The United Nations said a total of 703 Iraqis have been killed due to violence in February, excluding deaths of insurgents and those from an embattled western province.

Some 564 civilians and 139 members of the security forces were killed last month. UNAMI, the UN's mission to Iraq, said 1381 more Iraqis, including 1179 civilians, were wounded. The ­capital, Baghdad, was the worst affected, with 239 people killed.