The bloodshed continues

As American planes once again pound Fallujah, at Sheik Omar Clinic, a big book records 10,363 violent deaths in Baghdad province since the war began last year. This figures cover only one of Iraq's 18 provinces and do not include people who died in such flashpoint cities as Najaf, Karbala, Fallujah, Tikrit and Ramadi. The Iraqi Health Ministry began tabulating civilian deaths in April, when heavy fighting broke out in Fallujah and Najaf. The ministry's figures indicate 2,956 civilians, including 125 children, died across the country "as the result of a military act" between April 5 and Aug. 31. Of those, 829 were in Baghdad, the ministry figures say. Dr. Abdul-Razzak Abdul-Amir, head of the Baghdad coroner's office said "Our work here has multiplied by at least 10 times compared to prewar periods."