ERBIL, Kurdistan Region – The United Nations Assistance Mission in Iraq (UNAMI) has released its report for October that includes casualties in Kirkuk, Baghdad, and Anbar provinces.
UNAMI reports that 18 people were killed in the province of Kirkuk during the month of October due to armed clashes.
The UN agency cautions that it is “in general” hindered in effectively verifying casualty reports.
This is the first time that UNAMI has reported deaths in Kirkuk Province in its monthly casualty report during 2017.
Baghdad reported the highest amount of casualties with 38 deaths and 139 injured followed by Anbar where 36 people were killed and another 55 injured. Kirkuk came in third with 18 deaths and 33 injured. Remaining deaths include off duty police officers.
The total numbers of civilian deaths in Iraq reported by UNAMI (not including police) decreased from 203 in September to 109 in October due to acts of terrorism, violence and armed conflict.
October in Iraq saw skirmishes between Kurdish and Iraqi security forces, as well as the Iraqi armed forces commencing an operation to drive ISIS out of the towns Al-Qaim and Rawa in the Euphrates River Valley.
Amnesty International, a rights group also reported the deaths of at least 11 civilians amid indiscriminate attacks, arson, and looting in predominantly Kurdish areas of the diverse town of Tuz Khurmatu, 65 kilometers (40 miles) southeast of Kirkuk when it was taken over by the Iraqi government last month.
Amnesty based their findings on interviews with 42 displaced residents, satellite imagery, and authenticated videos and photos which showed damage to homes and other properties. Some residents also reported clashes between Kurds and Shiite Turkmen.
UNAMI informed Amnesty that nearly 35,000 civilians have fled Tuz Khurmatu since October 16 when the Iraqi military, supported by Iran-backed Hashd al-Shaabi began an offensive to take over Kirkuk from the Kurdistan Regional Government (KRG) following their referendum bid for independence which was held on September 25.
Kirkuk and Tuz Khurmatu, both ethnically diverse towns inhabited by Arabs, Kurds and Turkmen, are disputed areas which have been under KRG control and Kurdish Peshmerga protection since Iraqi forces deserted their posts to flee ISIS in 2014.
Kirkuk and Tuz Khurmatu, like the rest of the disputed or Kurdistani areas claimed by both Erbil and Baghdad, joined the Kurdistan Region’s independence referendum that saw an overwhelming 92.7 percent of people choosing to leave Iraq.
Baghdad opposed the vote, especially in the disputed areas.
“The situation remains volatile, and many people are returning to their homes only to flee for a second or third time when hostilities erupt again,” said Lise Grande, the UN’s humanitarian coordinator for Iraq, last week.
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