More than 1,073 Iraqis were killed across the country in April, most of them slaughtered in fierce fighting between security forces and Shi'ite fighters. Iraqi Health Ministry figures showed civilian deaths in April were the most in eight months. The White House said it had "paid a price" for the "Mission Accomplished" backdrop to US President George W Bush's May 1, 2003 Iraq speech, saying it left the wrong impression. The US military reported the deaths of five more of its soldiers in Baghdad, raising toll to a seven-month high of 49.