Medicine and Health Sciences Commons^™

Casualties In Civilians And Coalition Soldiers From Suicide Bombings In Iraq, 2003—10: A Descriptive Study., M Hicks, H Dardagan, P Bagnall, M Spagat, J Sloboda

Madelyn Hsiao-Rei Hicks

BACKGROUND:

Suicide bombs in Iraq are a major public health problem. We aimed to describe documented casualties from suicide bombs in Iraq during 2003-10 in Iraqi civilians and coalition soldiers.

METHODS:

In this descriptive study, we analysed and compared suicide bomb casualties in Iraq that were documented in two datasets covering March 20, 2003, to Dec 31, 2010--one reporting coalition-soldier deaths from suicide bombs, the other reporting deaths and injuries of Iraqi civilians from armed violence. We analysed deaths and injuries over time, by bomb subtype and victim demographics.

FINDINGS:

In 2003-10, 1003 documented suicide bomb events caused 19% (42,928 …

Violent Deaths Of Iraqi Civilians, 2003-2008: Analysis By Perpetrator, Weapon, Time, And Location., M Hicks, H Dardagan, G Guerrero Serdán, P Bagnall, J Sloboda, M Spagat

Madelyn Hsiao-Rei Hicks

No abstract provided.

Global Comparison Of Warring Groups In 2002-2007: Fatalities From Targeting Civilians Vs. Fighting Battles., M Hicks, U Lee, R Sundberg, M Spagat

Madelyn Hsiao-Rei Hicks

BACKGROUND:

Warring groups that compete to dominate a civilian population confront contending behavioral options: target civilians or battle the enemy. We aimed to describe degrees to which combatant groups concentrated lethal behavior into intentionally targeting civilians as opposed to engaging in battle with opponents in contemporary armed conflict.

METHODOLOGY/PRINCIPAL FINDINGS:

We identified all 226 formally organized state and non-state groups (i.e. actors) that engaged in lethal armed conflict during 2002-2007: 43 state and 183 non-state. We summed civilians killed by an actor's intentional targeting with civilians and combatants killed in battles in which the actor was involved for total fatalities …