The United States has reported a significant increase in the casualty rate of foreign contractors in Iraq.

A U.S. report cited a 93 percent increase in the casualty toll for American contractors and employees in Iraq during the fourth quarter of 2004. The report by the U.S. inspector-general said that at least 232 contractor employees have been killed in U.S.-funded projects in Iraq since April 2003.

About 10,000 U.S. contractor employees have been working in Iraq, Middle East Newsline reported. But the U.S. government has not kept an official count of contractor casualties.

"One cannot spend a day in Iraq without quickly gaining a profound respect for all engaged in this endeavor," Special Inspector General for Iraq Reconstruction Stuart Bowen said.

The report, submitted to Congress, cited 232 compensation claims filed by companies to the U.S. Labor Department. The claims, filed under the Defense Base Act, showed an increase of 93 percent during the fourth quarter of 2004. The act requires all U.S. government contractors to obtain workers' compensation insurance for those employed in Iraq.

The report cited 728 DBA claims for employees who missed more than four days of work. Another several hundred additional DBA claims were filed from neighboring Kuwait where companies working in Iraq have logistics and support operations.

In the report, Bowen said insurgency attacks were delaying the $18.4 billion reconstruction program in Iraq. The report cited an average of 22 insurgency attacks per week until Jan. 3.

The report cited an audit by the State Department of the U.S. defense contractor DynCorp, responsible for training of Iraqi police. The report said Dyncorp was suspected of overcharging the government by $685,000 for fuel to a U.S.-run police training academy in Amman, Jordan.