Appendix B: Civilian Casualties in al-Najaf

Al-Najaf and its surrounding villages suffered hundreds of civilian casualties, most of which were caused by cluster munitions, according to medical professionals.  Dr. Safa' al-`Amdi, director of al-Najaf Teaching Hospital, provided Human Rights Watch with copies of all of the hospital's records for civilian deaths and injuries attributed to combat in al-Najaf from March 21 to April 11, 2003. 

• The hospital recorded 635 civilian casualties, including 254 deathsand 381 injuries. 
• Of the 254 reported civilian deaths, 194 were male, fifty were female, and ten did not have the sex recorded. 
• Of the civilian deaths, forty-seven(19 percent) were children under the age of eighteen. 
• Of the 381 injuries, 263 were male, fifty-two were female, and sixty-six did not have the sex recorded. 
• Eighty-one children (21 percent of the total) suffered injuries.
• Two hundred sixty-two (41 percent) of the civilian casualties occurred during the three days of fighting around al-Najaf from March 26 to 28.

In addition, a smaller, but unknown, number of civilian casualties was treated at al-Najaf General Hospital.

Note: Children are those under eighteen years of age.