IRAQ VIOLENCE UNABATED; 460 KILLED IN APRIL

Violence in Iraq rose sharply in April, killing 460 people according to AFP figures, as May started off with attacks that left 13 people dead on 1 May. The majority of the April deaths came during a wave of unrest that began near the end of the month when security forces moved on anti-government protesters in north Iraq, sparking clashes that killed 53 people. Dozens more people died in subsequent violence that included revenge attacks on security forces, raising fears of a return to the all-out sectarian conflict that cost tens of thousands of lives in Iraq from 2006 to 2008. Protesters have called for the resignation of Prime Minister Nuri Al-Maliki and criticised authorities for allegedly targeting the people with wrongful detentions and accusations of involvement in terrorism. Unrest in April also wounded 1,219 people. In March, 271 people were killed and 906 wounded in violence, though those figures only included security forces and civilians. The month of May began with more deadly attacks.