Airstrip One

Casualties - 24rd March 2003, 20.35

I have tended to avoid commenting upon the war because more experienced individuals are providing the necessary coverage. However, useful information should always be publicised and Reuters has a detailed list of the low number of casualties in this war.

US military: 6 killed in action (although this should be 7 as one of the Marines injured in the terrorist attack has since died), 15 wounded. 5 killed in accidents.
Iraq military: 70 killed in action.
Iraq civilians: 85 killed, 629 injured.
British military: 16 killed through accidents, 2 missing.
Press: 2 killed (1 Australian, 1 Briton), 2 missing.

These are extraordinarily low figures for this war and I expect that they will be revised upwards over the next few days as more information is selectively released. Nevertheless, such figures demonstrate the care with which the US/UK forces have been deployed to avoid civilian casualties. The Washington Post states that 100 Iraqi sildiers were killed in action in Nasariyah alone, as an example of another source. Our forces are now only 100 miles from Baghdad.