Italians end mission in Iraq

Italians end mission in Iraq

By Peter Graff

Thu Sep 21, 2006

BAGHDAD (Reuters) - The United Nations, citing evidence of severe torture, said Iraq had become deadlier than ever, as local Iraqi forces took charge of a southern province from departing Italian soldiers on Thursday.

A U.N. report released overnight said 6,599 Iraqis had died violently in the last two months, 700 more than the previous two, making the period the deadliest yet. Many were tortured and killed by death squads because of their religion, it said.


"Bodies found at the Medico-legal Institute often bear signs of severe torture including acid-induced injuries and burns caused by chemical substances, missing skin, broken bones, missing eyes, missing teeth and wounds caused by power drills or nails," the report said.


July was deadlier than August, which Washington say shows a security crackdown in the capital Baghdad is working. But violence has already escalated again in September, with a surge in death squad killings in the capital and a relentless series of bomb attacks in the north and west in recent days.

The latest, a massive car bomb strike on a tribal leader in Samarra, killed 10 and wounded 39 on Wednesday, according to police. On Thursday, gunmen in four cars attacked a police station in western Baghdad, killing six.

ITALIANS DEPART

The withdrawal of 1,600 Italian troops from Dhi Qar province means the two allies that invaded Iraq in 2003 -- the United States and Britain -- are now the only big, rich countries with large forces there.

The Italians, under British command in the southern sector, will all be home within eight weeks, British military spokesman Major Charlie Burbridge said. Continued...

reuters