Iraq government puts six-day death toll at 379(denying 1,300 killed claim)

[sabra]

http://www.alertnet.org/thenews/newsdesk/IBO850466.htm

Iraq government puts six-day death toll at 379


BAGHDAD, Feb 28 (Reuters) - Violence since Wednesday's bombing of a Shi'ite shrine in Iraq has killed 379 people and wounded 458, the government said in a statement on Tuesday, denying reports that the toll was much higher.

Reprisal attacks on Sunni mosques and other sectarian bloodshed has pushed Iraq to the brink of civil war and officials have been trying to play down the extent of violence

[rodeodance]

1. Today 41 Iragi dead: Sunday, 1 US troop dead: Tues, 2 UK troops dead.

http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/iraq;_ylt=Ahfl55PTR6.LFBIke5MWa4Os0NUE;_ylu=X3oDMTA2Z2szazkxBHNlYwN0bQ--

41 Killed in Five Explosions in Baghdad

By ALEXANDRA ZAVIS, Associated Press Writer 13 minutes ago

BAGHDAD, Iraq - A suicide bomber detonated an explosives belt at a crowded gas station Tuesday — one of five attacks that rocked Baghdad in quick succession, killing at least 41 people and wounding scores, police said.


.....The U.S. military reported a U.S. soldier was killed by small-arms fire west of Baghdad on Monday. At least 2,292 members of the U.S. military have died since the war began, according to an Associated Press count.

In the south Tuesday, two British soldiers were killed in Amarah, 180 miles from Baghdad, the Defense Ministry reported in London. A witness said a car bomb targeted a British patrol and helicopters were seen taking away casualties. (103 total).


......On Tuesday, wailing relatives collected the bodies of their loved ones killed in last week's sectarian violence. So far, officials at the Baghdad central morgue said 249 bodies were brought to the facility since Wednesday.....

[rodeodance]

2. Bagdad morgue alone has 249 bodies since last Wed.

...On Tuesday, wailing relatives collected the bodies of their loved ones killed in last week's sectarian violence. So far, officials at the Baghdad central morgue said 249 bodies were brought to the facility since Wednesday.

[seriousstan]

5. Population of over 5 million. 249 dead since last Wed. Sounds about right.

What is the death rate for your town? Here, Columbus, Ohio.........1 million people....about 8000 a year.

[Fridays Child]

3. They had to amend the figure after B*sh phoned in the official numbers.

Diebold has taught this administration a whole new way to count everything.

[zanne]

4. I know that the Iraq elections were held, but...

I still don't know exactly who they're referring to when they say they have information from the "Iraqi government".

[underpants]

6. '1,300 dead' in Iraq sectarian violence

I heard this on NPR and actually said outloud "Good GOD!"

The shrine was attacked 6 days ago?

http://www.guardian.co.uk/Iraq/Story/0,,1719976,00.html

As many as 1,300 people could have died in the wave of sectarian violence that swept Iraq following the bombing of a gold-domed shrine in Samarra, it was reported today.

The Washington Post said officials at Baghdad's main morgue had logged more than 1,300 deaths since the attack on the al-Askari shrine - one of the holiest sites in Shia Iraq - on Wednesday.

Figures from the Iraqi police statistics department put the nationwide toll of violent deaths at 1,020 since the Samarra bombing, with the majority killed after being abducted by armed men.

Iraqi government officials and the US military, however, said the toll was lower and stood at 119 by Saturday. They accused the media of exaggerating the violence between the Sunni and Shia communities.

-short article read on ~DU rules~-

Here is another article (slightly different) from the Australian

Real shrine violence toll tops 1300
http://www.theaustralian.news.com.au/common/story_page/0,5744,18308291%255E601,00.html

[mymomwasright]

7. Hey! Why are you doubting what the government said?

Are you some kind of troublemaker or something? :sarcasm:

[underpants]

9. Me?

:evilgrin:

[rodeodance]

8. Baghdad central morgue said 249 bodies since last Wed. (see below)

http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/iraq;_ylt=Ahfl55PTR6.LFBIke5MWa4Os0NUE;_ylu=X3oDMTA2Z2szazkxBHNlYwN0bQ--

41 Killed in Five Explosions in Baghdad

By ALEXANDRA ZAVIS, Associated Press Writer 13 minutes ago

BAGHDAD, Iraq - A suicide bomber detonated an explosives belt at a crowded gas station Tuesday — one of five attacks that rocked Baghdad in quick succession, killing at least 41 people and wounding scores, police said.


.....The U.S. military reported a U.S. soldier was killed by small-arms fire west of Baghdad on Monday. At least 2,292 members of the U.S. military have died since the war began, according to an Associated Press count.

In the south Tuesday, two British soldiers were killed in Amarah, 180 miles from Baghdad, the Defense Ministry reported in London. A witness said a car bomb targeted a British patrol and helicopters were seen taking away casualties. (103 total).


......On Tuesday, wailing relatives collected the bodies of their loved ones killed in last week's sectarian violence. So far, officials at the Baghdad central morgue said 249 bodies were brought to the facility since Wednesday.....

[MnFats]

10. But the media should be reporting the GOOD Things happening in Iraq......

most of Baghdad's 5 million people did not get blown up.
an earthquake did not swallow the city whole...
God did not turn anyone into a pillar of salt..
..
and, um....that's about it.