Iraq War, Iraq Elections | featured news

The number of civilians killed by violence in Iraq almost doubled in July from June, a sign that insurgents may be trying to exploit political tensions after an election that produced no outright winner.

Iraq's progress remains fragile and could still be reversed, despite decreased violence, successful national elections in March and other advances, U.S. General David Petraeus said on Tuesday.

The Iraqi prime minister's coalition and its main secular rival both claimed to be ahead in the vote count Monday, a day after historic parliamentary elections that the top U.S. commander said would let all but 50,000 American troops come home by the end of summer.

The top American military commander in Iraq on Monday praised the Iraqi military’s performance during Sunday’s parliamentary election.