Iraq Body Count data: Key points

A new study of casualties in Iraq estimates that 24,865 civilians were killed in the two years from the US-led invasion in March 2003. The report by the Iraq Body Count group and Oxford-based academics is the first detailed account of civilian casualties in the first two years of the conflict, the authors say. Here are tables and charts of some of the key findings.

Civilian deaths report in full (650kb)

The study concludes that almost 30% of civilian deaths occurred in the invasion phase - before major combat operations were declared over on 1 May 2003.
Although men aged 18 or over account for the bulk of civilian deaths over the two years, women and children comprise almost 20%.
Because adult males figure so prominently among the dead, Iraq Body Count believes tens of thousands of women and children have lost a husband or father.
Over the same period, it is estimated that 42,500 civilians were wounded, almost 90% of them adult males.

Who caused Iraqi civilian deaths?
Category	Number killed	% of total
US-led forces alone	9,270	37.3
Anti-occupation forces alone	2,353	9.5
US-led and anti-occupation forces involved	623	2.5
'Military actions' as defined by Iraq's Health Ministry	635	2.5
'Terrorist attacks' as defined by Iraq's Health Ministry	318	1.3
Predominantly criminal killings	8,935	35.9
Unknown agents	2,731	11.0

Click here for deaths month-by-month

Civilian deaths have been reported throughout Iraq, but the vast majority of them are concentrated in or around highly-populated urban areas. The following map shows the 12 towns and cities with the highest death tolls.

LOCATION OF IRAQI CIVILIAN DEATHS

77% (19,215) of civilian deaths occurred in these towns and cities

Baghdad alone accounted for almost half of all deaths

After the capital, Falluja had the second highest loss of life

In proportion to the number of pre-war inhabitants, the relatively small town of Tikrit - a stronghold of support for former ruler Saddam Hussein - has suffered the biggest civilian losses, according to the IBC figures.

Breakdown of Iraqi civilian deaths by city/town
	Number killed	% of all deaths	Population 2002 est.	Dead per 10,000	One death per
Baghdad	11,264	45.3	5,605,000	20.1	498
Falluja	1,874	7.5	256,000	73.2	137
Nasiriya	984	4.0	535,000	18.3	544
Kerbala	929	3.7	549,000	16.9	591
Najaf	784	3.2	563,000	13.9	718
Mosul	735	3.0	1,739,000	4.2	2,366
Basra	704	2.8	1,337,000	5.3	1,899
Kirkuk	613	2.5	728,000	8.4	1,188
Hilla	456	1.8	524,000	8.7	1,149
Tikrit	312	1.3	28,000	111.4	90
Baquba	304	1.2	280,000	10.9	921
Samarra	256	1.0	201,000	12.7	785

Iraq Body Count also provides a breakdown of civilian deaths by month by US-led forces and others.

Deaths caused per month by US-led forces and others*
Period	US-led forces	Daily average	Anti-US forces**	Daily average
20 Mar-9 Apr 03	6,616	315.0	80	3.8
10-30 Apr 03	266	12.7	126	6.0
May 03	23	0.7	399	12.9
Jun 03	25	0.8	546	18.2
Jul 03	24	0.8	569	18.4
Aug 03	23	0.7	718	23.2
Sep 03	35	1.2	469	15.6
Oct 03	43	1.4	409	13.2
Nov 03	28	0.9	384	12.8
Dec 03	18	0.6	467	15.1
Jan 04	30	1.0	496	16.0
Feb 04	13	0.4	534	18.4
Mar 04	30	1.0	880	28.4
Apr 04	632	21.1	5.3	16.8
May 04	74	2.4	614	19.8
Jun 04	33	1.1	753	25.1
Jul 04	59	1.9	660	21.3
Aug 04	171	5.5	675	21.8
Sep 04	197	6.6	611	20.4
Oct 04	97	3.1	695	22.4
Nov 04	775	25.8	691	23.0
Dec 04	15	0.5	824	26.6
Jan 05	25	0.8	848	27.4
Feb 05	11	0.4	981	35.0
1-19 Mar05	7	0.4	4.5	21.3
figures do not include possible 'crossfire' deaths *figure includes unknown agents and crime