As of April 6, at least 4,388 members of the U.S. military had died in the Iraq war since it began in March 2003, according to an Associated Press count. The figure includes nine military civilians killed in action. At least 3,480 military personnel died as a result of hostile action, according to the military’s numbers. The AP count is three fewer than the Defense Department’s tally. Since the start of U.S. military operations in Iraq, 31,770 U.S. service members have been wounded in hostile action, according to the Defense Department’s weekly tally. The White House says a deadly spike in violence in Iraq is not expected to alter U.S. plans to withdraw combat forces this year. In other news, the Iraqi government has a “realistic” plan to take full ownership by the end of this year, of a fund administering proceeds from export sales of petroleum under the now defunct Oil-for-Food Program, a top U.N. budget official told the Security Council here. (AP, Bernama)
