Iraqi violence kills nearly 700 civilians in June - UN

USPA News - The United Nations (UN) on Wednesday voiced alarm in the recent wave of attacks in Iraq, calling for a halt in such incidents. Martin Kobler, the Secretary-General`s Special Representative and head of the UN Assistance Mission for Iraq (UNAMI) urged the Iraqi authorities to do their utmost and "take all necessary measures to protect the people of Iraq from more bloodshed." "This carnage must stop," Kobler stressed, as dozens of people have been killed in recent weeks, and many others injured in a series of bomb attacks and shootings that seem to have concentrated around public places, such as a crowded market.

According to the UN, a total of 761 Iraqis were killed and another 1,771 were wounded in acts of terrorism and violence in June. Furthermore, of those killed, 685 were civilians, including 131 civilian police. An additional 76 members of the Iraqi Security Forces were also killed. Out of the 1,771 wounded, the vast majority ? 1,610 including 221 civilian police ? were civilians. Baghdad was the worst-affected governorate with 950 civilian casualties followed by Salahuddin, Ninewa, Diyala and Anbar. Kirkuk, Babil, Wasit, Basra and Najaf also reported casualties, according to the Mission. Kobler said regarding Tuesday`s indigents that the "devastating terrorist attacks" again targeted innocent citizens struggling to build a more hopeful future for themselves and their children in a highly volatile environment. "They follow two weeks during which we`ve seen an increasing number of attacks targeting cafés, football fields and other locations where people socialize and nurture the personal relationships and social fabric that are so important for a strong, prosperous country," added Kobler. The Un also revealed that in April, 712 Iraqis were killed and more than 1,600 injured. In May, the death toll increased to 1,045 and more than 2,300 were wounded. In a report issued last week, UNAMI said that at least 3,200 civilians were killed and more than 10,000 injured in during the second half of 2012 in a reversal of the trend that had seen violence decline in recent years.