|
712
|
23.7
|
461
|
15.3
|
-
|
-
|
May
|
888
|
28.6
|
681
|
21.9
|
1,045
|
33.7
|
614
|
19.8
|
-
|
-
|
Jun.
|
659
|
21.9
|
240
|
8.0
|
761
|
25.3
|
452
|
15.0
|
-
|
-
|
Jul.
|
1,145
|
36.9
|
989
|
31.9
|
1,057
|
34.0
|
875
|
28.2
|
-
|
-
|
Aug.
|
1,012
|
32.6
|
365
|
11.7
|
804
|
25.9
|
693
|
22.3
|
-
|
-
|
Sep.
|
1,221
|
40.7
|
971
|
32.3
|
979
|
32.6
|
880
|
29.3
|
-
|
-
|
Oct.
|
1,095
|
35.3
|
964
|
31.0
|
979
|
31.5
|
743
|
23.9
|
-
|
-
|
Nov.
|
903
|
30.1
|
948/1,121
|
31.6/
37.3
|
659
|
21.9
|
693
|
23.1
|
-
|
-
|
Dec.
|
983
|
31.7
|
1,001
|
32.2
|
759
|
24.4
|
668
|
21.5
|
-
|
-
|
2013 Totals
|
9.475
|
25.9
|
6,843/
7,016
|
18.7/
19.2
|
8,948
|
24.5
|
6,818
|
18.6
|
-
|
-
|
Jan. 2014
|
1,076
|
34.7
|
1,013
|
32.6
|
733*
|
23.6
|
991
|
31.9
|
1,495
|
48.2
|
Feb.
|
930
|
33.2
|
790
|
28.2
|
703*
|
25.1
|
744
|
26.5
|
1,296
|
46.2
|
* Figures
do not include Anbar
Iraq is unfortunately heading in the wrong direction again. In
2008 the civil war ended. In 2009 there was widespread participation in
provincial elections, even by some insurgent groups. The result was a dramatic
drop in attacks and deaths across the country. Many militant groups looked like
they had quit the fight leaving Al Qaeda in Iraq and the Baathist Naqshibandi
to their diminishing terrorist attacks. That former group has now become the
Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant, and now they and the Naqshibandi have
been joined by many older groups who have returned to the field due to the
failure of Iraqi politics. With a divided and dysfunctional government and
military tactics that make the situation worse Iraq is looking forward to many
more years of violence for a country that has already experienced more than its
fair share.
SOURCES
Dunlop, W.G., “Iraq death toll
fall sin February, but remains high,” Agence France Presse, 3/1/14
Iraq Body Count, “Recent Events”
Radio Nawa, “Killing and injuring
2084 people due to terrorist attacks in the month of February,” 3/1/14
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