Tuesday, March 4, 2014

Number of Deaths In Iraq Declined In February 2014

 
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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