Talk of a new civil war emerging in Iraq has already begun
to be discussed by some media outlets. The Islamic State (IS) has been working
for at least a year if not more to infiltrate its people into Baghdad to
restart street fighting there. It already has extensive networks in and out of
the capital city, which have allowed it to carry out several attacks a day in
the province from improvised explosive devices (IEDs) to sticky bombs to drive
by shootings to larger car bomb operations. The Baathist Naqsibandi is active
in northern Baghdad province as well. At the same time the Shiite militias have
been mobilizing since at least January 2014 and are now seen in the streets of
several neighborhoods and are deployed in the western section of the
governorate around Abu Ghraib. Together these forces have been carrying out a
series of executions and assassinations, and dumping the bodies on the streets.
The recent increase in such incidents could be one indicator that a civil
conflict is returning to the capital.
When reviewing and analyzing the number of bodies found in
Baghdad province it’s important to first note that not all are due to insurgents
or militias. Several women have been found stabbed for example, which could be
the result of honor killings by their families. Others could be the result of
common crime. It is impossible to tell what the causation was of all of these
incidents. People found handcuffed and blindfolded or multiple bodies dumped in
the same place however point to insurgents and militias. The first incident of
the year for example was four bodies found in Arab Jabour in the southeast of
the province, which the press believed was the work of a death squad on
January
1. Then on
January
3 two women were found in the Tigris River in northern Baghdad, which could
have been the work of criminals, their families, or militants. Today there
continues to be a mix of such incidents.
July 6
a man was found in an empty lot strangled to death in Zafaraniya in the
southern part of the city, while
July 7
a man was shot and dumped in the east. What led to each death is impossible to
know and can only be inferred by how the body was found and the cause of death,
but even then a lot of speculation is involved.
The first thing that stands out is that the number of bodies
found has not followed a straight trajectory, but rather has gone up and down
and then up again. In January 2014 31 bodies were found in the province. Then 35
were discovered in February, 28 in March and April each. Then they began to
climb with 39 in May and 42 in June. The aggregate statistics show that there
could be a correlation between the recent militia mobilization in Baghdad and
the number of unidentified bodies found as they have reached a new high in the
last two month just as the Shiite gunmen began re-organizing in Iraq. Insurgents
were also ramping up their activities for their summer offensive, which could
also be a factor.
Bodies Dumped In
Baghdad Province 2014
Date
|
# of
Bodies Found
|
Order and Location Found
|
Jan 1-7
|
9
|
Arab Jabour, North,
Hurriya, Obeidi
|
Jan 8-14
|
8
|
Sabi al-Bour, Mansur x2
|
Jan 15-21
|
3
|
Mamil, East
|
Jan
22-28
|
5
|
Amil, Baya, Kadhimiya, Sadr
City
|
Jan 29-31
|
6
|
Arab Jabour, New Baghdad
|
Jan Total
|
31
|
|
Feb 1-7
|
9
|
Saidiya, Amil, Elam, North,
|
Feb 8-14
|
8
|
East, Abu Ghraib, Sadr City,
Obeidi, Husseiniya, New Baghdad
|
Feb 15-21
|
7
|
North, Obeidi, Shula,
Talabiya, South
|
Feb 22-28
|
11
|
Sadr City, Southwest, Jkok,
Mashtil Army Base, Shamiya, Abu Ghraib, Arab Jabour, Sadr City
|
Feb Total
|
35
|
|
Mar 1-7
|
9
|
Rasheed, Yusifiya,
Meshahda, Saidiya, Ghaziliya, Sadr City, Rashad
|
Mar 8-14
|
3
|
Arab Jabour
|
Mar 15-21
|
5
|
Sadr City, Abu Ghraib, East
|
Mar 22-28
|
7
|
Yusifiya, Hurriya, Arab
Jabour, Hurriya, Qahira, Sadr City
|
Mar 29-31
|
4
|
Husseiniya, Obeidi, Rasheed
|
Mar Total
|
28
|
|
Apr 1-7
|
6
|
Sadr City, Shurta Rabia,
Ghaziliya
|
Apr 8-14
|
3
|
Obeidi, Abu Ghraib,
Latifiya
|
Apr 15-21
|
6
|
Arab Jabour, Dora
|
Apr 22-28
|
13
|
Dora, Shula. Madain, Arab
Jabour, Sadr City
|
Apr 29-30
|
-
|
|
Apr Total
|
28
|
|
May 1-7
|
15
|
Shula, Madain, Yusifiya,
Obeidi, East
|
May 8-14
|
12
|
Jadriya, Zafaraniya, Jkok,
Kadhimiya, East, Shula, Abu Ghraib
|
May 15-21
|
8
|
South, Zafaraniya, East
|
May 22-28
|
2
|
Obeidi
|
May 29-31
|
2
|
Sadr City
|
May Total
|
39
|
|
Jun 1-7
|
9
|
Yusifiya, Ghaziliya,
Yusifiya, North
|
Jun 8-14
|
3
|
Shurta Rabia, Zafaraniya
|
Jun 15-21
|
15
|
East, Benuk, Qahira, Abu
Dishir, Zafaraniya
|
Jun 22-28
|
14
|
Amil, Canal St, Amil, Shula
|
Jun 29-30
|
1
|
Baya
|
Jun Total
|
42
|
|
Jul 1-7
|
11
|
Amil, Jihad, Ahrar, Sadr
City, Shula, Zafaraniya, Obeidi
|
Multiple bodies found in the same location is usually a
harbinger of armed groups. The monthly totals have not followed the exact same
pattern as those for the number of dead bodies overall. There were 25 in
January, 18 in February, 14 in March, 22 in April, 32 in May, and 36 in June. That
showed a dip after January before reaching a new high by the summer. Looking at
the location of these incidents also shows that many took place in the
outskirts of Baghdad province or the perimeter of the city. Arab Jabour for
example is just outside of the city limits to the south. 21 bodies have been
found there from January to July 7. Not only that but five were members of the
Sahwa. Zafaraniya is to the east of Arab Jabour by the Rasheed Airport. Bodies
only began appearing there in May, but nine have been discovered so far. Dora
is in southern Baghdad proper and six bodies have turned up there. All these
incidents appear to be the work of the Islamic State that has attempted to
infiltrate southern Baghdad province from Babil. On the other hand, 12 bodies
have been discovered in Sadr City, which is a Shiite stronghold. The question
was who were the victims however? Were they residences of that neighborhood or
people abducted in other areas and dumped there? There’s no telling. Militias
carrying out murders in Baghdad however was confirmed by a parliamentarian from
State of Law who
told
Reuters that after the June 10 fall of Mosul there were a number of
retaliatory killings and dumping of bodies in the capital.
Incidents Of Multiple
Bodies Found In Baghdad Province 2014
Jan 1 4 Bodies Arab Jabour
Jan 3 2 Bodies North
Jan 4 2 Bodies Hurriya
Jan 8 3 Bodies Sabi al-Bour
Jan 14 4 Bodies Mansour
Jan 18 2 Bodies East
Jan 22 2 Bodies Sadr City
Jan 29 3 Sahwa Arab Jabour, 3 Bodies New Baghdad
JAN TOTAL 25
Feb 3 4 Bodies Amil
Feb 6 3 Bodies North
Feb 12 3 Bodies Obeidi
Feb 16 3 Bodies North
Feb 28 3 Bodies Sadr City 2 Bodies Arab Jabour
FEB TOTAL 18
Mar 2 2 Bodies Meshahda
Mar 6 2 Bodies Rashad
Mar 8 3 Bodies Arab Jabour
Mar 16 3 Bodies Abu Ghraib
Mar 25 2 Sahwa Arab Jabour
Mar 31 2 Bodies Obeidi
MAR TOTAL 14
Apr 6 4 Bodies Shurta Rabia
Apr 15 3 Bodies Arab Jabour
Apr 19 3 Bodies Dora
Apr 25 3 Bodies Dora
Apr 26 3 Bodies Madain 4 Bodies Arab Jabour
Apr 27 2 Bodies Sadr City
APR TOTAL 22
May 4 3 Bodies Shula 7 Bodies Madain
May 7 3 Bodies East
May 12 3 Bodies Jkok 3 Bodies Kadhimiya
May 13 2 Bodies East
May 19 5 Bodies Zafaraniya
May 21 2 Bodies East
May 28 2 Bodies Obeidi
May 31 2 Bodies Sadr City
MAY TOTAL 32
Jun 5 4 Bodies Ghaziliya
Jun 6 2 Bodies North 2 Bodies Yusifiya
Jun 9 2 Bodies Zafaraniya
Jun 16 4 Bodies East
Jun 17 4 Bodies Benuk
Jun 18 4 Bodies Abu Dishir
Jun 21 2 Bodies Zafaraniya
June 22 3 Bodies Amil
Jun 24 9 Bodies Amil
JUN TOTAL 36
Jul 1 3 Bodies Sadr City 2 Bodies Ahrar
Jul 5 2 Bodies Shula
Some have attempted to use dumped bodies in Baghdad province
as a sign that a civil war might be re-emerging in Iraq. The statistics show
there is some substance to that argument. There have been more of these types
of deaths in the last two months. The return of the militias was one cause, but
the insurgents have increased their infiltrate into the capital as well. Either
way it is obvious that this type of violence is becoming more prominent in
Baghdad province and may get worse in the coming months.
SOURCES
AIN, "Mortar shell targets Green Zone," 2/4/14
Alsumaria, "Found five unidentified bodies in different parts
of Baghdad," 6/23/14
- "Found the body of a young man shot and spent the east of
Baghdad," 2/14/14
- "Found three unidentified bodies north of Baghdad,"
2/16/14
-
"Four bodies were found in different pars of Baghdad," 7/1/14
Aswat al-Iraq, "3 bodies found in New Baghdad area,"
1/29/14
- "8 persons killed after kidnapping in Baghdad," 5/4/14
Buratha News, "Body Found "charred" in eastern
Baghdad," 3/16/14
- "Finding the bodies of three unidentified men who were
killed by firing squad in the Dora district of southern Baghdad," 3/8/14
- "Finding the bodies of three unknown women north of
Baghdad," 1/8/14
- "Found an unidentified body with infected wounds in the
area of the embankment east of Baghdad," 3/18/14
- "Found dead an awakening dump shot dead south of
Baghdad," 4/13/14
- "Found four unidentified bodies in different parts of
Baghdad," 6/5/14
- "Found four unidentified bodies in western Baghdad,"
4/6/14
- "Found the bodies of four out of eight people kidnapped two
days ago in Tarmiya, north of Baghdad," 3/1/14
- "Found the bodies of two elements of the awakening dumped
and shot in Tarmiya, north of Baghdad," 2/4/14
- "Found the bodies of two unidentified men dumped and shot
in the chest," 4/27/14
-
"Found the bodies of two unidentified men in the area of Sadr City in
eastern Baghdad," 7/1/14
- "Found the bodies of two unidentified men shot and dumped
east of Baghdad," 5/21/14
- "Found the body of a child from an awakening member
strangled in Tarmiya, north of Baghdad," 1/23/14
- "Found the body of a former Awakening dumped and shot dead
south of Baghdad," 5/5/14
- "Found the body of a leading role in awakening dumped stabbed
to death south of Baghdad," 6/2/14
- "Found the body of a man who was shot and dumped north of
Baghdad," 2/22/14
- "Found the body of a woman killed by firing squad in
eastern Baghdad," 2/9/14
- "Found the body of a young man spent shot south of Baghdad,"
2/21/14
- "Found the body of an unidentified man shot and dumped to
the west of Baghdad," 4/10/14
- "Found three unidentified bodies in Dora, south of
Baghdad," 4/25/14
- "Recover the body of an unidentified man from the Tigris
River south of Baghdad," 5/17/14
- "Unidentified bodies found in Shurta Rabia," 6/8/14
Dziadosz, Alexander, “Bruised Iraqi army leans on Shi’ite
militias, volunteers,” Reuters, 7/10/14
Al Forat, "Dead body discovered in Abo Gharib," 5/14/14
- "Unidentified body found northwest Baghdad," 4/26/14
Iraq Times, "Found four unidentified bodies in Arab Jabour,
south of Baghdad," 4/26/14
- "Found two unidentified bodies in Sadr City in eastern
Baghdad," 5/31/14
- "unidentified bodies: the phenomenon of returning to the
streets of the provinces," 4/19/14
Al Mada, "Body found with severed hands of an unidentified
young man dumped and stabbed to death in eastern Baghdad," 4/8/14
- "The body of a woman found stabbed to death west of
Baghdad," 1/9/14
- "The body of a young woman found strangled south of
Baghdad," 2/2/14
- "Finding the bodies of four unidentified men who were
killed by firing squad in eastern Baghdad," 6/16/14
- "Finding the bodies of four unidentified men who were
killed by firing squad, west of Baghdad," 1/14/14
- "Finding the bodies of three elements of the awakening
dumped and shot south of Baghdad," 1/29/14
- "Found four unidentified bodies riddled with gunshots south
of Baghdad," 6/18/14
- "Found the bodies of a woman and two men who died faceless
shot in eastern Baghdad," 5/7/14
- "Found the bodies of four people who were killed by death
squad south of Baghdad," 1/1/14
- "Found the bodies of two elements of the Awakening south of
Baghdad," 3/25/14
- "Found the bodies of two men dumped shot south of
Baghdad," 2/28/14
- "Found the bodies of two unidentified men shot and dumped
north-west of Baghdad," 1/4/14
- "Found the bodies of two unidentified men shot and spent to
the south west of Baghdad," 1/22/14
- "Found the bodies of two unidentified women stabbed to
death in eastern Baghdad," 5/13/14
- "Found the bodies of two young unidentified spent shot dead
in eastern Baghdad," 1/18/14
- "Found the body of a child dumped and shot southeast of
Baghdad," 5/11/14
- "Found the body of a man who was strangled inside his home
north of Baghdad," 1/26/14
- "Found the body of an unidentified man dumped and shot in
central Baghdad," 5/10/14
- "Found the body of an unidentified man shot and dumped in
east Baghdad," 3/28/14
- "Found the body of an unidentified man shot and dumped in
the east of Baghdad," 2/11/14
- "Found the body of an unidentified man shot and dumped in
the east of Baghdad," 3/3/14
- "Found the body of an unidentified man shot and dumped to
the west of Baghdad," 4/6/14
- "Found the body of an unidentified man shot and dumped west
of Baghdad," 2/26/14
- "Found the body of an unidentified woman who was shot dead
south west of Baghdad," 1/24/14
- "Found the body of an unidentified young man dumped and
shot dead in northwest Baghdad," 2/24/14
- "Found the body of an unidentified young man dumped stabbed
to death in eastern Baghdad," 2/17/14
- "Found three unidentified bodies north of Baghdad,"
5/11/14
- "Killing and wounding three soldiers in Tarmiyah and found
two bodies in al-Obeidi east of the capital," 3/31/14
- "The killing of three civilians in armed attack south of
Baghdad," 4/26/14
- "Recover the body of an unidentified man south west of
Baghdad," 2/24/14
- "Recovered the bodies dated back to unidentified young
women from the Tigris River north of Baghdad," 1/3/14
- "Three bodies of women found who had been dumped unknown
identity stabbed to death in eastern Baghdad," 2/12/14
- "Three bodies were found in the awakening of the elements
and the police dumped and shot dead north of Baghdad," 2/9/14
Al Masalah, "Finding the bodies of two unidentified men north
of Baghdad," 6/6/14
- "Finding the bodies of two unidentified men south of
Baghdad," 6/6/14
- "Found 9 unidentified bodies in Baghdad," 6/24/14
- "Found an unidentified body southeast of Baghdad,"
6/3/14
- "Found the body of a civilian in the area of Hurriya,"
3/24/14
- "Found three unidentified bodies in western Baghdad,"
6/22/14
- "Killing nine civilians and wounding 16, the explosion of
two car bombs in the area of Abu Dshir," 2/3/14
- "A man's body was found east of Baghdad," 2/25/14
- "Three civilians were killed in an armed attack in
different parts of Baghdad," 2/24/14
NINA, "A body found southeast of Baghdad," 2/25/14
- "Breaking News..14 Bodies for People Shot Dead were Found
North of Baghdad," 1/16/14
- "Civilian body found northeast of Baghdad," 3/31/14
- "Dead bodies of two unidentified men found in eastern
Baghdad," 5/28/14
- "Dead body of an employee found northwest of Baghdad,"
5/13/14
- "A dead body of an unidentified woman found in Husseiniya
northeast of Baghdad," 2/13/14
- "Five unidentified bodies found in Baghdad," 5/19/14
- "Police find our bodies in north and east of Baghdad,"
1/15/14
- "Police find three unidentified bodies west of
Baghdad," 5/4/14
- "Police finds a civilian body south of Baghdad,"
3/31/14
- "Six people killed, 22 others wounded in five separate
incidents in Baghdad," 6/9/14
- "Three bodies found in Baghdad," 3/2/14
- "Three bodies found in different parts in Baghdad,"
1/26/14
- "Three bodies found northwest of Baghdad," 5/12/14
- "Three unidentified bodies found in Arab Jabour area south
of Baghdad," 4/15/14
- "Two bodies found in Baghdad," 2/18/14
- "Two bodies found in two different areas in Baghdad,"
3/2/14
- "Two women bodies found east of Baghdad," 3/6/14
- "Unidentified body found east of Baghdad," 7/7/14
"Unidentified body
found in Baghdad," 3/25/14
- "Unidentified body found in northeast of Baghdad,"
3/26/14
- "An unidentified body found northwest of Baghdad,"
6/25/14
- "Unidentified body found in northeast of Baghdad,"
6/17/14
- "Au unidentified body found in southwest of Baghdad,"
6/30/14
- "Unidentified body found in west of Baghdad," 2/10/14
- "Unidentified body found in Sadr city," 4/1/14
- "Unidentified body found in south of Baghdad,"
7/6/14
|
- "Unidentified body
found south of Baghdad," 3/23/14
- "Unidentified body found west of Baghdad," 3/3/14
Nordland, Rod, "As Fighting Spreads Through Iraq, Sunni
Allies Turn on One Another," New York Times, 6/21/14
Al Rafidayn, "Found three unidentified bodies in Baghdad
dumped and shot," 3/16/14
Al Rayy, "Found the bodies of two unidentified men, west of
Baghdad," 7/5/14
|
- "Found three unidentified bodies north of Baghdad,"
2/6/14
Rubin, Alissa and Al-Salhy, Suadad, "44 Sunni Prisoners
Killed as Iraqi Violence Spreads," New York Times, 6/17/14
Salman, Duraid, Hamid, Ghassan, "Found three unidentified
bodies in eastern Baghdad," Alsumaria, 2/28/14
Xinhua, "49 killed in violence across Iraq," 5/12/14
