960 attacks on US troops every week

Covering the period from early August to early November, it found an average of almost 960 attacks against Americans and Iraqis every week, the highest level recorded since the Pentagon began issuing quarterly reports in 2005. The biggest surge in attacks has been against American-led forces. According to the Pentagon, the weekly average of 959 attacks was a jump of 175 from the previous three months. This is an increase of 22 per cent from the level for early May to early August.

As a consequence, civilian deaths and injuries reached a record 93 a day.

While most attacks were directed at American forces, most deaths and injuries were suffered by the Iraqi military and civilians.

The report is the most comprehensive public assessment of the American-led operation to secure Baghdad, which began in early August. About 17,000 American combat troops are currently involved in the beefed-up security operation.

According to the Pentagon assessment, the operation initially had some success in reducing killings as militants concentrated on eluding capture and hiding their weapons. But sectarian death squads soon adapted, resuming attacks in regions of the capital that were not initially targets.

Shi8217;ite militias, the Pentagon report said, also receive help from allies in the Iraqi police.

8220;This is a major reason for the increased levels of murders and executions.8221;

The findings were issued on the day Robert M Gates was sworn in as defence secretary, replacing Donald H Rumsfeld.

Gates said he planned to travel to Iraq shortly to consult with military commanders as part of a broad administration review of Iraq strategy.

But the report also held out hope that decisive leadership by the Iraqi government might halt the slide toward civil war.

While the efforts by Iraqi Prime Minister Nouri alMaliki to encourage political reconciliation among ethnic groups had shown little progress, it said that Iraqi institutions were holding and that members of the current government 8220;have not openly abandoned the political process.8221;

The Pentagon assessment, titled 8220;Measuring Stability and Security in Iraq,8221; is mandated by Congress and issued quarterly. The new report, completed last month, noted two parallel trends.

On the one hand, the Iraqi security forces are larger than ever, with 322,600 Iraqi soldiers, police officers and other troops, an increase of 45,000 since August.