UN says more than 733 Iraqis killed in January
BAGHDAD: The United Nations said Saturday that at least 733 Iraqis were killed during violence in January, even when leaving out casualties from an embattled western province.
The figures issued Saturday by the U.N.´s mission to Iraq show 618 civilians and 115 members of the security forces were killed in January. But the UNAMI statement excluded deaths from ongoing fighting in Anbar, due to problems in verifying the "status of those killed."
The figures also leave out insurgent deaths.
Also, the UN said at least 1,229 Iraqis were wounded in attacks across the country last month.
Baghdad was the worst affected province, with 297 killed and 585 wounded.
Al-Qaida-linked fighters and their allies seized control of the city of Fallujah and parts of the Anbar provincial capital Ramadi last month after authorities dismantled a protest camp.
UN mission chief Nickolay Mladenov expressed deep concern over the humanitarian situation in Anbar, saying thousands of families are displaced and others stranded in besieged Fallujah.
"I am deeply alarmed by the humanitarian situation of thousands of displaced families and particularly of those stranded in Fallujah. They lack water, fuel, food, medicine and other basic commodities," he said. (AP)
