New York, U.S., (APP): the United Nations Assistance Mission for Iraq (UNAMI) has said that around 543 civilians were killed and 561 other were injured in terrorist acts, violence and armed conflicts across Iraq killed others in March.
A UNAMI statement said that the figures of casualties do not include security members, as the Iraqi military declined to give information about casualties among the troops.
Ninewa was the most affected Governorate, with 541 casualties (367 killed, 174 injured). Baghdad Governorate followed 84 killed and 246 injured, and Salah al-Din had 38 killed and 69 injured.
The Governorate suffered a total of 90 civilian casualties (32 killed and 58 injured), according to information obtained by UNAMI from the Health Directorate in Anbar. Figures were updated until 29 March, inclusive.
The Special Representative of the Secretary-General (SRSG) for Iraq, Jan Kubis, condemned continued deliberate targeting of civilians by the Daesh terrorists and praised the Government of Iraq’s efforts to protect civilians during the fighting in Mosul.
“The terrorists have used every possible wicked way to inflict casualties on civilians. Two car bombs killed or wounded many in the Baghdad area last month. In western Mosul, Daesh terrorists have forcibly transferred civilians, holding them as human shields as they retreated or at strategic locations in densely populated areas. In cases, Daesh has placed civilians in booby-trapped buildings that its terrorists used to launch attacks on government forces, shot at civilians attempting to flee to Iraqi security lines or deliberately shelled civilian areas,” Kubis said.
The SRSG said Iraqi Security Forces have spared no effort to protect civilians.
Kubis said, “I welcome the commitment of the Government of Iraq to the protection of civilians in the conduct of military operations and their reiteration that the protection of their citizens is an absolute priority.”
