Daily body count in Baghdad falls(but others are doubtful)

[maddezmom]

U.S. forces attribute the decrease to greater pressure on insurgents and militias, but others aren't sure trend is real.
By Borzou Daragahi, Times Staff Writer
January 24, 2007


BAGHDAD — Iraqi authorities found 19 bodies of young men scattered around Baghdad on Tuesday, a sharp drop from the scores found each day several weeks ago. The reported daily body count for the last week or so has hovered around 30 or lower.

The bodies of late also have not shown signs of torture often associated with Shiite Muslim militias, morgue and hospital officials say.

Officials cautioned that the casualty figures were preliminary and sketchy. Previous drops in Baghdad violence have been followed by upsurges.

U.S. and Iraqi officials hope an increase in the number of American troops, political pressure and aggressive new tactics to protect Baghdad neighborhoods can reduce the level of violence in the capital and pave the way for political reconciliation and an end to the country's undeclared sectarian civil war. In recent days, additional U.S. troops have begun to be deployed in certain volatile neighborhoods.


more:http://www.latimes.com/news/nationworld/world/la-fg-iraq24jan24,1,178520.story?track=rss

Market blasts kill at least 78 in Baghdad
Joshua Partlow, Naseer Nouri, Washington Post

Tuesday, January 23, 2007


The attacks came as Shiites celebrate Ashura, the 10-day religious holiday commemorating the death of the prophet Muhammad's grandson in the seventh century.


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http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?file=/c/a/2007/01/23/MNG5PNNBK81.DTL



The La Repubblica interviewer quoted Sadr as saying he feared for his life and stayed on the move constantly. Sadr said his militias would not fight back immediately because Islam forbids killing during the Muslim holy month of Muharram, which started yesterday for Sunnis and today for Shiites.

"Let them kill us," he was quoted as saying. "For a true believer there is no better moment than this to die: Heaven is ensured. After Muharram, we'll see."

more:http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=102x2696243