BAGHDAD, Aug 1 (Reuters) - Civilian deaths from violence in Iraq rose by a third from the previous month, with 1,653 people reported killed, according to government statistics released on Wednesday. The figures also showed 224 Iraqi soldiers and police had been killed. While the number of civilian deaths was a sharp increase from June, when 1227 were reported killed, the figures were in line with those of other months this year. The U.S. military saw a fall in its reported deaths in Iraq, with 78 reported killed in July after three straight months when the toll topped 100 dead. Washington said the fall in the number of deaths of its soldiers was a sign its tactic of sending an additional 30,000 troops to Iraq and spreading them out in neighbourhoods was having its desired effect of reducing violence.
