Security In Iraq, Oct 1-7, 2016

Violence continued to fluctuate in Iraq. There was a drop in attacks, while casualties remained relatively stable. The government forces were in the midst of a new campaign to clear out the areas around Ramadi, some of which they had churned through before, while the Islamic State was carrying out minor counter attacks, and its usual terrorism in Baghdad.

There were 127 security incidents recorded in the first week of October. That was down from the previous weeks when violence increased in each week of September. This is the usual ebb and flow seen week to week in the country. Baghdad had the most attacks with 65, followed by 19 in Ninewa, 14 in Kirkuk, 11 in Diyala, 9 in Salahaddin, 8 in Anbar, and 1 in Babil.

274 deaths were reported and 331 wounded. 1 Sahwa, 2 Peshmerga, 11 members of the Iraqi Security Forces (ISF), 27 Hashd, and 233 civilians were killed, and 3 Sahwa, 7 Peshmerga, 20 ISF, 21 Hashd, and 280 civilian were injured during the week.

Starting last month the Iraqi forces began a new campaign to clear the area from Fallujah to Hit in central Anbar. At the start of October, Albu Jassim was attacked, and Albu Rathe, Sana, Albu Assaf, Trabsha, and Tal Aswad were freed in the Hit Island, Ramadi, and Ramadi Island districts. Some of these areas the Iraqi forces had gone through before such as Albu Jassim that had been cleared three times last year, and Albu Assad that had been freed the week before. The Islamic State responded with four counter attacks in the area, and a rocket attack upon Ramadi. In total there were 8 incidents, 4 killed, and 6 wounded in the governorate.

Violence remained high in Baghdad, which has become the focus of the militants. There were 65 incidents leading to 112 dead and 272 wounded. That happened while Iraqi officials were talking about increased security in the capital during Muharram, the start of the new year in the Islamic calendar. IS carried out three suicide bombings all on one day, and another was arrested before he could set off his device. Those attacks left 15 fatalities and 52 injured. The largest cause of casualties was the 37 IEDs. 19 bodies were also found across the province, including seven men and women who were killed by a firing squad. The most violent parts of the province were the south, 21 incidents, and the north, 17, along with 14 in the ast and 13 in the west.

Diyala continued to have scattered violence across the province. There were 11 incidents that left 4 dead and 3 wounded. As usual, IS attempted a mass casualty bombing, but was stifled when the car bomb was discovered in Khalis and dismantled.

There was a mix of Islamic State attacks and a mass execution in Kirkuk. IS executed 45 people in Hawija for breaking various rules. IS also attacked the Peshmerga five times over two days with several suicide bombers in the Daquq district. IS only carries out a few offensive operations a month in the governorate. That’s because it has mostly been hunkering down in Hawija, the last area under its control, and attempting to maintain control of the population there.

87 people lost their lives and 26 were injured in Ninewa during the week. 29 of those deaths came from executions in Mosul and Qayara. Another 44 people were killed and 16 wounded in two air strikes blamed upon the U.S.-led coalition. One of those was a friendly fire incident that left 21 Hashd dead. IS also attacked the Iraqi forces and Peshmerga six times including two large ones that included suicide bombers and car bombs.

IS went nearly dormant in Salahaddin for several weeks, but has returned to its usual low level operations in October. It made four attacks in the Shirqat and Baiji area. Still violence remains at a very low level in the province with only 9 incidents, 14 dead, 6 wounded from October 1-7.

There were no successful car bombs in Iraq at the start of October. 11 were destroyed or dismantled with 1 in Diyala, 4 in Anbar, and 6 in Ninewa.

Violence In Iraq 2016

Date	Incidents	Dead	Wounded
JAN	723	2,418	1,986
FEB	657	1,685	1,724
MAR	681	1,684	2,095
APR	629	1,835	1,904
MAY	673	1,637	2,484
JUN	630	2,111	6,449
Jul 1-7	120	589	635
Jul 8-14	129	242	316
Jul 15-21	123	168	272
Jul 22-28	115	234	366
Jul 29-31	43	95	119
JUL	530	1,328	1,708
Aug 1-7	109	342	255
Aug 8-14	121	176	245
Aug 15-21	155	388	392
Aug 22-28	134	269	312
Aug 29-31	55	88	172
AUG	574	1,263	1,376
Sep 1-7	119	341	381
Sep 8-14	125	197	313
Sep 15-21	137	172	352
Sep 22-28	159	326	469
Sep 29-30	33	167	87
SEP	573	1,203	1,602
Oct 1-7	127	274	331

Security By Province Oct 1-7, 2016

Province	Incidents
Anbar	8 Incidents 4 Killed: 1 ISF, 3 Civilians 6 Wounded: 2 ISF, 4 Civilians 4 Shootings 2 IEDs 1 Rockets 4 Suicide Car Bombs Destroyed
Babil	1 Incident 2 Wounded: 2 ISF 1 IED
Baghdad	65 Incidents 112 Killed: 1 Sahwa, 4 ISF, 5 Hashd, 102 Civilians 272 Wounded: 3 Sahwa, 12 ISF, 16 Hashd, 241 Civilians 14 Shootings 37 IEDs 3 Sticky Bombs 3 Suicide Bombers 1 Suicide Bomber Arrested
Diyala	11 Incidents 4 Killed: 2 ISF, 2 Civilians 3 Wounded: 3 Civilians 6 Shootings 2 IEDs 1 Mortar 1 Car Bomb Dismantled
Kirkuk	14 Incidents 53 Killed: 1 ISF, 52 Civilians 16 Wounded: 2 Peshmerga, 3 ISF, 11 Civilians 7 Shootings 3 IEDs 1 Suicide Bomber 1 Rockets 1 Mortar 4 Suicide Bombers Killed/Arrested
Ninewa	19 Incidents 87 Killed: 2 ISF, 2 Peshmerga, 21 Hashd, 62 Civilians 26 Wounded: 5 Hashd, 5 Peshmerga, 16 Civilians 6 Shootings 2 Mortars 5 Suicide Bombers Killed 5 Car Bombs Destroyed
Salahaddin	9 Incidents 14 Killed: 1 ISF,  Hashd, 12 Civilians 6 Wounded: 1 ISF, 5 Civilians 7 Shootings 2 IEDs

Car Bombs In Iraq Oct 1-7, 2016

Date	Car Bombs	Dead	Wounded
Oct 1
Oct 2
Oct 3	Qayara, Ninewa – 6 destroyed
Oct 4
Oct 5	Hit, Anbar – 4 destroyed Khalis, Diyala – 1 destroyed
Oct 6
Oct 7
Totals	0 – 11 Destroyed

SOURCES

AIN, "Arrested a suicide bomber dressed as a woman near a primary school in Karrada," 10/5/16

Buratha News, "Daesh terrorists executed 45 people after detention southwest Kirkuk," 10/3/16

Al Maalomah, "14 Daash killed and the destruction of four car bombs in aerial bombardment western Anbar," 10/5/16

- "The death of two civilians and wounding four others in Daash pounding of west Ramadi," 10/1/16

- "Dismantled a car bomb center of Khalis," 10/5/16

Al Mada, "The deaths of dozens of Daesh repelled attack south of Mosul," 10/3/16

- "Killing and injuring eight soldiers in a suicide bombing southwest Baghdad," 10/3/16

Salaheddin, Sinan, "Attacks in Iraqi Capital Kill at Least 16 Civilians," Assocaited Press, 10/3/16

Sotaliraq, "Killing and woundign 26 members of the tribal crowd in international coalition bombing south Nineveh," 10/5/16