Security In Iraq Oct 1-7, 2017

Iraq continued to experience new lows in violence throughout the country. From October 1-7, 2017, there were the second lowest recorded number of security incidents and the fewest casualties of the year.

There was a total of just 63 incidents the first week of October. That was the second lowest of the year with only September 22-28 having a lower figure at 52. By province that broke down to 14 incidents in Baghdad, 13 in Ninewa, 11 in Diyala, 7 in Anbar and Kirkuk each, 5 in Babil, 4 in Salahaddin, 1 in Basra, and 1in Karbala.

Security Incidents In Iraq By Province Oct 1-7, 2017

Baghdad 14

Ninewa 13

Diyala 11

Anbar 7

Kirkuk 7

Babil 5

Salahaddin 4

Basra 1

Karbala 1

Those incidents led to the fewest number of dead and wounded reported in the media. There were just 60 deaths and 82 wounded. 1 Sahwa, 4 members of the Iraqi Security Forces (ISF), 14 Hashd, and 41 civilians lost their lives, and 2 ISF, 32 Hashd, and 48 civilians were injured. 60 of those occurred in Baghdad, 50 in Ninewa, 12 in Babil, 12 in Diyala, 3 in Anbar, 3 in Kirkuk, and 1 each in Basra and Salahaddin.

Casualties In Iraq By Province Oct 1-7, 2017

Baghdad 60 (14 Killed, 46 Wounded)

Ninewa 50 (31 Killed, 19 Wounded)

Babil 12 (4 Killed, 8 Wounded)

Diyala 12 (4 Killed, 8 Wounded)

Anbar 3 (3 Killed)

Kirkuk 3 (3 Killed)

Basra 1 (1 Killed)

Salahaddin 1 (1 Wounded)

The Islamic State was again very active in Anbar province. It launched 5 separate attacks that included multiple suicide bombers almost all in the center of the governorate, one of which targeted a base used by the army’s 8^th Division. In total, 16 suicide bombers were killed in those incidents. This followed a large operation the week before when the insurgents assaulted three areas outside of Ramadi. While the Iraqi forces are preparing to clear out the last section of Anbar still under the militants control in the west, they have re-asserted themselves along the towns and cities in the middle of the province.

Babil saw 5 incidents leading to the 13 dead and wounded amongst the ISF and Hashd. Almost all of them were in the Jurf al-Sakhr district in the northwest. That area has been devoid of civilians since the security forces cleared all of them out in 2014. In recent months however, IS has been re-infiltrating to carry out almost daily attacks upon the joint forces. That has been escalating as two suicide bombers were killed during the week.

Baghdad witnessed another new low in attacks. There were just 14 incidents leading to 14 deaths and 46 wounded. A car bomb went off Husseiniya in the north leaving 3 dead and 17 injured. When the Mosul battle began at the end of 2016, IS withdrew many of its cells from the capital. A new Baghdad Operations commander was also appointed that has been focusing upon the outer towns in the province where IS operates out of. While there are still daily incidents, it is a fraction of what they used to leaving Baghdad to experience the safest period since 2003.

Diyala and Salahaddin are the two main areas where the Islamic State is rebuilding. There were 11 incidents in Diyala and just 4 in Salahaddin. There were three shootouts with the security forces in the latter, and one in the former. Salahaddin just witnessed the liberation of the last district, Shirqat, that was under IS control. They are probably trying to re-organize and re-locate as a result.

Almost all the 7 incidents recorded in Kirkuk had to do with the on-going Hawija operation in the south. That accounted for a suicide bomber that was killed, and five car bombs destroyed. There is only a small sliver of the Hawija district still under the militants’ jurisdiction, which will be liberated shortly. Since Mosul, IS has collapsed as a conventional fighting force. Its men have lost morale and are surrendering in large numbers for the first time. Around 1,000 gave themselves up to the Kurds during the Hawija campaign after the Wali of the district reportedly told them to turn themselves over to the Peshmerga.

In Ninewa, the militants were still active throughout the province. Most of these were small such as shootings or an IED going off. The militants did carry out three separate suicide attacks however all in the west. IS also hit a Hashd base in Qaraqosh with a suicide bomber and car bomb, but no casualties were reported.

Security In Iraq 2017

Week	Security Incidents	Dead	Wounded
Jan 1-7	188	509	1,346
Jan 8-14	168	371	1,036
Jan 15-21	137	585	1,262
Jan 22-28	145	289	310
Jan 29-31	74	127	338
JAN	712	1,881	4,292
Feb 1-7	123	388	176
Feb 8-14	164	434	390
Feb 15-21	148	393	508
Feb 22-28	185	647 + 399	1,390 + 1,634
FEB	620	1,862 + 399	2,464 + 1,634
Mar 1-7	179	749	622
Mar 8-14	171	551	614
Mar 15-21	143	571	1,166
Mar 22-28	152	1,233	575
Mar 29-31	71	374 + 278	288 + 2,925
MAR	716	3,478 + 278	3,265 + 2,925
Apr 1-7	174	903	487
Apr 8-14	126	599	669
Apr 15-21	108	479	449
Apr 22-28	122	698	328
Apr 29-30	39	138	51
APR	569	2,817	1,984
May 1-7	106	405	468
May 8-14	109	601	386
May 15-21	132	363	224
May 22-28	106	433	150
May 29-31	69	214	236
MAY	522	2,016	1,464
Jun 1-7	136	1,403	487
Jun 8-14	127	658	174
Jun 15-21	114	480	101
Jun 22-28	119	340	246
Jun 29-30	37	349	127
JUN	533	3,230	1,135
JAN-JUN	3,669	15,262 + 677	14,497 + 4,559
Jul 1-7	141	798	331
Jul 8-14	105	298	86
Jul 15-21	87	124	72
Jul 22-28	107	189	122
Jul 29-31	37	50	25
JUL	477	1,459	636
Aug 1-7	80	143	188
Aug 8-14	88	955	124
Aug 15-21	73	97	100
Aug 22-28	85	674	132
Aug 29-31	31	30	40
AUG	357	1,958	1,261
Sep 1-7	62	68	73
Sep 8-14	78	412	176
Sep 15-21	91	145	180
Sep 22-28	52	78	104
Sep 29-30	23	25	16
SEP	306	728	549
Oct 1-7	63	60	82

Violence By Province Oct 1-7, 2017

Province	Violence
Anbar	7 Incidents 3 Killed 3 Civilians 1 IED 16 Suicide Bombers Killed
Babil	5 Incidents 4 Killed 1 ISF 3 Hashd 8 Wounded 2 ISF 6 Hashd 2 Shootings 1 IED 1 Sticky Bomb Dismantled 2 Suicide Bombers Killed
Baghdad	14 Incidents 14 Killed 1 Sahwa 2 Hashd 11 Civilians 46 Wounded 7 Hashd 39 Civilians 5 Shootings 7 IEDs 1 Sticky Bomb 1 Car Bomb
Basra	1 Incident 1 Killed 1 ISF
Diyala	11 Incidents 4 Killed 2 ISF 2 Civilians 8 Wounded 1 Civilian 7 Hashd 6 Shootings 3 IEDs 1 Sticky Bomb 1 Suicide Bomber Killed
Karbala	1 Incident 1 Shooting
Kirkuk	7 Incidents 3 Killed 3 Civilians 1 Shooting 1 Mortar 1 Grenade 1 Suicide Bomber Killed 5 Car Bombs Destroyed
Ninewa	13 Incidents 31 Killed 9 Hashd 22 Civilians 19 Wounded 8 Civilians 11 Hashd 2 Shootings 5 IEDs 1 Suicide Bomber 1 Car Bomb 7 Suicide Bombers Killed
Salahaddin	4 Incidents 1 Wounded 1 Hashd 1 Shooting 9 Suicide Bombers Killed

SOURCES

Anadolu Agency, "2 suicide bombers shot dead in southern Iraq," 10/1/17

Baghdad Post, "20 civilians killed, injured in blast near mosque in Baghdad," 10/5/17

- "Anbar police kill 5 ISIS suicide bombers in Ramadi," 9/28/17

BBC, “Iraqi forces storm IS-held town of Hawija,” 10/4/17

Al Ghad Press, "An area in western Ramadi was attacked by rockets," 9/28/17

Iraq Newspaper, "Iraqi Newspaper: A Terrorist Suicide Bomber Targeting The Eight Division In Anbar," 10/6/17

Al Maalomah, "The popular crowd foils a suicide attack on Jurf al-Sakhr," 10/1/17

Al Masalah, "Popular crowd repulsed suicide attack near the Riyad district of Hawija," 10/7/17

Mostafa, Nehal, "Army, tribal forces kill five suicide attackers, south of Ramadi," Iraqi News, 10/1/17

- "Four IS suicide attackers killed in confrontations with security in Hit," 10/1/17

- "Iraqi troops kill IS suicide attackers in train station in Anbar," Iraqi News, 10/7/17

- "Three IS suicide bombers killed in confrontations with security in Ramadi," Iraqi News, 10/5/17

NINA, "3 Suicide Bombers Killed South Of Mosul," 10/4/17

- "Five Suicide Bombers Killed By The Popular Mobilization Forces in Mosul," 10/2/17

- "Three car bombs and a vehicle carrying a cannon destroyed in an air strike in Hawija," 10/5/17

Nordland, Rod, “ISIS Fighters, Having Pledged to Fight or Die, Surrender en Masse,” New York Times, 10/8/17

Al Rafidain, "Daesh Attacks The Popular Crowd In The Hamdaniya Triangle On The Iraqi-Syrian Border," 10/3/1

Waradana, "Dead and wounded police officers in a suicide bombing targeting a checkpoint," 9/28/17