Saturday, November 24, 2018

Security In Iraq Nov 15-21, 2018

(Baghdad Post)

Security continues to fluctuate in Iraq. In October incidents went up, but in November they have been the lowest weekly totals of the year. Despite those low numbers the Islamic State continued its recent activities of kidnappings, attacking villages, and most importantly car bombings.

There were 36 incidents reported in Iraq from November 15-21. This was only the fifth time that there were 30 incidents in one week in 2018. Baghdad and Diyala had 8 incidents each to lead the country during the week.

Security Incidents In Iraq By Province Nov 15-21, 2018
Babil 1
Dohuk 1
Anbar 2
Kurdistan 2
Salahaddin 3
Kirkuk 4
Ninewa 7
Baghdad 8
Diyala 8

Casualties In Iraq By Province Nov 15-21, 2018
Babil 2 (2 W)
Dohuk 3 (3 K)
Kurdistan 5 (5 K)
Baghdad 6 (6 W)
Diyala 7 (3 K, 4 W)
Kirkuk 7 (1 K, 6 W)
Salahaddin 24 (8 K, 16 W)
Ninewa 31 (30 K, 1 W)

There were 56 reported deaths and 29 wounded. 24 Yazidis were found in two mass graves in the Sinjar district in Ninewa leaving 32 violent deaths during the week. 4 Iraqi Security Forces (ISF), 5 members of the Kurdistan Workers Party (PKK), and 47 civilians died. 5 ISF, 7 Hashd al-Shaabi, and 17 civilians were injured. Ninewa had 31 casualties, but that was because of the bodies discovered. Salahaddin had 24 casualties largely due to a car bomb there.

Ankara is now carrying out weekly attacks upon PKK positions in northern Iraq. Three such incidents led to 8 dead, 3 were civilians and the other 5 were PKK members. Turkey is trying to keep pressure upon the group, while not risking any losses hence the strikes from the air.

Incidents have dropped in Baghdad during the month. There used to be double digit incidents each week as the insurgents were making a return to the capital province. That has now gone down to single digits the last two weeks. There were 6 from November 8-14 and then 8 from November 15-21. Almost all the attacks during the week were shootings. What hasn’t changed is that the capital still has the most incidents during the week, which has been true for most weeks over the last several months now.

Central Iraq remains the main base for IS. There were a total of 15 incidents in Diyala, Kirkuk and Salahaddin. In Diyala, a mukhtar’s son was killed, a police patrol in Khanaqin was ambushed, mortars were fired twice, and three villages were attacked in the Khanaqin district in the northeast. Of the 8 incidents there, 3 were in Abu Saida in the west and the rest were in the northeast. All 4 incidents in Kirkuk were in the south where IS has re-established itself. In Salahaddin, 5 fishermen were kidnapped in Amerli in the east. 3 of their bodies were later found. Most important a restaurant in Tikrit was hit by a car bomb. This was the third car bomb of the month. During the summer there was a large dip in vehicle bombs. That picked up in the fall. Before most of these attacks were in small towns. Now IS has moved back into urban areas. Tikrit, Mosul and now Tikrit have all been bombed recently.

Islamic State Activity in Central Iraq 2018
Diyala
Shootings
(Totals)
IEDs/
Sticky Bombs
(Totals)
Gun Battles
Attacks on Checkpoints
Attacks on Mukhtars/
Sheikhs
Kidnappings
Attacks on Towns
Mortars
Suicide Bombers
Car Bombs
Jan
20
24
2
7
-
1
-
6
1
1
Feb
14
13
4
3
-
-
-
-
1
-
Mar
29
21
14
5
1
2
1
5
-
-
Apr
13
18
2
2
-
-
-
2
-
-
May
11
11
1
3
1
1
3
4
1
-
Jun
32
17
5
12
-
1
5
4
-
-
Jul
20
19
2
3
-
2
3
1
-
-
Aug
17
18
2
2
1
1
3
3
-
-
Sep
20
12
5
1
-
2
5
5
-
-
Oct
11
22
2
-
1
1
-
4
-
-
Nov
11
7
3
1
1
-
4
3
-
-

Kirkuk
Shootings
(Totals)
IEDs/
Sticky Bombs
(Totals)
Gun Battles
Attacks on Checkpoints
Attacks on Mukhtars/
Sheikhs
Kidnappings
Attacks on Towns
Mortars
Rockets
Suicide Bombers
Car Bombs
Jan
13
6
4
1
-
-
-
3
3
1
Feb
21
10
7
3
-
-
-
4
1
-
Mar
22
15
11
2
-
2
1
3
1
1
Apr
18
4
3
1
-
-
8
1
-
1
May
14
28
2
-
2
1
1
4
4
-
Jun
25
12
4
2
-
2
10
6
-
-
Jul
7
20
1
2
-
-
-
-
-
1
Aug
7
20
2
1
2
-
-
2
-
1
Sep
14
25
2
2
1
3
4
2
-
-
Oct
16
29
1
4
4
1
4
2
-
1
Nov
5
7
2
-
-
1
-
1
-
-

Salahaddin
Shootings
(Totals)
IEDs/
Sticky Bombs
(Totals)
Gun Battles
Attacks on Checkpoints
Attacks on Mukhtars/
Sheikhs
Kidnappings
Attacks on Towns
Mortars
Rockets
Suicide Bombers
Car Bombs
Jan
11
9
8
-
-
-
-
2
-
1
Feb
7
5
1
1
-
2
-
-
-
-
Mar
23
8
9
2
-
3
-
-
1
-
Apr
6
8
2
2
-
-
-
-
1
-
May
14
10
10
1
1
-
-
1
1
-
Jun
15
15
4
1
-
7
-
-
-
1
Jul
9
6
-
4
-
-
2
1
1
-
Aug
9
15
1
3
-
1
1
1
1
-
Sep
5
10
1
1
-
-
1
1
3
1
Oct
2
9
1
-
-
1
-
1
1
-
Nov
3
7
2
1
-
1
-
1
-
2
(Gun Battles, Attacks on Checkpoints, Attacks on Mukhtars, Attacks on Towns are all subsets of the total number of shootings and IEDs/Sticky Bombs reported)

Attacks remained low in Anbar with just two, but the types have changed. For example, a guard was kidnapped by a communications tower. Before they were mostly shootings and IEDs.

Ninewa is one area where the militants are re-activing their cells. There was an attack upon a checkpoint and a gun battle.

Islamic State Activity in Anbar 2018
Anbar
Shootings
(Totals)
IEDs/
Sticky Bombs
(Totals)
Gun Battles
Attacks on Checkpoints
Attacks on Mukhtars/
Sheikhs
Kidnappings
Suicide Bombers
Car Bombs
Jun
4
3
2
-
-
1
-
-
Jul
3
5
1
-
-
-
-
-
Aug
4
4
2
1
-
-
-
1
Sep
3
8
-
-
-
-
2
-
Oct
9
5
3
1
1
2
1
1
Nov
1
2
-
-
1
1
-
-

Islamic State Activity in Ninewa 2018
Ninewa
Shootings
(Totals)
IEDs/
Sticky Bombs
(Totals)
Gun Battles
Attacks on Checkpoints
Attacks on Mukhtars/
Sheikhs
Kidnappings
Attacks on Towns
Suicide Bombers
Car Bombs
Jun
7
2
3
1
-
-
-
-
-
Jul
9
9
1
1
1
1
2
-
-
Aug
9
9
2
-
-
1
1
-
-
Sep
8
3
2
-
-
-
-
1
-
Oct
13
5
-
1
-
1
-
-
1
Nov
7
3
2
1
-
-
1
-
1
(Gun Battles, Attacks on Checkpoints, Attacks on Mukhtars, Attacks on Towns are all subsets of the total number of shootings and IEDs/Sticky Bombs reported)

Suicide-Car Bombs In Iraq 2018
Month
Suicide Bombers
Car Bombs
Totals
Jan
7
(1- Diyala,
3 – Baghdad,
3 - Kirkuk)
6
(1- Anbar,
1 – Diyala,
1 – Kirkuk,
1 – Salahaddin,
2 - Babil)
13
Feb
4
(1 – Anbar
1 – Diyala
1 – Kirkuk
1 - Ninewa)
-
4
Mar
2
(1 – Kirkuk
1 - Salahaddin)
1
(1 – Kirkuk)
3
Apr
4
(1 - Salahaddin
3 – Anbar)
1
(1 – Kirkuk)
5
May
8
(1 – Diyala
1 - Salahaddin)
2 – Baghdad
4 - Kirkuk)
-
8
Jun

1
(1 – Salahaddin)
1
Jul
1
(1 – Salahaddin)
1
(1 – Kirkuk)
2
Aug
1
(1 – Salahaddin)
2
(1 – Anbar,
1 – Kirkuk)
3
Sep
6
(1 – Ninewa)
2 – Anbar
3 – Salahaddin)
2
(1 – Kirkuk
1 – Salahaddin)
8
Oct
2
(1 - Anbar
1 – Salahaddin)
3
(1 – Anbar
1 – Kirkuk
1 - Ninewa)
5
Nov
-
3
(1 - Ninewa
2 – Salahaddin)
3

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
Aug 1-7
49
57
30
Aug 8-14
47
43
51
Aug 15-21
45
26
45
Aug 22-28
42
29
64
Aug 29-31
33
69
44
AUG
216
224
(209 Violent Deaths)
234
Sep 1-7
45
46
61
Sep 8-14
57
67
127
Sep 15-21
50
93
71
Sep 22-28
47
27
33
Sep 29-30
11
20
29
SEP
210
253
(195 Violent Deaths)
321
Oct 1-7
60
88
94
Oct 8-14
50
169
48
Oct 15-21
56
88
37
Oct 22-28
31
28
54
Oct 29-31
25
10
24
OCT
222
383
(193 Violent Deaths)
257
Nov 1-7
38
80
46
Nov 8-14
42
112
19
Nov 15-21
36
56
29

Violence By Province Nov 15-21, 2018
Anbar
2 Incidents

1 Sticky Bomb
Babil
1 Incident
2 Wounded
2 Hashd

1 IED
Baghdad
8 Incidents
6 Killed
6 Civilians

6 Shootings
1 IED
Diyala
8 Incidents
3 Killed
1 Civilian
2 ISF
4 Wounded
4 ISF

6 Shootings
1 IED
2 Mortars
Dohuk
1 Incident
3 Killed
3 Civilians

1 Turkish Air Strike
Kirkuk
4 Incidents
1 Killed
1 Civilian
6 Wounded
1 Civilian
5 Hashd

3 IEDs
1 Mortar
Kurdistan
2 Incidents
5 Killed
5 PKK

2 Turkish Air Strikes
Ninewa
7 Incidents
30 Killed
2 ISF
28 Civilians
1 Wounded
1 ISF

4 Shootings
1 IED
Salahaddin
3 Incidents
8 Killed
8 Civilians
16 Wounded
16 Civilians

1 Car Bomb

SOURCES

Agence France Presse, "Car bomb kills five in Iraq's Tikrit: sources," 11/18/18

Bas News, "Three Men Found Dead in Tuz Khurmatu," 11/21/18

Ebraheem, Mohammed, "Islamic State militants kill two Iraqi policemen in Iraq's Makhmur," Iraqi News, 11/19/18
- "Mass grave of Yazidis executed by Islamic State found in Mosul," Iraqi News, 11/21/18

Erozden, Can, "Turkish airstrikes 'neutralize' 5 terrorists in N. Iraq," Anadolu Agency, 11/21/18

Al Forat, "Abu Saida field stadium is under mortar bombardment," 11/15/18
- "URGENT Death of an officer and wounding of policemen in armed attack in Khanaqin," 11/19/18

Iraq Newspaper, "The Leader Of The Turkmen Front In Amerli Is Kidnapped By Terrorists," 11/19/18
- "Terrorists Kidnap A Communications Tower Guard In Anbar," 11/16/18

Mostafa, Mohamed, "Relics of 7 Yazidi victims of Islamic State found in Iraq's Sinjar," Iraqi News, 11/18/18

NINA, "/3/ mortar shells landed on a village northeast of Baquba," 11/16/18
- "Daesh attacks the village of the Governor of Kirkuk with even mortar shells," 11/16/18
- "Gunmen Assassinate Mukhtar's Son Northeast Of Baquba," 11/16/18
- "Security Forces Kill A Terrorist And Arrested Another In Baaj, West Of Mosul," 11/18/19

Shafaaq News, "Armed militants attack three villages in Khanaqin and take control of a police checkpoint," 11/19/18

Sotaliraq, "Three people of Dohuk were killed by Turkish shelling," 11/15/18

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