Kurt Nicklas
2008-10-31 21:09:53 UTC
US deaths in Iraq plunge to wartime low in October
Oct 31 04:16 PM US/Eastern
By ROBERT H. REID
Associated Press Writer 1 Comments
BAGHDAD (AP) - U.S. deaths in Iraq fell in October to their lowest
monthly level of the war, matching the record low of 13 fatalities
suffered in July. Iraqi deaths fell to their lowest monthly levels of
the year.
Eight of the 13 Americans died in combat, most of them in northern Iraq
where al-Qaida and other Sunni insurgent groups remain active. The U.S.
military suffered 25 deaths in September and 23 in August.
The sharp drop in American fatalities reflects the overall security
improvements across the country following the Sunni revolt against al-
Qaida and the rout suffered by Shiite extremists in fighting last spring
in Basra and Baghdad.
But the decline also points to a shift in tactics by extremist groups,
which U.S. commanders say are now focusing their attacks on Iraqi
soldiers and police that are doing much of the fighting.
Iraqi government figures showed at least 364 Iraqis killed in
October?including police, soldiers, civilians and militants.
Despite the sharp decline, the Iraqi death toll serves as a reminder
that this remains a dangerous, unstable country despite the security
gains, which U.S. military commanders repeatedly warn are fragile and
reversible.
U.S. commanders are also worried that security could worsen if the Iraqi
parliament refuses to approve a new security agreement by the end of
December, when the U.N. Security Council mandate under which the
coalition operates in Iraq expires.
Without a new agreement or a new U.N. mandate, U.S. military operations
would have to stop. Prime Minister Nouri al-Maliki's government is
pressing for changes in the draft agreement before submitting it to
parliament.
Much of that concern focuses on Mosul, Iraq's third largest city about
225 miles northwest of Baghdad. U.S. and Iraqi troops launched a new
operation Oct. 15 to clear al-Qaida and other insurgent groups from the
city.
Violence occurs almost daily in Mosul, although the U.S. military says
attacks there are down by almost half since May.
Attacks and threats against Christians in Mosul prompted about 13,000 of
them to flee the city in early October.
On Friday, a local official, Jawdat Ismaeel, said Christians were
trickling back after police and soldiers increased patrols and
checkpoints in Christian neighborhoods. He said that 35 Christian
families, about 210 people, returned in the past week and that the
exodus from the city had largely stopped.
The Iraqi government has offered each Christian family that returns 1
million Iraqi dinars?about $865?although officials say the response so
far has been lukewarm.
Also Friday, government spokesman Ali al-Dabbagh announced that Iraq and
Iran have agreed to exchange bodies of soldiers killed during the 1980-
88 Iran-Iraq war. He said the exchange?200 Iraqi bodies for 41
Iranian?would take place Nov. 15 at a border post that he did not
identify.
Hundreds of thousands of soldiers from both sides were killed or went
missing during the war.
Oct 31 04:16 PM US/Eastern
By ROBERT H. REID
Associated Press Writer 1 Comments
BAGHDAD (AP) - U.S. deaths in Iraq fell in October to their lowest
monthly level of the war, matching the record low of 13 fatalities
suffered in July. Iraqi deaths fell to their lowest monthly levels of
the year.
Eight of the 13 Americans died in combat, most of them in northern Iraq
where al-Qaida and other Sunni insurgent groups remain active. The U.S.
military suffered 25 deaths in September and 23 in August.
The sharp drop in American fatalities reflects the overall security
improvements across the country following the Sunni revolt against al-
Qaida and the rout suffered by Shiite extremists in fighting last spring
in Basra and Baghdad.
But the decline also points to a shift in tactics by extremist groups,
which U.S. commanders say are now focusing their attacks on Iraqi
soldiers and police that are doing much of the fighting.
Iraqi government figures showed at least 364 Iraqis killed in
October?including police, soldiers, civilians and militants.
Despite the sharp decline, the Iraqi death toll serves as a reminder
that this remains a dangerous, unstable country despite the security
gains, which U.S. military commanders repeatedly warn are fragile and
reversible.
U.S. commanders are also worried that security could worsen if the Iraqi
parliament refuses to approve a new security agreement by the end of
December, when the U.N. Security Council mandate under which the
coalition operates in Iraq expires.
Without a new agreement or a new U.N. mandate, U.S. military operations
would have to stop. Prime Minister Nouri al-Maliki's government is
pressing for changes in the draft agreement before submitting it to
parliament.
Much of that concern focuses on Mosul, Iraq's third largest city about
225 miles northwest of Baghdad. U.S. and Iraqi troops launched a new
operation Oct. 15 to clear al-Qaida and other insurgent groups from the
city.
Violence occurs almost daily in Mosul, although the U.S. military says
attacks there are down by almost half since May.
Attacks and threats against Christians in Mosul prompted about 13,000 of
them to flee the city in early October.
On Friday, a local official, Jawdat Ismaeel, said Christians were
trickling back after police and soldiers increased patrols and
checkpoints in Christian neighborhoods. He said that 35 Christian
families, about 210 people, returned in the past week and that the
exodus from the city had largely stopped.
The Iraqi government has offered each Christian family that returns 1
million Iraqi dinars?about $865?although officials say the response so
far has been lukewarm.
Also Friday, government spokesman Ali al-Dabbagh announced that Iraq and
Iran have agreed to exchange bodies of soldiers killed during the 1980-
88 Iran-Iraq war. He said the exchange?200 Iraqi bodies for 41
Iranian?would take place Nov. 15 at a border post that he did not
identify.
Hundreds of thousands of soldiers from both sides were killed or went
missing during the war.