Iraqi civilian deaths down in 2010, lowest in Dec

BAGHDAD,  (Reuters) – The number of civilians killed in  violence in Iraq fell last year and December was the least  deadly month of 2010, official figures showed yesterday.
Last year, 2,505 civilians were killed in bombings and other  attacks, compared with 2,773 in 2009, according to Health  Ministry figures.
In December, 89 civilians were killed compared with 105 in  November and 120 in October. It was one of the lowest monthly  civilian death tolls since the height of sectarian carnage in  2006-2007.
On Thursday, a study by human rights group Iraq Body Count  (IBC) showed the number of Iraqi civilians killed in violence in  Iraq this year fell to its lowest level since the 2003 U.S.-led  invasion. It put the 2010 civilian death toll in Iraq at 3,976  up to Dec. 23, compared to 4,680 in 2009.
About 4,748 foreign soldiers have also been killed in combat  in Iraq since the war began, according to www.icasualties.org,  which tracks casualties in Iraq and Afghanistan.
The annual foreign military toll in Iraq has fallen sharply,  too, especially as Iraqi forces have taken the lead on security.
Twenty one Iraqi soldiers and 41 police officers were killed  in December, according to figures from the Defence and Interior  Ministries, compared with 23 and 43 respectively in November.
In 2010, 348 Iraqi soldiers and 672 police officers were  killed, the figures showed.
Casualties have declined since August despite predictions  that the end of U.S. combat operations on Aug. 31 and the  transfer of full responsibility for security to Iraqi forces,  might result in an increase in attacks.
Overall violence has fallen sharply since 2006-07 and the  all-out sectarian slaughter between once dominant Sunnis and  majority Shi’ites has eased in Iraq.