Editor's Note:

Only God knows how many Iraqis are killed everyday. The following represents part of the reporting but readers are advised that the actual number of deaths should very much exceed what's reported.

Concerning deaths of US soldiers, only those US citizens who die in Iraq are included in the statistics. There are no published statistics about US soldiers who die of their injuries after that. There are no published statistics about the deaths or injuries of the private army soldiers (security contractors), or about those without US citizenship.

It is noteworthy that May 20, 2008 news reports showed that death squads which execute Iraqis on daily basis are no longer hiding themselves. Previously, Sunni leaders pointed to Mahdi Army and Badr militiamen as the perpetrators. Now, death squads are composed of the US-recruited Sahwa fighters and policemen.

On September 6, 2008, news reports mentioned the killing of nine Iraqis who were arrested by Al-Muthanna Brigade of the Iraqi Army stationed in the city of Al-Falloujah. There corpses were found with bullets shot on their heads and chests. This incident is evidence that the sectarian-based Iraqi forces have been functioning also as death squads, which killed Iraqis for suspicion of belonging to resistance organizations, without any legal procedures or trials.

Despite the fact that there are scores of organizations involved in the Iraq war, the Iraqi government officials prefer to refer to them as Alqaeda gunmen for propaganda purposes, as mentioned in the June 4, 2008 news report. For accuracy purposes, the term "Alqaeda gunmen" may be replaced with "Iraqi fighters."

Clashes kill 3 policemen, 4 civilians in Missan

October 16, 2008 - 06:47:17
MISSAN/Aswat al-Iraq:

About three policemen and four civilians were killed in clashes between police and gunmen in Missan on Thursday, a security source said.

“Three policemen including an officer and four civilians during clashes that erupted between a police patrol and gunmen in Kumeit district, 25 km north Amara,” a Missan police source told Aswat al-Iraq.
“The clashes broke out when the police patrol raided a house in Kumeit district searching for wanted individuals,” the source noted.
AM(S) 

U.S army says soldier died of non-battle related causes in Baghdad

October 16, 2008 - 05:58:06
BAGHDAD/Aswat al-Iraq:

The U.S. army on Thursday announced one of its soldiers died of non-battle related causes in Baghdad.
  “A Multi-National Corps – Iraq Soldier died of non-battle related causes at approximately 10 p.m. Oct 15 in Baghdad,” said a U.S. army statement received by Aswat al-Iraq. 

The death brings the number of U.S. soldiers who have been killed in Iraq since the U.S.-led invasion in March 2003 to 4,184.A total of eight troops died this month.
AM(S)

Suicide car bomb wounds 3 cops in Salah al-Din
October 16, 2008 - 05:44:50
SALAH AL-DIN:

A suicide car bomb attack on security forces killed three policemen in Balad on Thursday, Salah al-Din police said.
   “A suicide bomber wearing a police uniform tried to attack al-Mahta police station with his car, but guards discovered and shot him fire” a Salah al-Din police source told Aswat al-Iraq.

“The suicide bomber detonated the car near the police station, leaving three policemen wounded and caused material damage to nearby buildings,” the source added.

AM(S)