Dáil Éireann debate -
Thursday, 29 May 2003

Vol. 567 No. 7

Written Answers. - Foreign Conflicts.

Ruairí Quinn

Question:

77 Mr. Quinn asked the Minister for Foreign Affairs the estimates he has received or sought regarding the number of combatants killed, the number of civilians killed, the number of civilians wounded seriously and the number of children killed and wounded, in the recent conflict in Iraq; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [14762/03]

Minister for Foreign Affairs (Mr. Cowen)

No authoritative estimate of the casualties in Iraq has yet become available. The Government is taking the necessary steps to keep itself informed on this issue as work continues. A number of non-governmental organisations are known to be making efforts to arrive at an authoritative figure. It is also expected that the International Committee of the Red Cross and UN organisations will develop estimates as information becomes available and their resources on the ground permit them to undertake such exercises.

Figures published by the media suggest that casualties were at least as follows:

Combatants: approximately 2500 killed, of which 164 were US or UK forces.

Civilians: Between 1900 and 2500 killed, of which 13 were foreign media personnel, and at least 5000 injured. No reliable estimate is available of how many of these casualties were children.

Question No. 78 answered with Question No. 6.