On the 1st of January, Iraq Body Count released their annual report and analysis of the conflict situation in Iraq.

For twenty years, Iraq Body Count (IBC) has been monitoring the violent deaths of civilians in Iraq. Founded in 2003, IBC started collecting details about deadly incidents and individuals killed in them, showcasing the effects of the military intervention in the country in terms of human lives. All incidents are collected in an open online database. 

After two decades, IBC is still keeping track of the number of violent incidents involving civilians in Iraq – a work that is still much needed, as shown by the data collected in their latest report published on 1st January 2023. 

The report tackles the residual effect of political, economic and military decisions taken long ago due to the illegal UK-US invasion in 2003, showing how Iraq is still suffering from its impact until this very day.

It also presents an interesting reflection on the effectiveness of the war on terror, officially adopted with the Anti-Terrorism Law passed in 2005. As stated in the report, “The concept of terrorism is a slippery one”, which can be used easily to target and silence internal dissent and criticism. The number of arrests, deaths and attacks on civilians clearly shows the shortcomings of the measures taken so far, in terms of human security and justice. 

Accurate statistics on the above-mentioned issues were provided by the report, showing the numbers of terrorists arrested and killed, and their attacks and killings of civilians.

The report raises the point of the need to build new paths for justice, demanding that those responsible for violent actions be held accountable. With a toll of 740 civilian casualties recorded in 2022, it is clear that the resort to violence by officials is making it harder to move towards an Iraq of peace and reconciliation. 

To read the full Report, Click here.