Violence down in Iraq, U.S. military says

BAGHDAD, Feb. 25 (UPI) -- Violence in Iraq is at its lowest level since August 2003 as U.S. military forces prepare to pull back to their bases of operation, military officials said.

Despite a rash of post-election violence targeting lawmakers and military personnel, Army Maj. Gen. David Perkins said attacks against civilians in Iraq were down significantly as the number of Iraqi forces increases, the American Forces Press Service reports.

"It's not only an increase in the size and numbers (of Iraqi forces) but the capability such as planning, orchestrating these very complicated operations, and then leading throughout the country of Iraq," Perkins said.

Iraqi forces took the lead in security operations for the January provincial elections, which went by with few reports of major violence.

"This is in comparison to the last national election period in 2005, where we had hundreds of attacks on Election Day, with 44 deaths," said Perkins.

The decline in reported attacks comes as U.S. military forces prepare to pull out of the streets of Iraq to their major bases by June 30 under the terms of a Status of Forces Agreement with Baghdad.