More than 1,000 Iraqis killed, injured by terrorists in March

The number of civilians killed in March (not including police) was 543, while the number injured (not including police) was 561, according to a press release faxed to IRNA on Sunday by the United Nations Information Center (UNIC) in Tehran.

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.

According to information obtained by UNAMI from the Health Directorate in Anbar, the governorate suffered a total of 90 civilian casualties (32 killed and 58 injured). Figures are updated until 29 March, inclusive.

Special Representative of the Secretary-General (SRSG) for Iraq, Ján Kubiš, 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,” Kubiš 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,” the official added.

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