In Iraq, UN reports insecurity and violence taking ‘terrible toll’ on civilians from all communities

At least 1,031 Iraqis were killed in May 2015 and another 1,684 injured in acts of terrorism, violence and armed conflict, according to the United Nations Assistance Mission in Iraq (UNAMI), which said the actions of the Islamic State in Iraq and the Levant’s (ISIL) were to blame for the growing number of casualties.

“Current developments in and around the city of Ramadi and in Anbar Governorate once again showed grave consequences of ISIL’s actions […], as around 237,786 individuals have been displaced from and within Anbar to date, while thousands were killed and injured, sometimes in the most horrendous way,” UNAMI chief Ján Kubiš said today on the release of the figures.

According to UNAMI’s latest figures, 665 civilians were killed and 1,313 injured, while a further 366 members of the Iraqi Security Forces lost their lives and another 371 were injured during the entire month of May. The data marks an uptick of 219 casualties compared to last month, although the confirmed numbers might not fully reflect an increasingly volatile situation, where civilians are also being displaced by the thousands.

Nonetheless, Baghdad was the worst affected Governorate with 1,044 civilian casualties (343 killed, 701 injured). According to its Health Directorate, the Anbar Governorate follows, with a total of 583 civilian casualties (102 killed, 481 injured).

Convinced that a military solution alone will be insufficient to defeat ISIL, Mr. Kubiš urged that the Government of Iraq to adopt a “set of confidence-building measures” towards disaffected communities, “enabling them to assume a share in governing their matters,” and “assuring them of the State’s ability to ensure their protection from violence.”