Security In Iraq, Nov. 22-28, 2015

Violence took another dip in Iraq during the fourth week of November. This was despite heavy fighting in Anbar and another mass grave being found in Sinjar with victims of the Islamic State.

There were 107 reported attacks in Iraq from November 22-28, 2015. That was down from 140 the week before, and the second lowest number of incidents of the year. This was another sign that violence has leveled off in the country. Baghdad had the most attacks as usual with 52, followed by 17 in Anbar, 13 in Salahaddin, 12 in Ninewa, 6 in Diyala, 4 in Babil, 2 in Kirkuk, and 1 in Sulaymaniya.

Those led to 288 dead and 258 wounded. There were 2 Yazidi fighters, 4 Hashd al-Shaabi, 16 Peshmerga, 26 Iraqi Security Forces (ISF), and 240 civilians killed and 3 Yazidi fighters, 7 Hashd, 11 Peshmerga, 15 ISF, and 225 civilians injured. Ninewa led the country during the week with 165 fatalities due to a mass grave being discovered there. There were also 59 deaths in Baghdad, 37 in Anbar, 11 in Kirkuk and Salahaddin each, and 4 in Babil, and 1 in Diyala. The total number of casualties, 546, was down from the week before when there were 778, but was in line with previous weeks such as the 619 from November 8-14, and the 502 from November 1-7. The Interior and Peshmerga ministries also revealed 1,322 police and 124 Peshmerga that were injured over the last year that they did not mention before.

Violence In Iraq By Week 2015

Date	Incidents	Dead	Wounded
Jan 1-7	205	466	464
Jan 8-14	176	733	518
Jan 15-21	193	403	528
Jan 22-28	197	492	899
Jan 29-31	91	306	568
JAN	862	2,400	2,977
Feb 1-7	159	408	688
Feb 8-14	178	443	566
Feb 15-21	175	592	383
Feb 22-28	178	391	730
FEB	690	1,834	2,367
Mar 1-7	186	373	595
Mar 8-14	156	398	656
Mar 15-21	170	1,304	505
Mar 22-28	186	273	406
Mar 29-31	76	205	219
MAR	774	2,553 + 4	2,381 + 150
Apr 1-7	130	218	422
Apr 8-14	140	674	531
Apr 15-21	175	729	717
Apr 22-28	167	497	483
Apr 29-30	51	162 + 7	182 + 299
APR	663	2,280	2,335
May 1-7	159	627	450
May 8-14	161	420	549
May 15-21	128	963	387
May 22-28	115	341 + 1,499	348
May 29-31	38	66	164 + 646
MAY	601	2,417 + 1,499	1,898 + 646
Jun 1-7	133	431	476
Jun 8-14	126	522 + 405	394
Jun 15-21	141	365	373
Jun 22-28	162	306	474
Jun 29-30	61	122 + 58	189 + 106
JUN	623	1,804	2,012
Jul 1-7	161	435	719
Jul 8-14	140	384	570
Jul 15-21	109	359	597 + 4,024
Jul 22-28	145	527	590
Jul 29-31	53	193 + 260	203 + 400
JUL	608	2,158	3,079 + 4,024
Aug 1-7	154	650 + 760	298
Aug 8-14	133	756	640
Aug 15-21	135	345	354
Aug 22-28	136	342	296
Aug 29-31	59	112	169
AUG	617	2,205 + 760	1,757
Sep 1-7	139	285	352
Sep 8-14	144	368	394
Sep 15-21	123	323	488
Sep 22-28	128	190	258
Sep 29-30	39	106 + 19	147 + 8
SEP	573	1,291 + 314	1,647 + 3,003
Oct 1-7	105	291	398
Oct 8-14	144	254	389
Oct 15-21	142	208	279
Oct 22-28	129	216	366
Oct 29-31	49	110	116 + 1
OCT	569	1,079	1,549
Nov 1-7	125	186	316
Nov 8-14	120	265	354
Nov 15-21	140	358	420
Nov 22-28	107	288	258 + 124 + 1,322

Security by Province Nov 2015

Provinces	Nov 1-7	Nov 8-14
Anbar	26 Incidents 9 Killed: 2 Civilians, 7 ISF 45 Wounded: 1 Hashd, 10 Civilians, 34 ISF 11 Shootings 3 IEDs 2 Mortars 19 Suicide Bombers Killed 24 Suicide Car Bombs Destroyed	11 Incidents 1 Killed: 1 Sahwa 3 Shootings 12 Suicide Bombers Killed 17 Suicide Car Bombs Destroyed
Babil	4 Incidents 3 Killed: 3 Civilians 12 Wounded: 12 Civilians 4 IEDs	3 Incidents 2 Killed: 2 Civilians 2 Wounded: 2 Civilians 2 Shootings 1 IED
Baghdad	47 Incidents 58 Killed: 1 Sahwa, 3 ISF, 54 Civilians 156 Wounded: 1 ISF, 155 Civilians 14 Shootings 22 IEDs 3 Sticky Bombs 1 Suicide Car Bomb Destroyed	54 Incidents 94 Killed: 2 Hashd, 5 ISF, 87 Civilians 263 Wounded: 3 Hashd, 19 ISF, 241 Civilians 12 Shootings 28 IEDs 7 Sticky Bombs 4 Suicide Bombers 1 Suicide Car Bomb
Basra	-	3 Incidents 2 Killed: 2 Civilians 2 Shootings 1 Sound Bomb
Diyala	7 Incidents 8 Killed: 2 Hashd, 2 Civilians, 4 ISF 4 Wounded: 4 Civilians 3 Shootings 1 IED	6 Incidents 4 Killed: 1 ISF, 1 Hashd, 2 Civilians 3 Wounded: 3 ISF 2 Shootings 1 IED 1 Suicide Car Bomb Destroyed
Kirkuk	6 Incidents 9 Killed: 1 ISF, 3 Civilians, 5 Peshmerga 16 Wounded: 4 ISF, 12 Peshmerga 3 Shootings 4 Suicide Bombers 1 Car Bomb	3 Incidents 1 Killed: 1 Peshmerga 2 Wounded: 2 Civilians 1 Shooting 1 IED 1 Sticky Bomb
Ninewa	14 Incidents 70 Killed: 7 Peshmerga, 63 Civilians 30 Wounded: 4 Civilians, 26 Peshmerga 5 Shootings 1 IED 1 Car Bomb 2 Mortars 4 Suicide Bombers Killed 1 Suicide Car Bomb Destroyed	21 Incidents 120 Killed: 23 Civilians, 45 Peshmerga, 52 ISF 53 Wounded: 53 Peshmerga 7 Shootings 2 IEDs 8 Suicide Bombers 1 Suicide Car Bomb 1 Mortar 1 Rockets 22 Suicide Bombers Killed 9 Suicide Car Bombs Destroyed
Salahaddin	21 Incidents 29 Killed: 3 Civilians, 12 ISF, 14 Hashd 53 Wounded: 24 ISF, 29 Hashd 7 Shootings 53 IEDs 3 Suicide Bombers 1 Suicide Car Bomb 1 Mortar 14 Suicide Bombers Killed 22 Car Bombs Destroyed	19 Incidents 40 Killed: 6 ISF, 9 Hashd, 24 Civilians 31 Wounded: 2 Hashd, 10 ISF, 19 Civilians 11 Shootings 3 IEDs 10 Suicide Bombers Killed 2 Suicide Car Bombs Destroyed 1 Car Bomb Destroyed

Provinces	Nov 15-21	Nov 22-28
Anbar	27 Incidents 17 Killed: 2 Hashd, 4 Civilians, 11 ISF 45 Wounded: 1 Hashd, 2 ISF, 42 Civilians 8 Shootings 1 IED 5 Mortars 3 Suicide Bombers Killed 2 Suicide Motorcycle Bombs Destroyed 20 Suicide Car Bombs Destroyed 14 Car Bombs Destroyed	17 Incidents 37 Killed: 2 Hashd, 17 ISF, 18 Civilians 11 Wounded: 11 Civilians 3 Shootings 2 IEDs 1 Suicide Car Bomb 1 Mortar 1 Suicide Bomber Killed 5 Suicide Car Bombs Destroyed 9 Car Bombs Desroyed
Babil	7 Incidents 18 Killed: 4 ISF, 14 Civilians 35 Wounded: 1 Hashd, 4 ISF, 30 Civilians 2 Shootings 3 IEDs 1 Sticky Bomb 1 Suicide Bomber	4 Incidents 4 Killed: 2 Civilians, 2 Hashd 8 Wounded: 3 Hashd, 5 Civilians 1 Shooting 2 IEDs 1 Sticky Bomb
Baghdad	58 Incidents 62 Killed: 2 Hashd, 6 ISF, 54 Civilians 204 Wounded: 6 Hashd, 14 ISF, 184 Civilians 14 Shootings 37 IEDs 4 Sticky Bombs 1 Car Bomb Destroyed	52 Incidents 59 Killed: 3 ISF, 56 Civilians 172 Wounded: 6 ISF, 166 Civilians 8 Shootings 23 IEDs 9 Sticky Bombs 1 Mortar 1 Grenade 1 Motorcycle Bomb 1 Car Bomb 1 Car Bomb Destroyed
Diyala	3 Incidents 5 Killed: 5 Civilians 11 Wounded: 1 ISF, 10 Civilians 1 Shooting 1 IED 1 Motorcycle Bomb	6 Incidents 1 Killed: 1 ISF 16 Wounded: 3 ISF, 13 Civilians 2 Shootings 1 IED 1 Sticky Bobs 1 Mortar
Irbil	1 Incident 1 Shooting	-
Kirkuk	1 Incident 1 Shooting
Ninewa	23 Incidents 240 Killed: 1 PKK, 10 ISF, 27 Peshmerga, 202 Civilians 65 Wounded: 23 Peshmerga, 42 Civilians 20 Shootings 1 Car Bomb 1 Mortar 1 Rocket 1 Suicide Bomber Killed 8 Suicide Car Bombs Destroyed	12 Incidents 165 Killed: 2 Yazidi Fighters, 16 Peshmerga, 147 Civilians 13 Wounded: 3 Yazidi Fighters, 10 Peshmerga 5 Shootings 2 IEDs 2 Suicide Bombers Killed
Salahaddin	20 Incidents 16 Killed: 1 ISF, 8 Hashd, 7 Civilians 60 Wounded: 1 Asayesh, 9 Civilians, 19 ISF, 31 Hashd 18 Shootings 2 IEDs 2 Suicide Bombers Killed 3 Suicide Car Bombs Destroyed 4 Car Bombs Destroyed	13 Incidents 11 Killed: 5 ISF, 6 Civilians 40 Wounded: 6 ISF, 4 Hashd, 30 Civilians 10 Shootings 2 IEDs 1 Suicide Car Bomb 1 Suicide Car Bomb Destroyed 1 Car Bomb Destroyed
Sulaymaniya	-	1 Incident 1 Wounded: 1 Peshmerga 1 Sticky Bomb

The majority of Ramadi was declared freed of the Islamic State, but there was also some backtracking. On November 24, the authorities said that 22 of the city’s 39 neighborhoods were cleared. The joint forces also took the February 8 district, along with Rumaila and Hurriya outside of Ramadi. At the same time, they returned to 5 Kilo, Palestine Bridge, Husaiba, and Jubba during the week as well, all of which had been taken before, sometimes several times such as Husaiba. That’s been the nature of the fighting in that region with the government jumping the gun and calling places freed before they are, and IS re-infiltrating others leading them to be constantly changing hands.

There were also continued operations in the Haditha and Garma districts. Those have been going on for months. The latter has been especially frustrating because the center was surrounded during the summer and then stalled.

During the fourth week of November violence in the capital province shifted to the east. During the previous two weeks the south had the most security incidents, but from November 22-28 there were 19 in the east, 14 in the south, 12 in the north, 7 in the center, and 5 in the west. Eastern Baghdad is always a mix of IS attacks, criminal acts, vigilantes, and Hashd. For example, there were three kidnappings and five dead bodies dumped in the area during the week that were probably not the work of the militants.

Violence In Baghdad Nov 22-28, 2015

Center: 7 – 1 Robbery, 2 IEDs, 4 Sticky Bombs

East: 12 – 1 Stabbing, 1 Grenade, 3 Shootings, 3 Kidnappings, 4 IEDs

Outer East: 2 – 1 Shooting, 1 IED

North: 9 – 1 Stabbing, 2 Shootings, 3 IEDs, 3 Sticky Bombs

Outer North: 3 – 3 IEDs

South: 6 – 1 Shooting, 1 Sticky Bomb, 4 IEDs

Outer South: 8 – 1 Car Bomb, 1 Kidnapping, 1 Mortar, 5 IEDs

West: 5 – 1 Motorcycle Bomb, 1 Car Bomb Dismantled, 1 Shooting, 1 Sticky Bomb, 1 IED

In Ninewa, IS continued with its executions, a mass grave was discovered, while political disputes over the future of Sinjar exploded into gunfire. First, IS killed 24 people in Mosul including one former candidate, 11 provincial employees, and 12 college students. On November 28, the bodies of 123 Yazidis were discovered in the Sinjar district. Three days before that there was a shootout between Yazidi fighters and Peshmerga from the Kurdistan Democratic Party (KDP). The conflict started when the Peshmerga blocked the Yazidis from entering the town of Qabusiya. The Yazidis claimed that the Kurds were protecting people who had collaborated with the Islamic State because they had ties with the KDP. Tensions rose and two Yazidis were killed and three wounded, and five Peshmerga were injured. This was part of the larger struggle for control of the district. The KDP historically ran the area, but after they abandoned it in the face of IS several Yazidi groups have attempted to assert their independence from the party. The Kurdistan Workers Party (PKK) has also sent in fighters, which has caused more conflict. On November 25 for instance, the pro-KDP paper Bas News accused the PKK and a local Yazidi leader Haidar Sesho of trying to get Sinjar Yazidis to join a Hashd group that would be funded by Baghdad. These tensions will likely continue for the foreseeable future as all of these parties vie for influence.

IS launched a major counterattack north of Baiji during the week. On November 22, the group attacked and seized part of Siniya, the Baiji fertilizer plant, and sections of the Makhoul Mountains. It also attacked the Alas and Ajeel oil fields and another town on that same day. The joint forces are still mopping up the Baiji area and heavy fighting continues in the region. IS is trying to make a comeback there, and some areas are likely to remain contested, but IS has largely been defeated.

IS also launched a suicide car bombing in Tuz Kharmato on November 28 that killed 8 and wounded 22. The week before there were clashes between Peshmerga and the Hashd that raised ethnic tensions there. The Islamic State was obviously trying to exploit this situation by setting off a car bomb to increase the conflict.

Finally, IS’s car bomb campaign saw a major slowdown during the week. There were just 20 vehicle borne improvised explosive devices (VBIEDs) launched during the week, down from 51 the week before, 32 the week before that, and 56 in the first week of the month. Three car bombs hit their targets in Anbar, Baghdad, and Salahaddin. Another 17 were destroyed before reaching their targets. Anbar had the most with 15, followed by 3 in Salahddin and 2 in Baghdad.

Car Bombs In Iraq, November 2015

Date	Location	Dead	Wounded
Nov 1	Subhait, Anbar – 1 destroyed Obied, Baghdad – 1 destroyed Rabia, Ninewa – 1 destroyed
Nov 2	Balad, Salahaddin – 1 destroyed
Nov 3	Dibis, Kirkuk West of Ramadi, Anbar – 5 destroyed Leine, Salahaddin – 1 destroyed		3
Nov 4	Hardan, Ninewa Adil & Rashad, Anbar – 9 destroyed	1	15
Nov 5	Zankura, Anbar – 1 destroyed Siniya, Salahaddin – 7 destroyed
Nov 6	Baiji, Salahddin Albu Faraj & Jeraishi, Anbar – 4 destroyed Sukker, Salahaddin – 13 destroyed	7	20
Nov 7	Albu Hayat – 9 destroyed
Totals	3 – 53 Destroyed	8	38
Nov 8	Sadr City, Baghdad Albu Hayat, Anbar – 1 destroyed Mkeshivh, Salahaddin – 1 destroyed	6	21
Nov 9	Albu Faraj, Anbar – 1 destroyed Samarra, Salahaddin – 2 destroyed
Nov 10
Nov 11
Nov 12	Fallujah, Anbar – 6 destroyed Sinjar, Ninewa – 6 destroyed
Nov 13	Niamiya & Subhait, Anbar – 7 destroyed
Nov 14	Sinjar, Ninewa Albu Faraj, Anbar – 2 destroyed Mandali, Diyala – 1 destroyed Harden, Ninewa – 3 destroyed	2	23
Totals	2 - 30 Destroyed	8	44
Nov 15	Albu Faraj & Jeraishi, Anbar – 4 destroyed
Nov 16	Haraym, Ninewa 5 Kilo, Albu Faraj, Zaytoun, ? – 10 destroyed Haraym, Ninewa – 1 destroyed	12	20
Nov 17	5 Kilo & Jeraishi, Anbar – 9 destroyed Raood Bridge, Bahgdad – 1 destroyed Makhoul Mts, Salahaddin – 3 destroyed
Nov 18	Albu Faraj, Anbar – 4 destroyed Bashiqa, Ninewa – 1 destroyed Massoud & Mkeshivh, Salahaddin – 4 destroyed		12
Nov 19	Albu Faraj, Anbar – 2 destroyed
Nov 20	Albu Faraj, Anbar – 4 destroyed
Nov 21	Mosul Dam, Ninewa – 7 destroyed
Totals	1 – 50 Destroyed	12	32
Nov 22	Albu Faraj & Ramadi, Anbar – 2 destroyed
Nov 23	5 Kilo, Ramadi, Subhait, Anbar – 9 destroyed Amiriya, Baghdad – 1 destroyed
Nov 24	Albu Dujail & north of Ramadi, Anbar – 2 destroyed
Nov 25	Madain, Baghdad South of Baiji, Salahaddin – 1 destroyed	2	8
Nov 26	Haditha, Anbar – 1 destroyed Salam, Salahaddin – 1 destroyed
Nov 27	Jubba, Anbar	17
Nov 28	Tuz Kharmato, Salahddin	8	22
Totals	3 – 17 Destroyed	27	30

SOURCES

Agence France Presse, "Bomb-rigged mass grave of IS's victims found in Iraq," 11/28/15

AIN, "terrorist car bombing resulted in the martyrdom and wounding of 10 civilians," 11/25/15

Buratha News, "Daash terrorists execute 12 university students in Mosul on charges of incitement," 11/22/15

- "Eight Daash killed and a truck bomb destroyed west Ramadi," 11/22/15

ezidiPress, “Background story of clashes between Yezidi and Muslim Peshmerga in Shingal,” 11/26/15

Al Forat, "Killing and wounding 85 Daash in various operations," 11/23/15

Iraq Times, "30 martyrs and wounded toll of Tuz bombing in Salahuddin," 11/28/15

Lambert, Fred, "Islamic State militants counter-attack in Iraq's Saladin province," UPI, 11/22/15

Al Mada, "Freed last neighborhood of Five Kilometers area west of Ramadi," 11/23/15,

Al Mada, "Island Operations: The killing of seven Daash and detonation of a bomb west Anbar," 11/26/15

- "Joint forces repel a Daash suicide  car bomb attack south of Baiji," 11/2/15

- "Start of a military operation to clear the eastern axis of Ramadi," 11/28/15,

- "Three car bombs destroyed by bombing east of Fallujah," 11/23/15

Mamoun, Abdelhak, "Anti-Terrorism announces liberation of 22 neighborhoods out of 39 in Ramadi," Iraqi News, 11/24/15,

Al Masalah, "Destruction of a suicide car bomb in Ramadi," 11/24/15

- "War media declares victories of joint forces, "11/24/15

New Sabah, "Offensive operationsa re ongoing and security forces keep the Daash danger away from Khalidiya after the liberation of Rumaila," 11/27/15

- "Security forces thwart 7 attacks by Daash on Ramadi," 11/23/15

NINA, "Daash executed 11 employees in Mosul and detained 20 others," 11/24/15

- "Daash executed a candidate for parliament, south of Mosul," 11/26/15

- “Five elements of the Peshmerga injured in an armed clash with the Yazidi forces in Sinjar,” 11/25/15

- "Security Forces Liberate (8 February Area) In Ramadi, Kill Dozens Terrorists," 11/23/15,

Salih, Hemin, “PKK Offshoot Behind Attempts to Establish Hashd al-Shaabi Unit in Sinjar,” Bas News, 11/25/15

Shafaq News, "Anbar operations forces make a Convergence between the two axes of Ramadi and raise the Iraqi flag over a bridge," 11/25/15,

- "Joint Iraqi forces announce the outcomes of their battles with Daash for Thursday," 11/26/15

Sotaliraq, "Dismantling of a car bomb west Baghdad," 11/23/15

Xinhua, "23 killed in suicide bomber, air strike in Iraq," 11/27/15