July deadliest month in 2 years for civilians, Iraq says

BAGHDAD - While concern is rising in the United States about the war in Afghanistan, Americans are anxious to show evidence of progress in their other conflict - Iraq.

New Iraqi government figures tell a different story, however, showing civilian casualties hitting their highest level in more than two years - figures the United States rushed yesterday to dispute.

The rejection of the figures, compiled by the Iraqi ministries of defense, interior and health, comes at a delicate time. The American military has pronounced Iraq's security as stabilizing and is going ahead with plans to send home all but 50,000 troops by the end of the month, leaving Iraq's nascent security forces in control. The last American soldier is due to leave by the end of 2011.

Things were not much better in July for the Americans in Afghanistan - where U.S. losses were the highest for any month of the war. The monthly death toll, 66, surpassed the previous record of 60 deaths in June. U.S. commanders have warned of more bloodshed as fighting escalates in longtime Taliban strongholds. Moreover, at least 270 Afghan civilians were killed in July fighting and nearly 600 wounded, a 29 percent increase over the previous month, according to Interior Ministry spokesman Zemeri Bashary.

In Iraq, the government's figure for the July death toll, 532, was the highest since May 2008, when 563 died, heightening concerns over the country's precarious security even as a political deadlock persists nearly five months after a parliamentary election produced no clear winner.

The new figures suggested that a resilient insurgency is successfully taking advantage of the political deadlock and shows the difficulties of achieving a political solution in a polarized society like Iraq's, where ethnic and religious groups compete for power regardless where national interests lie.

More than seven years after Saddam Hussein's ouster, Iraqi politicians from these rival groups have failed to resolve key issues like sharing wealth, the extent of provincial autonomy and identity.

The U.S. military countered that its own data showed only 222 Iraqis had been killed in July. "We do our very best to be vigilant to ensure the numbers we report are as accurate as can be," spokesman Lt. Col. Bob Owen said.

An Associated Press tally indicated that at least 350 Iraqis were killed in July, but this figure is considered a minimum, based on AP reporting. According to an AP count, four U.S. troops were killed in July.