Thursday, August 2, 2018

Violence Slightly Down In Iraq July 2018


Violence took a dip in Iraq in July. Incidents were down in the center of the country where the Islamic State is rebuilding. There was a slight increase in attacks in Baghdad and Ninewa. Turkey’s operation against the Kurdistan Workers Party (PKK) was also in its fourth month.
(Iraqi News)

There were 214 incidents reported in Iraq in July 2018. That was down from 239 in June. Baghdad had the most incidents with 49 which was a change. IS has not been as active there as it once was. The capital also led the month because there was less violence in the center. Attacks were down from June to July in Diyala (51 to 46), Kirkuk (56 to 37), and especially Salahaddin (42 to 23). Incidents continued to decline in Anbar and Babil as well.

Security Incidents In Iraq By Province June-July 2018
Province
June
July
Anbar
13
8
Babil
8
4
Baghdad
33
49
Basra
2
1
Diyala
51
46
Dohuk
-
1
Halabja
1
-
Irbil
3
6
Kirkuk
56
37
KRG
18
7
Muthanna
-
1
Najaf
-
1
Ninewa
12
29
Qadisiya
-
1
Salahaddin
42
23

Casualties In Iraq By Province June-July 2018
Province
June
July
Anbar
11 (4 K, 7W)
33 (14 K, 19 W)
Babil
19 (6 K, 13 W)
5 (3 K, 2 W)
Baghdad
40 (18 K, 22 W)
69 (30 K, 39 W)
Basra
1 (1K)
-
Dhi Qar
-
-
Diyala
115 (41 K, 74 W)
63 (38 K, 25W)
Dohuk
-
2 (2 K)
Irbil
6 (6 K)
22 (18 K, 4 W)
Kirkuk
96 (35 K, 61 W)
118 (33 K, 85 W)
KRG
138 (137 K, 1 W)
30 (30 K)
Najaf
-
1 (1 K)
Ninewa
63 (57 K, 6 W)
87 (78 K, 9 W)
Salahaddin
99 (65 K, 34 W)
55 (20 K, 35 W)

There were 267 killed and 218 wounded in July. 45 bodies were found during the month leaving 222 violent deaths. 51 were killed in Kurdistan and southern Iraq. That meant there were 171 fatalities due to the insurgency.

The 267 deaths were made up of 3 Turkish soldiers, 7 Peshmerga, 24 Hashd al-Shaabi, 36 Iraqi Security Forces (ISF), 39 PKK, and 158 civilians. Another 218 were wounded consisting of 32 Hashd, 59 ISF, and 127 civilians.

Anbar, Babil, Baghdad, and Ninewa used to be some of the main centers of the insurgency. That has changed in the last few months. The Islamic State has largely withdrawn from those areas.

Since November 2017, there has been less than one incident per day in Anbar. Starting in 2018, there has been 0.5 incidents per day 6 out of 7 months with an average of only 0.2 per day in July. While there are continued reports of militants moving along the Syrian border they do not appear to be operating in the province itself.

In the last half of 2017 it seemed like the militants were moving back into Babil. There were more reports of infiltrations from Anbar, and IEDs and shootings in the northwest became more common. That has completely changed this year with violence only occurring sporadically.

Baghdad was the main terrorist target for the militants, but again, that has fallen off this year. In January 2018 there was an average of 3.3 incidents per day. That has dropped to only around 1 per day from April to July. Another change has been the lack of mass casualty bombings which used to be a trademark of the governorate.

A similar situation is happening in Ninewa. From January to March there was around 1 incident per day. From April to July there have only been an average of 0.6. Like Anbar, IS is active along the Syrian border and occasional clashes, but nothing major has happened there for quite some time.

The center is now where IS is most active. In July, incidents in Diyala, Kirkuk, and Salahaddin were down from the month before, but things have ebbed and flowed before. More importantly, the type of attacks show they have expanded the scope of their operations. In all three provinces, the militants are attempting to regain control of rural areas, tax the locals, and intimidate and drive out the local security forces. In Diyala, there were 3 gun battles with the ISF and 3 attacks upon towns during the month. In Kirkuk, there was one shootout and a car bomb. That province is also different from others because the insurgents still have access to Kirkuk city and carry out regular attacks there. Finally, in Salahaddin, there was 1 confrontation with the ISF, 1 attack upon a village, and a suicide bomber. The Iraqi forces have been largely ineffective in countering this rebirth. During the month there were 12 sweeps and 2 major operations in the 3 governorates. The Islamic State simply moves out when the ISF moves in and then returns afterward. There is also a decided lack of intelligence and consistent presence in the districts where IS is operating in. This situation only bodes ill for the future.

Finally, Ankara’s campaign against the PKK continued in northern Kurdistan. There was some talk that its forces were going to attack the Kurdish headquarters in the Qandil Mountains, but there has been little movement. Instead it appears that the Turks are consolidating their hold, building new bases, camps, and roads, while consistently shelling and bombing the area. As a result, a total of 42 people were killed in the month. That included 3 Turkish soldiers and 39 PKK members. This has been going on since March and Turkey shows no sign of stopping anytime soon.  

Diyala
Shootings
IEDs/
Sticky Bombs
Mortars
Gun Battles
Kidnappings
Attacks on Towns
Suicide Bombers
Car Bombs
Jan
18
23
6
2
2
-
1
1
Feb
10
13
-
4
-
-
1
-
Mar
16
21
5
13
3
1
-
-
Apr
12
17
3
1
1
-
-
-
May
9
11
4
1
2
3
1
-
Jun
22
17
4
5
1
5
-
-
Jul
14
19
1
3
2
3
-
-

Kirkuk
Shootings
IEDs/
Sticky Bombs
Mortars
Gun Battles
Kidnappings
Attacks on Towns
Suicide Bombers
Car Bombs
Jan
9
6
3
4
-
-
3
1
Feb
14
13
4
7
-
-
1
-
Mar
14
15
3
8
4
1
1
1
Apr
11
4
1
2
-
8
-
1
May
12
28
4
2
2
1
4
-
Jun
17
12
6
5
4
8
-
-
Jul
6
17
-
1
2
-
-
1

Salahaddin
Shootings
IEDs/
Sticky Bombs
Mortars
Gun Battles
Kidnappings
Attacks on Towns
Suicide Bombers
Car Bombs
Jan
3
9
2
8
-
-
-
1
Feb
6
5
-
1
2
-
-
-
Mar
13
8
-
9
3
-
1
-
Apr
4
8
-
2
-
-
1
-
May
3
10
1
10
-
1
1
-
Jun
10
15
1
5
8
-
-
1
Jul
7
8
1
1
1
1
1
-

Security In Iraq 2017-18
Week
Security
Incidents
Dead
Wounded
JAN 2017
719
1,923
4,374
FEB
628
1,891 + 399
2,511 + 1,634
MAR
720
3,504 + 278
3,302 + 2,925
APR
578
2,933
1,955
MAY
528
2,038
1,563
JUN
534
2,038
1,563
JUL
478
1,490
650
AUG
359
1,949
584
SEP
306
728
549
OCT
286
913
865 + 1,700
NOV
296
1,282
425
DEC
261
763
300
Jan 1-7
71
50
66
Jan 8-14
64
62
70
Jan 15-21
68
156
151
Jan 22-28
68
148
66
Jan 29-31
27
23
22
JAN 2018
298
439
(218 Violent
Deaths)
375
Feb 1-7
66
196
67
Feb 8-14
65
63
93
Feb 15-21
59
346
43
Feb 22-28
55
44
72
FEB
245
649
(233 Violent Deaths)
275
Mar 1-7
78
120
84
Mar 8-14
60
84
61
Mar 15-21
67
168
98
Mar 22-28
81
213
61
Mar 29-31
21
26
35
MAR
307
611
(466 Violent Deaths)
339
Apr 1-7
40
174
29
Apr 8-14
64
175
83
Apr 15-21
44
63
72
Apr 22-28
44
62
48
Apr 29-30
12
12
4
APR
204
486
(240 Violent Deaths)
236
May 1-7
51
57
56
May 8-14
56
68
49
May 15-21
39
58
82
May 22-28
51
73
51
May 29-31
21
42
15
MAY
218
298
(273 Violent Deaths)
253
Jun 1-7
55
100
32
Jun 8-14
72
108
88
Jun 15-21
42
83
19
Jun 22-28
52
58
65
Jun 29-30
18
22
14
JUN
239
371
(327 Violent Deaths)
218
Jul 1-7
56
58
91
Jul 8-14
44
57
31
Jul 15-21
54
61
64
Jul 22-28
36
65
21
Jul 29-31
24
26
11
JUL
214
267
(222 Violent Deaths)
218

Violence By Province July, 2018
Province
Violence
Anbar
8 Incidents
14 Killed
2 Civilians
4 Hashd
8 ISF
19 Wounded
3 Civilians
5 ISF
11 Hashd

3 Shootings
5 IEDs
1 Rocket
Babil
4 Incidents
3 Killed
3 Civilians
2 Wounded
2 Hashd

2 Shootings
1 IED
1 Mortar
Baghdad
49 Incidents
30 Killed
1 Hashd
1 ISF
28 Civilians
39 Wounded
2 ISF
3 Hashd
34 Civilians

23 Shootings
12 IEDs
6 Sticky Bombs
2 Sound Bombs
2 Grenades
Basra
1 Incident

1 IED
Diyala
46 Incidents
38 Killed
1 Hashd
6 ISF
31 Civilians
25 Wounded
6 Hashd
8 ISF
11 Civilians

20 Shootings
19 IEDs
1 Mortar
2 Suicide Bombers Killed
Dohuk
1 Incident
2 Killed
2 Civilians

1 Turkish Shelling
Irbil
6 Incidents
18 Killed
2 Civilians
3 Turkish Soldiers
4 ISF
9 PKK
4 Wounded
4 ISF

4 Shootings
1 Turkish Air Strike
Kirkuk
37 Incidents
33 Killed
8 Hashd
10 ISF
15 Civilians
85 Wounded
6 Hashd
21 ISF
58 Civilians

7 Shootings
18 IEDs
1 Sticky Bomb
1 Sound Bom
1 Suicide Car Bomb
3 Rockets
4 Grenades
1 Suicide Bomber Killed
Kurdistan
7 Incidents
30 Killed
30 PKK

6 Turkish Air Strikes
Muthanna
1 Incident

1 Sticky Bomb
Najaf
1 Incident
1 Killed
1 Hashd

1 Shooting
Ninewa
29 Incidents
78 Killed
1 Hashd
3 ISF
67 Civilians
9 Wounded
2 ISF
7 Civilians

9 Shootings
9 IEDs
1 Grenade
1 Car Bomb Destroyed
Qadisiya
1 Incident

1 Shooting
Salahaddin
23 Incidents
20 Killed
4 ISF
8 Hashd
8 Civilians
35 Wounded
4 Hashd
14 Civilians
17 ISF

9 Shootings
6 IEDs
1 Suicide Bomber
1 Grenade
1 Mortar
18 Suicide Bombers Killed
1 Car Bomb Dismantled

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