Iraq violence surges in February

The number of Iraqis killed in February rose by 33 percent over January, official figures showed on Saturday, reversing a six-month trend of reduced violence, in a setback to the US military plan to curb Iraq's bloodshed. The combined figures obtained by AFP from the interior, defence and health ministries showed that the total number of Iraqis killed in February was 721, including 636 civilians, compared with 541 dead in January.

Car bombing in the Bab al-Mudham area of central Baghdad, Iraq, arrives to a hospital Monday, March 3, 2008. At least 15 people were killed and 38 were wounded in the bombing. (AP Photo/Karim Kadim)