At least 1,466 Iraqis were killed by armed conflict in June, says a U.N. report released today. That death toll is a 40 percent jump from May, and the highest tally since July 2014, when the U.N. reported that at least 1,737 Iraqis were killed. Moreover, the U.N. warns that its estimates are likely on the low end.
June's deadly spike coincides with the increased efforts of security forces battling the Islamic State. "The terrorists of the so-called ISIL and sectarian extremists are largely responsible for this violence, which has affected all aspects of life in Iraq," U.N. envoy Jan Kubis said. Just on Wednesday, there were three bomb attacks nearby Baghdad that killed an estimated seven civilians and wounded another 22, The Associated Press reported.
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