Violence flares in Iraq as US raises alarm over troop shortage: "Some 25 Iraqis and seven US soldiers were killed in violence across Iraq (news - web sites) as the United States raised the alarm over troop shortages in the lead-up to the June 30 handover of power.
US Secretary of State Colin Powell (news - web sites) appealed to US allies for more soldiers following the announced withdrawal of Spanish, Honduran and Dominican Republic troops during the bloodiest month for coalition forces in Iraq since the fall of Baghdad a year ago.
Central Command head General John Abizaid told The New York Times that the security situation was liable to worsen as the deadline for returning sovereignty to Iraq approached and that more US troops could be needed.
... Around 718 US troops have now died since the US-led invasion of Iraq in March last year, including more than 500 killed in action, most in fighting with insurgents following the rapid overthrow of the regime of Saddam Hussein (news - web sites).
No reliable figures for total Iraqi casualties are available, but a US commander said this month the figure was more than 700 in April alone, when Shiite Muslim militias opened a second front to the south of Baghdad in addition to the long-standing Sunni insurgency to the west and north."
- posted by geoff @ #