1,300 People Die in Iraq in July Amid ISIL Violence

MOSCOW (Sputnik) – A total of 1,332 Iraqis have been killed in acts of terrorism, violence and armed conflict in July, the UN Assistance Mission for Iraq (UNAMI) said Saturday.

The Islamic State jihadist group has gained a foothold in the crisis-hit country over the past year, declaring a so-called caliphate in territories under its control and carrying out deadly attacks on a regular basis.

Jan Kubis, UN Secretary General Ban Ki-moon’s special representative in Iraq, called the human cost of the conflict "profoundly worrying."

"Resolute action about Daesh [Arabic name for ISIL] and its ideology, equality and cooperation of all Iraqi components as true patriots in these efforts is needed to put an end to this tragic situation," Kubis said.

In the July death toll, UNAMI estimated 844 were civilians and a further 488 members of the Iraqi security forces. The Iraqi capital of Baghdad and the ISIL-controlled Anbas governorate have borne the brunt of the casualties, with 335 and 147 deaths apiece.

UNAMI, whose mandate was extended into next year by the UN Security Council this week, noted the drop in casualties from the previous month, however insurgents continue to gain ground in the country.

Last week, Kubis assessed that approximately one-third of Iraq was under ISIL control.

According to the International Organization for Migration, nearly 3.1 million people have been displaced in Iraq since January 2014. The country is in the midst of fighting off an ISIL insurgency, with the help of a US-led coalition, that began last summer.