What counts as 'close combat' in Hitman: Blood Money?

Question

The last time I played the game, I got 3 "close combat kills" on the second mission "a vintage year" and 1 accidents which didn't give me 'Silent Assassin' rating. So, I looked it up what I was doing wrong in order to achieve the rating. I used 2 fiberwire kills so I guess that's what counted towards "Close combat kills". I want to know what else counts as combats? Such as if:

1. Throwing/Pushing someone over the rail or into the water
2. Knocking someone out while holding them as shield.
3. Injecting them with poison
4. Injecting them with sedative
5. Shooting them with gun

Which of these would count as "close combat kills"?

After watching a gameplay video on youtube it seems that only 3rd in above list counts as close combats but I'm not sure about this. How does it affect my 'Silent Assassin' rating?

Answer 1

3. and 4. are the only ones besides fiberwire!

The difference though is that you cannot kill with sedative, so as you stated on your own injecting with poison is your 3rd CQ-Kill. You almost always use sedative on non-target-people and should use poison and fiberwire to kill for geting max stealth rating.

(Source and some tipps as well)

Answer 2

1. If you pushed an NPC over the railing or into water it will count as an "accident", NOT as a close combat kill. Same if you threw an unconscious body over the railing or dragged him unconscious to the water (which made him drown). Same with any scripted "accidents".
2. Nope. It is just a knock-out, not a kill. Knocking people out doesn't count to final stats at all (unless other NPC saw you knocking this NPC out. In this way that NPC who saw you doing it will be count as a "witness").
3. Yes, it does.
4. No. Unlike poison syringe, sedative syringe doesn't kill. Check #2.
5. Nope. Shooting people counts as a range combat kill. In final stats it comes in how many "shots fired" comparing with how many "shots hit". This is what designates your shooting during the mission.

Also, fiber wiring definitely counts as a close combat kill. It doesn't affect your "Silent Assassin" rating if you used to kill ONLY your targets with close combat kills.