Friday, November 3, 2017

913 Killed 721 Wounded In Iraq In October 2017


Iraq is witnessing some of the lowest violence since the 2003 invasion. Since the battle of Mosul concluded the Islamic State is retreating and rebuilding, and barely carrying out terrorist attacks let alone fighting in their last redoubts. October 2017 witnessed the fewest security incidents of the year, but had high casualty figures due to mass graves and fighting between the central and Kurdish regional governments.

In October, there were just 286 incidents reported in the press. That averaged out to just 9.2 incidents per day, the lowest figure of not only 2017, but in years. In comparison, in January 2016 there were an average of 23.3 incidents per day, and 22.9 in January 2017. Since Mosul, the Islamic State has collapsed and is barely carrying out operations compared to its previous levels.

By province there was 1 incident in Dhi Qar, 1 in Irbil, 2 in Basra, 2 in Karbala, 2 in Kurdistan, 4 in Sulaymaniya, 13 in Babil, 20 in Diyala, 23 in Salahaddin, 33 in Anbar, 45 in Kirkuk, 63 in Ninewa, and 77 in Baghdad.

Security Incidents In Iraq By Province Oct, 2017
Dhi Qar 1
Irbil 1
Basra 2
Karbala 2
KRG 2
Sulaymaniya 4
Babil 13
Diyala 20
Salahaddin 23
Anbar 33
Kirkuk 45
Ninewa 63
Baghdad 77

Despite the sharp decline in incidents there was a high number of casualties, especially the dead during the month. There were a total of 913 deaths and 721 wounded. 2 Sahwa, 2 Asayesh, 2 Turkish Soldiers, 13 Kurdistan Workers’ Party (PKK) members, 119 members of the Iraqi Security Forces (ISF), 144 Peshmerga, 172 Hashd al-Shaabi, and 424 civilians lost their lives, and 2 Sahwa, 8 Turkish Soldiers, 49 ISF, 172 Peshmerga, 222 Hashd, and 268 civilians were injured.

By province there were 1 casualty in Basra, 1 in Karblaa, 7 in Sulaymaniya, 10 in Kurdistan, 26 in Babil, 51 in Diyala, 77 in Salahaddin, 78 in Anbar, 210 in Baghdad, 321 in Kirkuk and 460 in Ninewa.

Casualties In Iraq By Province Oct, 2017
Basra 1 (1 Killed)
Karbala 1 (1 Killed)
Sulaymaniya 7 (3 Killed, 4 Wounded)
KRG 10 (5 Killed, 5 Wounded)
Babil 26 (5 Killed, 21 Wounded)
Diyala 51 (20 Killed, 31 Wounded)
Salahaddin 77 (20 Killed, 57 Wounded)
Anbar 78 (47 Killed, 31 Wounded)
Baghdad 210 (48 Killed, 162 Wounded)
Ninewa 469 (403 Killed, 66 Wounded)
Kirkuk 665 (321 Killed, 344 Wounded)

The Iraqi government started and stopped and started again its operation to free west Anbar, the last region of the country under Islamic State control. The haphazard progress was due to delays caused by the central government confronting the Kurds in Kirkuk and Ninewa, which put a hold on the campaign in Anbar. Even with the new fighting there was still just 33 incidents resulting in 47 dead and 31 wounded. Since October 2016 there has been roughly 1 incident per day, and that trend continued in October. Anbar has ceased to be a major battlefront and priority for the insurgents.

There were very few incidents in Babil, but it wasn’t the number that mattered, but their location. There were 13 incidents in the province, but almost all of them were in the Jurf al-Sakhr district in the northeast. This started just a few weeks ago as IS began re-infiltrating the area. This was made all the more difficult because there are no civilians there to hide amongst or gain support from. The militants are likely coming from the Anbar desert to the west and the rural towns of southern Baghdad in the north. They are regularly targeting the security forces every week now. That’s the reason why 25 of the 26 casualties during the month were members of the Hashd and ISF.

Violence has dropped off no place more than Baghdad. There were 77 incidents in October, which averaged out to 2.4 per day. The previous low was 2.6 in June. That might be the lowest figure since the 2003 invasion. Previously, when attacks were dropping IS would still attempt regular mass casualty bombings, but even those have declined. During the month, there was 1 successful car bomb, and 3 suicide bombings, 2 of which failed.

Diyala and Salahaddin were the two places where IS was rebuilding, but their operations took a dramatic drop in both governorates in October. There were 20 incidents in Diyala and 23 in Salahaddin or just 0.6 and 0.7 incidents per day respectively. For the former that was the lowest average since 0.8 in December 2017, and for the latter the fewest since 0.6 in that same month. In Diyala there was only one attempt at a mass casualty bombing, which resulted in a suicide bomber being killed. Before IS was trying at least one such bombing a week in the governorate. In Salahaddin they were more active with 1 suicide bombing, 4 car bombs destroyed, and 16 suicide bombers killed. That was still far fewer than previous months.  

Most of the violence in Kirkuk was driven by clashes between the federal and Kurdish forces. As Baghdad attempted to assert control over Kirkuk and the disputed areas there were a series of battles between the Iraqi forces and Peshmerga. As a result, a total of 55 ISF, 117 Peshmerga and 122 Hashd were killed and 15 ISF, 152 Hashd and 162 Peshmerga were wounded. On top of that, two mass graves were discovered in the Hawija district, which was recently liberated. One had the bodies of 50 ISF executed by the militants, and the other 219 civilians. Every time an area is cleared of the militants such atrocities are discovered. These incidents were a major reason why October had such a high death figure.

In Ninewa there was a mix of clashes between the government and Peshmerga, and low level insurgent attacks. First, 12 ISF, 15 Hashd and 25 Peshmerga along with 10 Peshmerga and 12 Hashd were wounded in the fighting between the two sides. On top of that, IS is still active across the province, although at a low level. That was topped off by an attack upon a Hashd base in Qaraqosh with a suicide bomber and a vehicle bomb. Finally, 60 bodies were recovered from the rubble in west Mosul, and a mass grave with 170 victims of the Islamic State was found south of the city.

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
64
60
84
Oct 8-14
72
133
85
Oct 15-21
60
321
449
Oct 22-28
65
337
78
Oct 29-31
25
23
25
OCT
286
913
721

Weekly Violence By Province In Iraq, Oct 2017

Oct 1-7
Oct 8-14
Oct 15-21
Oct 22-28
Oct 29-31
Anbar
7 Incidents
3 Killed
3 Civilians

1 IED
16 Suicide
   Bombers
   Killed
11 Incidents
35 Killed
35 Civilians
25 Wounded
25 Civilians

1 Shooting
2 Grenades
8 Suicide
   Bombers
   Killed
1 Car Bomb
   Dismantled
5 Incidents
1 Killed
1 ISF
2 Wounded
2 Civilians

1 Shooting
2 IEDs
3 Suicide
   Bombers
   Killed
7 Car Bombs
   Destroyed
5 Incidents
5 Killed
1 Hashd
4 ISF

1 IED
1 Car Bomb
2 Suicide Car
   Bombs
   Destroyed
5 Car Bombs
    Destroyed
5 Incidents
3 Killed
3 Civilians
4 Wounded
4 ISF

1 Shooting
2 IEDs
4 Car Bombs
    Destroyed


Oct 1-7
Oct 8-14
Oct 15-21
Oct 22-28
Oct 29-31
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
4 Incidents
6 Wounded
6 Hashd

2 Shootings
3 IEDs
2 Incidents
1 Killed
1 Civilian
2 Wounded
2 Hashd

1 Shooting
1 IED
1 Incident
2 Wounded
2 Hashd

1 IED
1 Incident
3 Wounded
1 ISF
2 Hashd


Oct 1-7
Oct 8-14
Oct 15-21
Oct 22-28
Oct 29-31
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
21 Incidents
7 Killed
1 Hashd
6 Civilians
40 Wounded
3 ISF
5 Hashd
32 Civilians

4 Shootings
11 IEDs
1 Sticky Bomb
1 Suicide
   Bomber
   Arrested
11 Incidents
8 Killed
8 Civilians
24 Wounded
3 ISF
21 Civilians

3 Shootings
7 IEDs
1 Sticky Bomb
23 Incidents
15 Killed
1 ISF
1 Sahwa
2 Hashd
11 Civilians
37 Wounded
2 ISF
2 Sahwa
3 Hashd
30 Civilians

7 Shootings
11 IEDs
1 Sticky Bomb
1 Suicide
   Bomber
1 Grenade
1 Suicide
   Bomber
   Arrested
8 Incidents
4 Killed
4 Civilians
15 Wounded
15 Civilians

1 Shooting
6 IEDs


Oct 1-7
Oct 8-14
Oct 15-21
Oct 22-28
Oct 29-31
Basra
1 Incident
1 Killed
1 ISF
-
-
1 Incident

1 IED
-


Oct 1-7
Oct 8-14
Oct 15-21
Oct 22-28
Oct 29-31
Dhi Qar
-
-
1 Incident

1 IED
-
-


Oct 1-7
Oct 8-14
Oct 15-21
Oct 22-28
Oct 29-31
Diyala
11 Incidents
4 Killed
2 Civilians
2 ISF
8 Wounded
1 Civilian
7 Hashd
-
5 Incidents
12 Killed
12 Civilians
23 Wounded
1 ISF
22 Civilians

3 Shootings
2 IEDs
3 Incidents
4 Killed
2 Civilians
2 Asayesh

3 Shootings
1 Incident


Oct 1-7
Oct 8-14
Oct 15-21
Oct 22-28
Oct 29-31
Irbil
-
-
-
-
1 Incident


Oct 1-7
Oct 8-14
Oct 15-21
Oct 22-28
Oct 29-31
KRG
-
-
2 Incidents
5 Killed
5 PKK
5 Wounded
5 Turkish
   Soldiers

2 IEDs
1 Turkish Air
    Strike
-
-


Oct 1-7
Oct 8-14
Oct 15-21
Oct 22-28
Oct 29-31
Kirkuk
8 Incidents
3 Killed
3 Civilians
2 Wounded
2 Peshmerga

2 Shootings
1 Mortar
1 Grenade
1 Suicide
   Bomber
   Killed
5 Car Bombs
   Destroyed
11 Incidents
2 Killed
1 Hashd
1 Civilians
3 Wounded
3 Civilians

5 Shootings
1 IED
1 Suicide
   Bomber
1 Grenade
1 Rockets
12 Incidents
243 Killed
3 Civilians
4 ISF
117 Peshmerga
119 Hashd
328 Wounded
6 Civilians
10 ISF
150 Hashd
162 Peshmerga

6 Shootings
1 Suicide
    Bomber
1 Mortar
3 Suicide
    Bombers
    Killed
10 Incidents
71 Killed
8 Hashd
10 Civilians
53 ISF
11 Wounded
1 Hashd
10 ISF

3 Shootings
2 Suicide
   Bombers
   Killed
4 Incidents
2 Killed
2 Civilians

1 IED
8 Suicide
    Bombers
    Killed


Oct 1-7
Oct 8-14
Oct 15-21
Oct 22-28
Oct 29-31
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
13 Incidents
73 Killed
7 ISF
66 Civilians
7 Wounded
3 ISF
4 Civilians

5 Shootings
7 IEDs
1 Rockets
16 Incidents
46 Killed
1 Peshmerga
2 Turkish Soldiers
8 PKK
8 Hashd
9 ISF
18 Civilians
11 Wounded
2 Civilians
2 ISF
3 Turkish
    Soldiers
4 Peshmerga

7 Shootings
6 IEDs
2 Suicide
    Bombers
1 Turkish Air
    Strike
1 Car Bomb
    Dismantled
18 Incidents
241 Killed
18 Hashd
21 ISF
25 Peshmerga
177 Civilians
28 Wounded
5 ISF
6 Peshmerga
17 Hashd

4 Shootings
4 IEDs
1 Suicide
    Bomber
1 Rockets
1 Suicide
    Bomber
    Killed
3 Incidents
12 Killed
12 Civilians
1 Wounded
1 Civilian

1 Shooting
3 IEDs


Oct 1-7
Oct 8-14
Oct 15-21
Oct 22-28
Oct 29-31
Salahaddin
4 Incidents
1 Wounded
1 Hashd

1 Shooting
9 Suicide
    Bombers
    Killed
10 Incidents
15 Killed
1 Civilian
14 ISF
2 Wounded
2 Civilians

3 Shootings
1 Suicide
    Bomber
1 Grenades
1 Mortar
2 Suicide
    Bombers
    Killed
4 Car Bombs
    Destroyed
6 Incidents
5 Killed
5 Civilians
54 Wounded
54 Civilians

1 Shooting
2 Suicide
    Bombers
    Killed
3 Incidents

2 Shootings
3 Suicide
    Bombers
    Killed
4 Incidents
2 Killed
2 Civilians

1 IED
8 Suicide
   Bombers
   Killed


Oct 1-7
Oct 8-14
Oct 15-21
Oct 22-28
Oct 29-31
Sulaymaniya
-
2 Incidents
1 Killed
1 Peshmerga
2 Wounded
2 Civilians

2 Shootings
-
-
-

Violence By Province October 2017
Province
Violence
Anbar
33 Incidents
47 Killed
1 Hashd
5 ISF
41 Civilians
31 Wounded
4 ISF
27 Civilians

3 Shootings
6 IEDs
1 Car Bomb
2 Grenades
27 Suicide Bombers Killed
2 Suicide Car Bombs Destroyed
17 Car Bombs Destroyed
Babil
13 Incidents
5 Killed
1 ISF
1 Civilian
3 Hashd
21 Wounded
3 ISF
18 Hashd

5 Shootings
6 IEDs
1 Sticky Bomb Dismantled
2 Suicide Bombers Killed
Baghdad
77 Incidents
48 Killed
1 ISF
2 Sahwa
5 Hsahd
40 Civilians
162 Wounded
2 Sahwa
8 ISF
15 Hashd
137 Civilians

20 Shootings
42 IEDs
4 Sticky Bombs
1 Suicide Bomber
1 Car Bomb
1 Grenade
2 Suicide Bombers Arrested
Basra
2 Incidents
1 Killed
1 ISF

1 IED
Dhi Qar
1 Incident

1 IED
Diyala
20 Incidents
20 Killed
2 ISF
2 Asayesh
16 Civilians
31 Wounded
1 ISF
7 Hashd
23 Civilians

12 Shootings
5 IEDs
1 Sticky Bomb
1 Suicide Bomber Killed
Irbil
1 Incident
Karbala
2 Incidents
1 Killed
1 ISF

2 Shootings
Kirkuk
45 Incidents
540 Killed
57 ISF
117 Peshmerga
128 Hashd
238 Civilians
344 Wounded
9 Civilians
20 ISF
153 Hashd
162 Peshmerga

16 Shootings
2 IEDs
2 Suicide Bombers
KRG
2 Incidents
5 Killed
5 PKK
5 Wounded
5 Turkish Soldiers

2 IEDs
1 Turkish Air Strike
Ninewa
63 Incidents
403 Killed
2 Turkish Soldiers
8 PKK
26 Peshmerga
35 Hashd
37 ISF
295 Civilians
66 Wounded
3 Turkish Soldiers
10 Peshmerga
12 Civilians
13 ISF
28 Hashd

19 Shootings
25 IEDs
4 Suicide Bombers
1 Car Bomb
2 Rockets
1 Turkish Air Strike
8 Suicide Bombers Killed
1 Car Bomb Dismantled
Salahaddin
23 Incidents
20 Killed
6 Civilians
14 ISF
57 Wounded
1 Hashd
56 Civilians

7 Shootings
1 Suicide Bomber
1 Grenades
1 Mortar
16 Suicide Bombers Killed
4 Car Bombs Destroyed
Sulaymaniya
4 Incidents
3 Killed
1 Peshmerga
2 Civilians
4 Wounded
4 Civilians

4 Shootings


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