UN: Iraq sees highest annual death toll in years
The United Nations said Wednesday that violence claimed the lives of 7,818 civilians in Iraq in 2013, the highest annual death toll in years.
Over eight months of escalated violence has sparked fears that the country may be returning to the widespread bloodshed of 2004-2007 that saw tens of thousands killed each year. Death tolls dipped following a US troop surge and an alliance of Sunni militias with US forces against al-Qaeda, but soaring sectarian distrust appears to be allowing the extremist network to rebuild. (AP)
