December 2006 Iraq casualties

Avg. daily Coalition fatality rate during the last month: 3.74
(nearly all Americans, and excluding Iraqis)

Previous averages
November: 2.57
October: 3.52

Last year, December 2005: 2.19.

Overall daily average to date is 2.35. Total US dead as of today: 3003.


Iraqi monthly military and police fatalities: 123.

Previous military/police fatality rates
November: 123
October: 224

Last year, December 2005: 193.
Total Iraqi military dead: 5,937.

Note that I've seen media reports suggesting the Iraqi military casualty figures are signficant undercounts.


Iraqi monthly civilian fatalities: 1,629

Previous
November: 1,741
October: 1,315

Last year, December 2005: 344.

To-date civilian total, begining in March 2005: 22,345. Note that the civilian numbers are far less accurate than others (most likely to be greatly underestimated, or even ridiculously underestimated), but could still be useful in determining trends.

Comments: Four months in a row with American casualties above average, a first in the war. As before, Iraqi military fatality rates continue to be low, more evidence that they're sitting out the civil war. Also as before, civilian casualties remain terrible.