Iraq civilian death toll rises sharply in April

The number of civilians killed by violence in Iraq rose sharply in April from the month before, a sign that insurgents may be trying to exploit political tensions after an election that produced no outright winner. A total of 274 civilians were killed by bomb blasts or other attacks last month, compared with 216 in March and 211 in February, government figures showed on Saturday. April's toll was a far cry from the dark days of all-out sectarian war in 2006/07 but remained high. The rise in deaths occurred as Shi'ite-led factions try to overturn a slim, two-seat lead which a cross-sectarian alliance heavily backed by Iraq's Sunni minority holds after the parliamentary election on March 7. The Sunni-backed list, led by secular former prime minister Iyad Allawi, has warned that attempts to deprive it of a chance to form the next government could lead to more violence. Sunnis dominated Iraq under Saddam Hussein and resentment at their loss of power after the 2003 U.S.-led invasion helped to fuel the insurgency and sectarian fighting.