Friday, November 15, 2019

Islamic State Pulls Back While Iraq Protests Going On

(Shafaaq News)

Violence in Iraq was cut nearly in half in October due to the ongoing protests. The Islamic State has reduced its operations before when demonstrations broke out in the country.

The effects of the protests were shown in the up and down pattern of attacks during October. During the first week there were only 3 incidents as people first came out into the streets. There was then a pause and attacks went up to 14 the second week, 19 the third, and 21 the fourth. At the end of the month people went back out into the streets.

There were a total of 70 incidents in October. One consisted of five bodies being pulled from the rubble of west Mosul. Two more appeared to be pro-Iran Hashd sending a message to the United States by firing mortars at Camp Taji in north Baghdad and the Green Zone in the center of the city. This was likely a warning to Washington to stay out of the protests. That left 68 incidents due to the Islamic State.

As usual central Iraq saw the most violence. Diyala led the country again with 32 incidents, which was just about the same as the previous month. That included an ambush of the security forces (ISF) on October 10, a government worker kidnapped on October 18, 3 villages were assaulted, and 8 attacks upon checkpoints. Nearly half the incidents were in the Jalawla-Khanaqin districts in the northeast, which is the insurgents’ favorite target in the province because there is a large gap between the Peshmerga and federal forces there. There were 12 incidents in Kirkuk. A mukhtar was assassinated on October 11, and five farmers were beheaded on October 19. Ninewa and Salahaddin are no longer top priorities of the militants with only 10 and 7 incidents there respectively. There were two major attacks in Salahaddin however. On October 21 the Alas oil fields were attacked. Then on October 22 another ambush was set up which led to the death of the 5th Federal Police Division commander and another police general in Metibija. Diyala is the center of IS activity. There the group has driven people out of a number of rural villages. That has given space for it to set up training camps and bases. To a lesser extent the same thing is happening in southern Kirkuk. Ninewa and Salahaddin used to be just as violent but attacks have gone way down in both. Those might be where IS is looking to keep a low profile and rebuild its cadres.

Anbar, Babil and Baghdad were on the backburner during the month. There were three incidents in Anbar, but that included a car bomb in the Rutba district, and another being discovered and destroyed in Hit. In Babil there was one incident, which was an IED in the Jurf al-Sakhr district. Finally, there were just three IS incidents in Baghdad, one of which was an attack upon a checkpoint in Tarmiya in the outer north of the province. The Rutba vehicle bomb was the only such incident during the month. In earlier rebuilding efforts of IS it was able to sustain a huge number of such attacks. The group doesn’t appear to have any shortage of explosives as shown by the number of caches uncovered by the security forces. The group’s networks look like they are heavily damaged and it doesn't have the means to deliver more than a trickle of car bombs as a result. Babil only has occasional attacks, but they are almost always in Jurf al-Sakhr which is a Hashd base. Finally, IS was creeping back into Baghdad and had a relatively large surge in September. With the protests however, the Islamic State has held back.

Security Incidents In Iraq By Province
Province
Oct 1-7
Oct 8-14
Oct 15-21
Oct 22-28
Oct 29-31
Anbar
1
1
-
-
1
Babil
-
1
-
-
-
Baghdad
-
-
2
-
1
Diyala
1
5
8
14
4
Kirkuk
-
3
4
3
2
Ninewa
1
2
4
2
1
Salahaddin
-
2
1
2
2
TOTAL
3
14
19
21
11

Casualties In Iraq By Province
Province
Oct 1-7
Oct 8-14
Oct 15-21
Oct 22-28
Oct 29-31
Anbar
-
3 (3K)
-
-
2 (2)
Babil
-
3 (3W)
-
-
-
Baghdad
-
-
2 (2K)
-
8 (2K, 6W)
Diyala
1 (1W)
21 (10K, 11W)
19 (11K, 8W)
20 (13K, 7W)
3 (2K, 1W)
Kirkuk
-
9 (6K, 3W)
9 (5K, 4W)
7 (4K, 3W)
-
Ninewa
2 (1K, 1W)
2 (2K)
7 (7K)
3 (3K)
2 (2W)
Salahaddin
-
4 (4K)
5 (4K, 1W)
13 (13K)
-
TOTAL
3 (1K, 2W)
42 (25K, 17W)
42 (29K, 13W)
43 (33K, 10W)
15 (4K, 11W)

Islamic State Activity in Iraq 2018-19
Diyala
Shootings
(Totals)
IEDs/
Sticky Bombs
(Totals)
Gun Battles
Attacks on Checkpoints
Attacks on Mukhtars/
Sheikhs
Kidnappings
Attacks on Towns
Suicide Bombers
Car Bombs
2018
Totals
219
198
47
43
5
13
25
3
1
Jan 2019
21
2
3
8
-
-
1
-
-
Feb
18
2
5
7
-
-
3
-
-
Mar
7
6
1
2
-
-
-
-
-
Apr
13
15
2
4
1
-
1
-
-
May
11
13
3
5
-
-
13
(9 Farms Burned)
-
-
Jun
15
8
2
4
-
1
-
1
-
Jul
7
12
2
4
-
-
2
-
-
Aug
21
12
3
7
-
1
1
1
-
Sep
18
18
2
5
-
-
3
-
-
Oct
20
8
1
8

1
3


2019
Totals
151
96
24
54
1
3
27
2
-

Kirkuk
Shootings
(Totals)
IEDs/
Sticky Bombs
(Totals)
Gun Battles
Attacks on Checkpoints
Attacks on Mukhtars/
Sheikhs
Kidnappings
Attacks on Towns
Suicide Bombers
Car Bombs
2018
Totals
172
182
39
18
10
14
29
9
6
Jan 2019
8
17
-
4
2
3
-
-
1
Feb
9
5
3
-
-
2
1
-
-
Mar
5
11
2
1
2
-
2
-
-
Apr
5
9
3
-
-
-
-
-
-
May
11
18
2
3
1
-
13
(13 Farms Burned)
-
-
Jun
5
10
1
2
-
-
-
-
-
Jul
2
10
-
-
-
1
2
-
-
Aug
9
6
10
-
-
1
-
-
-
Sep
6
10
-
2
1
1
-
-
-
Oct
3
7

1





2019
Totals
63
103
21
13
6
8
18
-
1

Ninewa
Shootings
(Totals)
IEDs/
Sticky Bombs
(Totals)
Gun Battles
Attacks on Checkpoints
Attacks on Mukhtars/
Sheikhs
Kidnappings
Attacks on Towns
Suicide Bombers
Car Bombs
2018
Totals
139
74
43
7
5
6
6
2
3
Jan 2019
6
-
-
-
1
-
-
-
-
Feb
8
3
2
2
-
-
1
-
1
Mar
6
1
3
-
-
-
1
-
1
Apr
6
6
1
-
1
2
2
-
-
May
8
8
1
-
1
2
6
(5 Farms Burned)
-
1
Jun
2
5
-
-
1
-
4
(4 Farms Burned)
-
-
Jul
2
2
-
-
1
1
2
-
-
Aug
3
2
-
-
-
-
1
-
-
Sep
3
10
-
-
2
1
-
-
-
Oct
2
6
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
2019
Totals
46
43
7
2
7
6
17
-
3

Salahaddin
Shootings
(Totals)
IEDs/
Sticky Bombs
(Totals)
Gun Battles
Attacks on Checkpoints
Attacks on Mukhtars/
Sheikhs
Kidnappings
Attacks on Towns
Suicide Bombers
Car Bombs
2018
Totals
110
102
41
18
1
16
4
9
5
Jan 2019
5
5
3
1
-
3
-
-
1
Feb
7
11
3
-
-
2
1
1
-
Mar
3
5
2
-
-
-
-
-
1
Apr
2
2
1
-
-
-
-
-
1
May
10
9
4
1
1
-
6
(5 Farms Burned)
-
-
Jun
4
3
2
-
1
-
-
-
-
Jul
3
6
2
1
-
-
-
-
-
Aug
5
1
1
-
-
1
1
-
1
Sep
6
3
4
1
-
-
-
-
-
Oct
5
3
2
1
-
-
-
-
-
2019
Totals
50
48
24
5
2
6
8
1
4

Suicide-Car Bombs In Iraq 2018-19
Month
Suicide Bombers
Car Bombs
Totals
Jan
7
(1- Diyala,
3 – Baghdad/Baghdad,
3 - Kirkuk)
6
(1- Anbar,
1 – Diyala,
1 – Kirkuk,
1 – Salahaddin,
2 - Babil)
13
Feb
4
(1 – Anbar/Ramadi
1 – Diyala
1 – Kirkuk
1 - Ninewa)
-
4
Mar
2
(1 – Kirkuk/Kirkuk
1 - Salahaddin)
1
(1 – Kirkuk)
3
Apr
4
(1 - Salahaddin
3 – Anbar)
1
(1 – Kirkuk/Kirkuk)
5
May
8
(1 – Diyala
1 - Salahaddin)
2 – Baghdad/1 - Baghdad
4 - Kirkuk)
-
8
Jun

1
(1 – Salahaddin/Tikrit)
1
Jul
1
(1 – Salahaddin/Tikrit)
1
(1 – Kirkuk/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/Fallujah
1 – Salahaddin)
3
(1 – Anbar/Fallujah
1 – Kirkuk/Kirkuk
1 - Ninewa)
5
Nov
-
3
(1 – Ninewa/Mosul
2 – Salahaddin/Tikrit)
3
Dec
-
1
(1 – Ninewa)
1
Jan
1
(1 – Anbar)
3
(1 – Anbar
1 – Kirkuk
1 – Salahaddin/Tikrit)
4
Feb
1
(1 – Salahaddin)
1
(1 – Ninewa/Mosul)
2
Mar
-
1
(1 – Ninewa/Mosul)
1
Apr
-
2
(1 – Anbar
1 - Salahaddin)
2
May
1
(1 – Baghdad)
3
(2 – Anbar
1 – Ninewa)
4
Jun
1
(1 – Diyala)
-
1
Jul
2 (2 – Baghdad/Malif)
-
2
Aug
1
(1 – Diyala)
1
(1 – Salahaddin)
2
Sep
-
1
(1 – Karbala)
1
Oct
-
1
(1 – Anbar)
1

Security In Iraq 2018-19
Week
Security
Incidents
(Total/By IS)
Dead
(Total/By IS)
Wounded
(Total/By IS)
Jan 1-7
62/60
45
63
Jan 8-14
58/56
58/56
66/63
Jan 15-21
62/59
151
151
Jan 22-28
59/51
140/136
65/63
Jan 29-31
24
21
21
JAN 2018
265/
250 by IS
417/
409 by IS
(196 Violent Deaths)
366/
361 by IS
Feb 1-7
58/56
192/141
62/60
Feb 8-14
57
58
91
Feb 15-21
53/52
343
43
Feb 22-28
46/44
38/37
70/68
FEB
214/
209 by IS
631/
579 by IS
(215 Violent Deaths)
266/
262 by IS
Mar 1-7
68/64
115/108
79/77
Mar 8-14
52
75
59
Mar 15-21
64/59
165/119
98
Mar 22-28
77/64
210/87
61/60
Mar 29-31
19/18
26/25
34
MAR
280/
257 by IS
591/
414 by IS
(446 Violent Deaths)
331/
328 by IS
Apr 1-7
38/34
172/140
27/25
Apr 8-14
60/52
173/136
81/72
Apr 15-21
43/35
63/18
72/70
Apr 22-28
40/31
60/30
39/33
Apr 29-30
12/11
14/11
4
APR
193/
163 by IS
482/
335 by IS
(236 Violent Deaths)
223/
204 by IS
May 1-7
45/39
52/43
55/54
May 8-14
55/51
68/46
49
May 15-21
35/32
55/26
80/75
May 22-28
49/46
72/62
51/49
May 29-31
16/13
39/30
15
MAY
200/
181 by IS
286/
207 by IS
(261 Violent Deaths)
250/
242 by IS
Jun 1-7
50/44
96/87
29/28
Jun 8-14
67/59
107/47
88
Jun 15-21
40/35
82/28
19
Jun 22-28
45/44
53/38
62
Jun 29-30
17/15
21/16
14
JUN
219/
197 by IS
359/
216 by IS
(315 Violent Deaths)
212/
211 by IS
Jul 1-7
50/49
56/52
90
Jul 8-14
42/39
56/47
31
Jul 15-21
50/45
59/42
63
Jul 22-28
29/24
61/53
19/15
Jul 29-31
23/21
25/13
11
JUL
194/
178 by IS
257/
207 by IS
(212 Violent Deaths)
214/
210 by IS
Aug 1-7
43/39
49/45
30/29
Aug 8-14
43/42
38
44
Aug 15-21
38/35
24/21
40/37
Aug 22-28
35/31
25/19
61
Aug 29-31
27/24
68/30
43
AUG
186/
171 by IS
204/
153 by IS
(189 Violent Deaths)
218/
214 by IS
Sep 1-7
38
44
54
Sep 8-14
48/43
63/55
127
Sep 15-21
44/38
90/74
70
Sep 22-28
36/33
22/17
27/26
Sep 29-30
9/6
19/10
29/25
SEP
175/
158 by IS
237/
200 by IS
(179 Violent Deaths)
307/
302 by IS
Oct 1-7
54/49
85/25
92
Oct 8-14
43/41
161/152
41
Oct 15-21
54/50
87/72
35
Oct 22-28
24/23
24/20
53
Oct 29-31
23
10
24
OCT
198/
186 by IS
367/
279 by IS
(177 Violent Deaths)
245 by IS
Nov 1-7
32/31
75/69
36
Nov 8-14
39/31
111/63
19
Nov 15-21
30/27
51/43
29
Nov 22-28
26/21
35/25
30
Nov 29-30
9/8
4
27
NOV
136/
118 by IS
276/
204 by IS
(183 Violent Deaths_
141 by IS
Dec 1-7
22/15
21/8
11
Dec 8-14
22
15
22
Dec 15-21
23/21
23/16
17
Dec 22-28
30/28
24/18
37
Dec 29-31
15/14
225/220
4
DEC
112/
100 by IS
308/
277 by IS
(96 Violent Deaths)
91 by IS
Jan 1-7
32/31
17/10
24
Jan 8-14
32/30
94/31
53
Jan 15-21
22/18
17/11
16/14
Jan 22-28
27/22
36/17
31
Jan 29-31
12
7
6
JAN
114
139
130/128
Feb 1-7
29/28
76/16
30
Feb 8-14
24
26
18
Feb 15-21
40
112/37
12
Feb 22-28
25
36
70
FEB
118
250/115
130
Mar 1-7
13
22
45
Mar 8-14
19/18
75/10
37
Mar 15-21
12/11
66/37
21/11
Mar 22-28
13/12
8/5
1
Mar 29-31
6
8
7
MAR
61
147
101
Apr 1-7
20
22
13
Apr 8-14
41
28
42
Apr 15-21
17/16
9/8
26
Apr 22-28
19/18
45/10
15
Apr 29-30
2
1
4
APR
99
105
100
May 1-7
20/19
15
18
May 8-14
24
31
41
May 15-21
37/36
62/25
39
May 22-28
43
39
54
May 29-31
13
16
48
MAY
137/136
163/125
200
Jun 1-7
26
19
44
Jun 8-14
25/24
29
15
Jun 15-21
21/16
6
13/10
Jun 22-28
18
17
41
Jun 29-30
9
3
9
JUN
99/93
74
122/119
Jul 1-7
20
11
39
Jul 8-14
14
31
10
Jul 15-21
17
14
37
Jul 22-28
23
14
20
Jul 29-31
8
13
13
JUL
82
83
119
Aug 1-7
27
14
31
Aug 8-14
18
13
13
Aug 15-21
20
33
15
Aug 22-28
27
24
72
Aug 29-31
11
19
10
AUG
104/103
103
141
Sep 1-7
39
39
38
Sep 8-14
30
35
43
Sep 15-21
23
27
26
Sep 22-28
24/23
15
20
Sep 29-30
7
6
4
SEP
123/119
122
131
Oct 1-7
3
1
2
Oct 8-14
14
25
17
Oct 15-21
19
29
13
Oct 22-28
22/21
33
10
Oct 29-31
12/11
4
11
Oct
70/68
92
53

Violence By Province Oct, 2019
Province
Violence
Anbar
3 Incidents
3 Killed
3 ISF
2 Wounded
2 Civilians

1 IED
1 Car Bomb
1 Car Bomb Destroyed
Babil
1 Incident
3 Wounded
3 Hashd

1 IED
Baghdad
5/3 Incidents
4/3 Killed
2 Civilians
2 ISF
6/5 Wounded
6 ISF

3 Shootings
2 Mortars
Diyala
32 Incidents
36 Killed
5 Hashd
12 ISF
19 Civilians
28 Wounded
5 Hashd
11 Civilians
12 ISF

20 Civilians
8 IEDs
2 Mortars
Kirkuk
12 Incidents
15 Killed
2 Hashd
13 Civilians
10 Wounded
1 Hashd
4 ISF
5 Civilians

3 Shootings
7 IEDs
1 Grenade
Ninewa
10 Incidents
13 Killed
1 Hashd
12 Civilians
3 Wounded
3 Civilians

2 Shootings
6 IEDs
1 Suicide Bomber Killed
Salahaddin
7 Incidents
21 Killed
7 Hashd
14 ISF
1 Wounded
1 ISF

5 Shootings
3 IEDs
2 Suicide Bombers Killed

SOURCES

AIN, "Killing and wounding 6 soldiers exposed to ISIS in Tarmiya," 10/31/10

Bas News, "IS Kills Two Iraqi Police Commanders near Salahaddin," 10/22/19
- "IS Kills, Wounds Three Civilians in Khanaqin," 10/26/19
- "IS Slaughters Six Shepherds in Kirkuk: Source," 10/19/19

Al Forat, "Killing and wounding five members of the security forces in a terrorist attack in Alas," 10/21/19
- "Unidentified remains found in Nineveh," 10/16/19
- "URGENT The commander of the fourth division of the Federal Police was killed by sniper fire north of Samarra," 10/22/19

Kurdistan 24, "Casualties on both sides in ISIS, Iraqi militia clashes in disputed Diyala," 10/28/19

Al Mayadeen, "#Iraq: correspondent in the field: Martyrdom of three members of the Iraqi security forces in thwarting the attack of ISIS on the Alas oil fields," 10/21/19

Mohammed, Araz, Tahir, Rawaz, Ali, Amir, an Otten, Cathy, "Attack on Alas oil field highlights ongoing insurgent threat," Iraq Oil Report, 10/25/19

Mohammed, Araz, Tahir, Rawaz, Ali, Amir, an Otten, Cathy, "Attack on Alas oil field highlights ongoing insurgent threat," Iraq Oil Report, 10/25/19

NINA, "3 Members Of The PMF Killed And Wounded In An Attack By ISIS Northeast Of Baquba," 10/16/19
- "3 Members Of The Popular Mobilization Forces Injured While Defusing A Landmine North Of Babylon," 10/10/19
- "4 Fighters Of The PMF Injured Northeast Of Baquba," 10/27/19
- "Federal Police Division Commander, a Brigadier General and 10 Associates Killed in ISIS Attack in Salah al-Din," 10/22/19
- "ISIS kidnaps a government employee near his house northeast of Baquba," 10/18/19
- "ISIS Terrorists Assassinate Mukhtar In Rashad Area, South Of Kirkuk," 10/11/19
- "A member Of The Hashd al-Sha'bi Wounded By An ISIS Attack Northeast Of Baquba," 10/17/19
- "One soldier killed and another one wounded by a sniper fire south of Baquba," 10/18/19
- "Security forces thwart an ISIS attack northeast of Baquba," 10/22/19
- "A Soldier Killed, Others Injured In 2 Mortar Shells Landed On A Security Post In The Green Zone," 10/30/19
- "Two policemen were wounded by a sniper fire near Baquba," 10/27/19
- "Two policemen were wounded in an ISIS attack on a security post northeast of Baquba," 10/15/19

Shafaaq News, "Dead and wounded in ISIS attacks on two villages in Jalawla Diyala," 10/24/19
- "Hashd killed and wounded by ISIS attack near Khanaqin," 10/27/19

Al Sumaria, "Security forces detonate a controlled car bomb near Hit police station," 10/2/19
- "Three mortar shells land near Al-Taji Camp north of Baghdad," 10/28/19

Xinhua, "5 killed, 7 wounded in IS attack in eastern Iraq," 10/10/19
- "Car bomb explosion kills 3 military personnel in western Iraq," 10/13/19

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