Iraq violence: monitoring the surge

An extra 30,000 US troops have been deployed in Iraq, mainly in and around the capital Baghdad, since the launch of the security drive, or "surge", in February.

The BBC World Service is monitoring its effects, week by week, by looking at casualty figures, the pressure on hospitals and quality of life for ordinary civilians.

The graphics and analysis are based on figures from the US and Iraqi authorities, Baghdad's hospitals and three families from different neighbourhoods in the capital.

SECURITY

Iraqi civilians continued to bear the brunt of the insurgency during the week of 22-29 August, with 308 killed and 557 wounded.

The extent of the killing was highlighted by reports from Baghdad mortuary, which received 35 bodies, all of them killed with sharp tools. All of them had had their eyes removed.

Nine members of the US military were killed. The Iraqi military and police suffered higher number of fatalities - 15 military personnel and 20 police officers were killed.

Latest figures from the UN refugee agency, UNHCR, show the number of Iraqis fleeing their homes is rising - with around 60,000 per month fleeing their homes.

Within the next few weeks, General David Petraeus, head of US forces in Iraq, and Ryan Crocker, the US ambassador to Iraq, are due to deliver a full progress report to Congress, looking in particular at the effect of the surge.

The National Intelligence Estimate - the collective analysis of the situation in Iraq by 16 intelligence agencies, which was declassified last week - said there had been "measurable but uneven improvements" in Iraq's security since January, following the recent surge in US troop numbers.

ECONOMICS

Fuel shortages remain a major problem for Iraqis, with long power cuts and fuel queues a common feature of civilian life, particularly in Baghdad.

The families helping paint a picture of these hardships in this survey are from different areas of the city - which can mean different pressures according to the religious make-up of the area and the subsequent security risks.

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Family 1 is located in Palestine Street, a Shia neighbourhood in the east of the capital.

Family 2 is located in Zayouna, a mixed neighbourhood in south-east Baghdad.

Family 3 lives in Saba Abkar, a northern Sunni neighbourhood.

Electricity supplies for all three families remained the same as last week, which had shown a slight improvement.

Family 1 had an average of four hours a day from the grid, Family 2 had two and Family 3 had power for one hour a day.

Queues for fuel were shorter than at many points during the monitoring period, but the average was still three to four hours.

Prices remained stable, with petrol at the pumps costing around 9,000 Iraqi dinars ($7) for 20 litres and black-market fuel roughly double that.

Gas prices have remained high, a cylinder costing 7,500 dinars or 27,000 dinars on the black market.

The cost of kerosene remains at 1,150 dinars as autumn approaches.

BAGHDAD HOSPITALS

Staff at two of Baghdad's main hospitals continue to face mounting security problems while dealing with the impact of the violence in the capital.

Al-Kindi hospital received 18 additional guards, on top of the 39 it has already, to reinforce security.

The number of people arriving at al-Yarmouk hospital with injuries from violence rose to 113 - the second-highest of the period. Among them were 37 wounded on pilgrimage from Baghdad to Karbala.

Al-Yarmouk hospital had between 35 and 40 doctors on duty, plus up to 65 medical assistants.

The hospital also received 45 fatalities including 23 unidentified bodies - including four children aged between six and 12 years.

Data compiled by BBC producer Mona Mahmoud