Mosul Remains As Violent As Ever

July 2009 saw a drop in deaths across Iraq, but the situation in Mosul, the third largest city in the country, stayed the same. The number of security incidents last month was exactly the same as June, with an increase in deaths and wounded. In July there were 73 incidents for an average of 2.35 per month. Those led to 79 deaths, 2.54 per day, and 169 wounded, 5.45 per day. Those compared to 73 incidents in June, 58 deaths, 1.93 per day, and 123 wounded, 4.1 per day. While not as high as October 2008, attacks and casualties from November 2008 to July 2009 have roughly stayed the same.

Attack Statistics In Mosul Based Upon Press Reports

July 2009
73 Attacks/Incidents – 2.35 attacks & incidents/day
79 Deaths – 2.54 deaths/day
169 Wounded – 5.45 wounded/day

June 2009
73 Attacks/Incidents – 2.43 attacks & incidents/day
58 Deaths – 1.93 deaths/day
123 Wounded – 4.1 wounded/day

May 2009
83 Attacks/Incidents – 3.06 attacks & incidents/day
64 Deaths – 2.06 deaths/day
164 Wounded – 4.70 wounded/day

April 2009
79 Attacks/Incidents – 2.63 attacks & incidents/day
53 Deaths – 1.76 deaths/day
191 Wounded – 6.36 wounded/day

March 2009
86 attacks/incidents – 2.77 attacks & incidents/day
69 deaths – 2.22 deaths/day
169 wounded – 5.45 wounded/day

February 2009
81 attacks/incidents – 2.89 attacks & incidents/day
58 deaths – 2.0 deaths/day
111 wounded – 3.96 wounded/day

January 2009
52 attacks/incidents – 1.67 attacks & incidents/day
56 deaths – 1.80 killed/day
85 wounded – 2.74 wounded/day

December 2008
65 attacks/incidents – 2.09 attacks & incidents/day
68 deaths – 2.19 deaths/day
181 wounded – 5.83 wounded/day

November 2008
65 attacks/incidents – 2.16 attacks & incidents/day
53 deaths – 1.76 deaths/day
249 wounded – 8.3 wounded/day

October 2008
92 attacks/incidents – 2.96 attacks & incidents/day
112 deaths – 3.61 deaths/day
188 wounded – 6.06 wounded/day

The major cause is the Arab-Kurdish divide. Immediately after the invasion the peshmerga swept into the city and began kicking out Arab families, and looting their businesses and government offices. American forces quickly put an end to that, but when the security situation deteriorated in the following years the U.S. came to rely upon the Kurdish militias more and more. During the Surge insurgents were also pushed into the city where they have been able to portray themselves as the protectors of the Arabs against the Kurds. Violence in the city is down from previous years, but has basically leveled off since the end of 2008. Several military offensives there by the U.S. and Iraqi forces since then have failed to have any real affect upon casualties. The election of the Al-Hadbaa List in the January 2009 election, far from relieving tensions in Ninewa have only increased them, meaning that violence is likely to continue in Mosul at the current rate for the foreseeable future.

SOURCES

Ahmed, Haim, “6 killed in Iraq Attacks,” Associated Press, 7/6/09

Aswat al-Iraq, “2 bombings in Mosul leave 31 casualties,” 7/8/09
- “2 children wounded in Mosul blast,” 7/29/09
- “2 civilians killed in Mosul shootings,” 7/14/09
- “2 killed, 2 wounded in bomb attack in Mosul,” 7/31/09
- “3 cops wounded by car bomb in Ninewa,” 7/16/09
- “6 Iraq soldiers wounded in Mosul blast,” 7/27/09
- “Bomb wounds 2 soldiers in Mosul,” 7/18/09
- “Car bomb in front of Shiite mosque wounds 3 kids,” 7/13/09
- “Car bomb wounds 8 in Ninewa,” 7/6/09
- “Civilian gunned down in western Mosul,” 7/6/09
- “Civilian killed in two car bomb blasts in Ninewa,” 7/24/09
- “Civilian shot down by gunman in Mosul,” 7/28/09
- “Cop gunned down in Mosul,” 7/5/09
- “Cop killed in Mosul shooting,” 7/7/09
- “Cop wounded in Mosul shooting,” 7/6/09
- “Gunman wounded while attacking patrol in Mosul,” 7/19/09
- “Gunmen blow up house in Mosul,” 7/21/09
- “Gunmen break into Pepsi factory, kill worker,” 7/26/09
- “Gunmen kill contractor in Mosul,” 7/4/09
- “Gunmen killed while planting bomb in Mosul,” 7/1/09
- “Gunmen shoot down armless man in Mosul,” 7/18/09
- “Hand grenade injures 7 in Ninewa,” 7/8/09
- “Mosul blast casualties up to 5 deaths, 52 wounded,” 7/11/09
- “Mosul car bomb wounded up to 14,” 7/5/09
- “Officer, civilian wounded in Mosul,” 7/21/09
- “Policeman killed by grenade blast in Mosul,” 7/5/09
- “Policeman killed in IED blast in Mosul,” 7/10/09
- “Policeman wounded in Mosul blast,” 7/16/09
- “Sticky bomb kills chieftain in Ninewa,” 7/27/09
- “Sticky IED kills servicemen in Mosul,” 7/13/09
- “Turkmen council chief wounded in Mosul blast,” 7/30/09
- “Woman wounded by roadside bomb in Mosul,” 7/8/09

Badkhen, Anna, “Kurds evicting Arabs in north Iraq,” San Francisco Chronicle, 4/19/03

Dagher, Sam, “Fractures in Iraq City as Kurds and Baghdad Vie,” New York Times, 10/28/08

DPA, “At least 30 killed, 37 injured in Baghdad attacks – update,” 7/31/09

Al Dulaimy, Mohammed, “Round-up of Daily Violence in Iraq-Monday 20 July 2009,” 7/20/09
Al Dulaimy, Mohammed, “Round-up of Daily Violence in Iraq-Monday 27 July 2009,” 7/27/09
- “Round-up of Daily Violence in Iraq-Tuesday 14 July 2009,” 7/14/09
- “Round-up of Daily Violence in Iraq-Tuesday 21 July 2009,” 7/21/09

Hammoudi, Laith, “Round-up of Daily Violence in Iraq – Monday 6 July 2009,” 7/6/09
- “Round-up of Daily Violence in Iraq – Wednesday 29 July 2009,” 7/29/09

Issa, Sahar, “Round-up of Daily Violence in Iraq – Wednesday 8 July, 2009,” 7/8/09

Myers, Steven Lee and Robertson, Campbell, “Insurgency Remains Tenacious In North Iraq,” New York Times, 7/10/09

Reuters, “FACTBOX-Security developments in Iraq, July 2,” 7/2/09
- “FACTBOX-Security developments in Iraq, July 3,” 7/3/09
- “FACTBOX-Security developments in Iraq, July 8,” 7/8/09
- “FACTBOX-Security developments in Iraq, July 17,” 7/17/09
- “FACTBOX-Security developments in Iraq, July 20,” 7/20/09
- “FACTBOX-Security developments in Iraq, July 30,” 7/30/09
- “FACTBOX-Security developments in Iraq, July 31,” 7/31/09

Xinhua, “10 wounded in bomb attacks in N Iraq,” 7/5/09
- “Four policemen, gunman killed in N Iraq,” 7/7/09