896 US Troops Killed in Iraq in 2007

The most recent statistics issued by authorities in the US reveal that 2007 was the most deadly year for American troops in Iraq since the invasion in 2003.

According to the data, at least 896 troop fatalities were noted, surpassing the previous high which, recorded in 2004, totalled 846.

Since May 2007, in which 126 soldier deaths took place, the number of casualties has been on a month-by-month decline. December’s figures, when known, could see a low not experienced since February 2004. While 21 is the most recently mentioned figure, this could be affected by the US military’s tendency to delay announcing fatalities until relevant family members have been notified.

3,901 US Troop Deaths Since Iraq Invasion

With the death of a soldier on the 30^th December of injuries unconnected to combat, 3,901 US troops have now lost their lives since 2003.

May’s peak is attributed by US commanders to the President Bush-ordered US troop surge into the area three months earlier. In the intervening months, they add, the directive has proved worthwhile, with the frequency of attacks dropping by sixty per cent to levels unseen for nearly two years.

Iraqi Ministry: 16,232 Civilian Deaths in 2007

As regards civilians, the Iraqi Ministry of Health has quantified 2007’s death rate at 16,232. In the previous year, the figure stood at 12,320.

Despite the drop in US troop casualties since the middle of 2007, many are concerned that the security gains made have heightened the potential for new challenges, of which some could generate fresh violence to contend with.

Armed Forces International will continue to provide unrivalled coverage of the very latest news from Iraq as we get the facts.

Source – Armed Forces International’s Middle East Correspondent

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