Why it is an Area of Concern?

Despite major gains in security since the summer of 2007, Iraq features the largest levels of direct, violent civilian death in the world in both 2008 and 2009, far surpassing the levels of violence seen in Darfur, Democratic Republic of Congo and Afghanistan.

The ongoing conflict in Iraq also features the targeting of civilians due to their ethnic or religious identity. In addition to the well-known targeting of to Sunni or Shia Muslims, Mandaeans, Yazidis and Chaldeans (Assyrian Christians) have been the victims of targeted attacks.