Violence Down in Baghdad Since Month Old "Surge"

According to Reuters:

Civilian deaths and militant attacks in Baghdad have fallen sharply since a U.S. backed Baghdad security plan was launched a month ago, an Iraqi military spokesman said on Wednesday.

Brigadier Qassim Moussawi said the number of Iraqis killed by violence in the capital since Feb. 14 was 265, a sharp reduction from the 1,440 Iraqis killed in the 30-day period before the plan went into effect.

The number of car bombings was down to 36 from 56, Moussawi told a news conference. Roadside bombs, mortar attacks, kidnappings and assassinations were also down.

General Abboud Qanbar, the commander of the offensive, warned militants to abandon their fight or face further force.

"I present a clear message to those terrorists and those who don't want the plan to succeed and return security to Baghdad, to recalculate their positions and return to using logic and the correct path before its too late,"

he said.

"Otherwise the feet of Mesopotamia's honourable soldiers will crush them and throw them into the garbage of history,"

Qanbar added.