Figures from the Iraqi government show that civilian deaths from violence in Iraq fell by more than half in September compared to the previous month.

The figures published Monday show that at least 840 civilians were killed in September, compared to more than 1,770 in August.

Rear Adm. Mark Fox speaks to the media during a press conference at the heavily fortified Green Zone area in Baghdad, 30 Sep 2007

U.S. military deaths in September were at their lowest point in more than a year with more than 60 deaths. A U.S. military spokesman Rear Admiral Mark Fox credited the decline in violence to the surge of American troops in Iraq, but he said the level of violence is still too high.

In developments Monday, a suicide bomber in the northern city of Mosul killed a university professor and wounded seven other people. The U.S. military said a U.S. soldier was killed by small-arms fire during combat operations in eastern Baghdad Sunday.

U.S. and Iraqi officials say military forces have killed at least 60 insurgents in operations since Friday. The U.S. military said Sunday that U.S. forces killed at least 20 insurgents who fired on an American air patrol outside Baghdad.

Some information for this report was provided by AFP, AP and Reuters.