Casualties under reported as attacks increase --WP

Report: Attacks on U.S. Personnel in Iraq Rising

Attacks on civilians and U.S. military personnel in Iraq have become so commonplace that a brazen assassination attempt last month on two military officers in civilian dress working for the Coalition Provisional Authority wasn't even reported at the time.

Word of the attack, which left the two Americans shaken but only slightly injured by gunfire, finally turned up last week in the latest security report from Centurion Risk Assessment Services, a British firm staffed by former Royal Marine commandos and British Special forces personnel that counsels journalists and businessmen on how to operate safely in dangerous environments.



"Everyone working in Iraq should take note of this as it could add to problems regarding personal safety and security," Centurion said. "It is believed that this is the first direct assassination attempt on international staff in this manner."



"Many incidents are not making the headlines," the report continued. "Most of them are not being reported at all by the forces involved as they are possibly trying to minimize the threats and play down the overall threat to all involved in working in Iraq." ...

http://www.washingtonpost.com/ac2/wp-dyn/A64826-2003Aug29

Sorry if this is a dupe, but I think it's an important story.