Iraq's montly death toll soars
2005-05-01 21:31
Baghdad - A total of 567 Iraqi were killed in April, up 48% compared to March, according to statistics obtained on Sunday by AFP from three Iraqi ministries.
And the number of those wounded totalled 668 last month, compared to 494 in March, highlighting the recent surge in violence, especially in the Sunni triangle linking Baghdad, Mosul and Ramadi.
A total of 364 civilians were killed and 453 wounded in April in 34 car bomb explosions, 16 other blasts and 54 other attacks, according to health ministry statistics concerning only civilians.
In March, the health ministry had listed 164 civilians killed.
The interior ministry put the death toll for police and other ministry officials at 98, including 21 officers, in April compared to 79 in March.
The number of wounded was 152 in April, it added.
The defence ministry said its own death toll was 41 in April, compared to 39 in March.
The number of its wounded was 63 in April, it added.
The interior and defence ministries said 64 insurgents were killed last month and 565 arrested.
- SAPA