Italian Reporters Killed In Iraq and Afghanistan to Date

As this is an old post that was getting a lot of hits, I thought I would update a couple of numbers. Sorry for no posts for so long. Someday I will have the time.

Amazingly, the war in Iraq has had more journalists killed than in any other conflict (assuming there were few journalists in wars prior to 1900, which is a fair estimate).

Reporters for Italian news killed in Iraq and Afghanistan to date (10/03/08):

- Independent journalist, Enzo Baldoni

- Afghan aid to Daniele Mastrogiacomo, Ajmal Nakshbandi

- Iraqi freelance producer and translator who worked for the television station TG3, Adnan Al-Bayati

- Unknown driver for Baldoni

Italian reporters abducted and released:

- Reporter for Il Manifesto, Giuliana Sgrena - Saved by Italian secret service agent Nicola Calipari who put himself in the line of fire to protect her from US troop mistaken fire.

- War correspondent for La Repubblica, Daniele Mastrogiacomo

Total number of journalists killed to date since 2003:135

Total number of media support killed to date since 2003:51

Journalists killed in conflicts:

Algeria (1993-96): 58

Colombia (1986-present): 54

Balkans (1991-95): 36

Philippines (1983-87): 36

Turkey (1984-99): 22

Tajikistan (1992-96): 16

Sierra Leone (1997-2000): 15

Afghanistan (2001-04): 9

Somalia (1993-95): 9

Kosovo (1999-2001): 7

First Iraq war (1991): 4 (In the aftermath)

Earlier conflicts before CPJ statistics were logged in 1981:

Central American conflicts (1979-89): 89, Source: Freedom Forum

Argentina (1976-1983): 98, Source: Freedom Forum

Vietnam (1955-1975): 66, Source: Freedom Forum

Vietnam (1962-75): 71, Source: The Foreign Correspondents Club of Japan

Korean War: 17, Source: Freedom Forum

World War II: 68, Source: Freedom Forum

World War I: 2, Source: Freedom Forum

Source: Committee to Protect Journalists

Italian Deaths in Iraq and Afghanistan

Italian troops killed to date (05/15/07):

- 33 deaths
- 8 non-hostile deaths (accidents)
- 16 from 1 event (car bomb in An Nasiriyah on 11/12/03)

Source: Iraq Coalition Casualty Count

Estimated Iraqi civilians reported killed by military intervention in Iraq to date:

- Min 63744
- Max 69795

Source: Iraq Body Count

Italian troops killed in Afghanistan to date (05/04/07):

- 9 deaths

Source: NATO (via Wikipedia)

Afghan civilian reported deaths since occupation in 2001:

- Jonathan Steele of the Guadian estimated 20,000 - 50,000 on 05/20/02.
- 2006 saw more than 3700 killed, about 1000 of them civilians.

Sources: BBC and the Guardian

Afghanistan Duration, Part II

It looks as though today, Defense Minister Arturo Parisi has called for more troop and equipment reinforcement. The request is around 150 troops and a number of tanks and helicopters.

Although more reinforcement is requested says little about a pull-out. As the troops were sent for "peace-keeping" operations, it appears as though they are amid a war. The Italians voted to keep troops for another 6 months last March.

However, more interestingly (from the Middle East Online):

On May 8, the Senate in Kabul approved a bill that called for negotiations with the Taliban, a ceasefire, and a date for the withdrawal of foreign troops. The proposed legislation demands that foreign forces should not engage the Taliban unless they are themselves attacked or have first consulted with the Afghan army, police and government.

The bill reflects a growing popular rebellion against heavy-handed American army tactics and aerial bombardments, which have brought death and destruction to many parts of Afghanistan. The bill has to be approved by the lower house of Parliament and by President Karzai before becoming law.

On May 10, Iraq had followed suit with similar legislation of which a majority has required a timeline for the withdrawal of troops. The homecoming of Italian troops seems more and more imminent.