Rights eroded in Iraq in 2007 with civilians targeted

NEW YORK (AFP) - Human rights in Iraq deteriorated for much of 2007 while sectarian violence targeting civilians swelled the number of displaced to around 4.4 million, half of them abroad, Human Rights Watch said on Thursday.

"Attacks on civilians by various insurgent and militia groups continued," HRW said in a bleak assessment of Iraq in its annual report.

This included the single deadliest attack since the war began in 2003, which in August targeted the Yazidi minority "resulting in the deaths of almost 500 civilians."

It said the "sectarian cleansing" of Baghdad by both Sunni and Shiite groups proceeded despite a US troop "surge" aimed at halting the killings.

"US military operations continued against Shiite and Sunni insurgents throughout the country, leading to an unknown number of civilian casualties."........