BBC

http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/middle_east/7324106.stm

Iraqi death toll climbs sharply
09:31 GMT, Tuesday, 1 April 2008 10:31 UK

March saw a rise in bombings and heavy fighting in Basra
The number of Iraqis killed in March rose by 50% compared to the figure for February, according to official counts.

One thousand and eighty-two Iraqis, 925 of them civilians, were killed last month, up from 721 in February.

Figures for Iraqis dying in violence, compiled by AFP news agency, come from the combined counts of the health, defence and interior ministries.

March also saw an increase in bombings and intense fighting between Shia militiamen and government forces.

The number of deaths last month seems to confirm a trend of rising deaths due to violence.

More than 1,800 people were killed in August 2007. This declined to 540 in January 2008, but the figure has been rising steadily since.

A large majority of those killed in March were civilians. Fifty-four were Iraqi soldiers and 103 were policemen.