The War on Terror has continued this last week on many fronts and seen over 100 dead and many more injured. The worst violence has been seen in Iraq with continued bombings, abductions and executions. Saturday saw one of the worst attacks in months with over 60 killed in a suicide bomb attack in a Baghdad market place. More bombings on Monday killed at least 8 [BBC]. And if the latest messages from Usama bin Laden are to give an insight as to the future, the attacks are likely to worsen and be specifically targeted against the Shi’ite population [BBC], seen my many insurgent groups as being in collusion with ‘occupying forces’. In his latest message bin Laden also praised the late leader of al Qaeda in Iraq, Abu Musab al Zarqawi, and requested that the US return his body to his family. The two messages from the al-Qaeda leader were the 4th and 5th communiqués this year. There has not been any video seen of America’s Most Wanted terrorist since October 2004. The death of Zarqawi has had little impact on the violence a US ambassador to the country has admitted [BBC]. The week also saw further arrests, charges and allegations related to the abuse of prisoners and civilians. The worst case to be highlighted was that of the rape and killing of members of an Iraqi family by members of the 101st Airborne Division [BBC]. The civilian death toll has increased to nearly 40,000 according to an independent body which has monitored the conflict since it started in March 2003 [BBC]. The coalition has lost a total of 2,764 troops [icasualties.org] whilst the relatively newly formed Iraqi police force has lost 2,145. The casualty list also continues to rise in Afganistan with coalition deaths measured at 403 [icasualties.org]. Between both operations, Operation Enduring Freedom and Operation Iraqi Freedom, the US has lost 2,853 personnel whilst the British have lost 125. Other coalition members have collectively lost 189 military personnel. The cost in lives in the global War on Terror has since and including the events of 9/11 has exceeded 47,000.
Iraq – 38, 353 civilians / 2,145 police / 2,764 coalition / 341 contractors = 43,603
Afghanistan – 403 coalition / unknown civilian casualties
11/09/01 NYC -2,986
11/04/02 Tunisia – 21
14/06/02 US Consulate, Karachi, Pakistan
04/07/02 LA Airport – 2
12/10/02 Bali, Indonesia – 202
12/05/03 US compound Saudi Arabia – 26
15/20/11/06 Turkey HSBC British Consulate - 57
11/03/04 Madrid - 192
07/07/05 London – 52
23/07/05 Sharm el-Sheikh, Egypt – 88
09/11/06 Jordan hotels – 62
Total – 47,706
List of Terrorist Incidents
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