Iraq's monthly death toll climbs in October

The monthly death toll among Iraqis from violence sharply climbed in October comparing to the previous month, Iraqi authorities said on Wednesday. Figures compiled by Iraqi ministries of interior, defense and health showed that 258 people have been killed by the attacks during October across the country, including 161 civilians and 97 security members. October's death toll is much higher than of September when the authorities announced the death of a total of 185 Iraqis. The last month's figures also showed that a total of 438 people were wounded across the country, including 243 security members. Also last month, the U.S. military announced the death of five of its soldiers across the country, bringing the overall death toll for U.S. soldiers who have been killed in Iraq to 4,482 since the breakout of the U.S.-led war in Iraq in 2003, according to media account based on Pentagon figures. U.S. military forces are to pull out completely from Iraq by the end of 2011, according to the security pact named Status of Forces Agreement (SOFA) signed late in 2008 between Baghdad and Washington. Violence in the country underscores the challenges that the Iraqi security forces are facing as they struggle to restore stability and normalcy in Iraqi cities ahead of the departure of all American forces by the end of 2011.