Middle East Today: Iraq --- Highest Monthly Death Toll in 5 Years

Car Bomb in Baghdad, 16 April (AFP)Iraq: Highest Death Toll in Five Years

Amid rising protests and instability, the United Nations mission in Iraq says 712 people were killed in April, the highest death toll since June 2008.

The United Nations Assistance Mission for Iraq said 211 people were killed and 486 injured in and near Baghdad alone. Diyala, Salahuddin, Kirkuk, Ninewa, and Anbar Provinces also saw spikes in deaths.

Almost 600 of the dead were civilians.

Iraq's Ministry of Interior said 245 people were slain.

The figures were released as Britain's Royal Institute of International Affairs published a pessimistic report about the state of Iraq, 10 years after the US-led invasion:

Iraq has undergone a transition from a purely authoritarian system to one with an elected government. However, the levers of power used by the previous regime - organized violence, oil-funded state patronage and the use of communal differences for 'divide and rule' strategies - remain crucial factors in the country's politics.

The report sets out three scenarios for the country:

Syria's conflict becomes the main driver of political trends in Iraq as Iraqi factions take increasingly polarized positions on Syria and pursue diametrically opposed policies in supporting the warring sides with money and fighters.

Iraq becomes more resilient, resisting efforts by Al-Qaeda and others to exacerbate sectarian tensions, and hedging its bets on Syria.

Iraqis remain fractious and disunited, avoiding state collapse but continuing to be heavily influenced by the agendas of competing regional powers.