Thursday, September 24, 2020

Security In Iraq Sep 15-21, 2020


Violence in Iraq stayed at about the same level between the second and third weeks of September. Attacks have gone up in September overall in a possible fall offensive by the insurgents. Pro-Iran groups have also picked up their operations. September looks like it will have the most incidents by those groups in 2020.

 

A total of 32 security incidents were reported in the press in Iraq from September 15-21. 10 of those were by pro-Iran groups. That included IEDs on a British diplomatic convoy outside the Green Zone, and convoys carrying supplies to the Americans in Babil, Najaf, Salahaddin (twice), and Baghdad (twice). One person was wounded as a result in Salahaddin. During the month 1 person was killed and 8 have been injured in these operations. There have been a total of 21 such attacks in September compared to 24 in August. The latest wave of these incidents started in June when Iraq and the U.S. started talks over a new security agreement which Tehran is opposed to. The government has promised investigations into the rocket attacks in Baghdad but nothing has happened. It’s assumed these are being done by Hashd groups aligned with Iran such as Kataib Hezbollah.

 

There were 22 incidents by the Islamic State during the week. That was basically the same level as the previous week. Those attacks were spread across Baghdad (1), Salahaddin (3) Ninewa (4), Kirkuk (5), and Diyala (9).

 

Those left 12 dead and 14 wounded. 3 members of the Iraqi Security Forces (ISF), 4 civilians and 5 Hashd al-Shaabi lost their lives while 3 Hashd, 4 civilians and 7 ISF were injured. In the spring IS announced it was launching a war of attrition against the security forces. That has resulted in the ISF and Hashd accounting for the majority of casualties each week. This week was no exception with 18 of the 26 dead and wounded coming from the government’s forces.

 

The militants have basically given up on infiltrating into the capital. That means attacks there are rare but there was one this week with a home invasion that resulted in a woman being killed in Tarmiya in the northern section of Baghdad province. That area is a long time insurgents stronghold with cells still operating there. Now, pro-Iran groups account for the vast majority of incidents in Baghdad with 6 out of 7 during the third week of September.

 

Diyala had the most security incidents as usual because it is the main base for the Islamic State in Iraq. There were 9 attacks total. There was an assault upon a checkpoint and four villages attacked. In September six towns have been attacked up from 3 in August, and 2 each in July and June. These are meant to drive people out of rural areas and enforce taxation. That’s a sign that IS might be starting a new offensive this month. In response, there was a sweep through the Diyala River and the Hashd have begun setting up defensive positions around villages in Khanaqin in the northeast and Azim in the north. IS usually concentrates its operations in Muqdadiya in the center and Khanaqin, but the first three attacks during the week were in the north in Azim.

 

There were 5 incidents in Kirkuk. There was a gun battle with the Hashd that left four of them dead, a checkpoint was shot at, and a policy convoy was hit by an IED.

 

There was a gun battle in Kanous Island during a security sweep there in Ninewa along with 3 other incidents. The government also had an operation in the southern region of the province. Attacks are rare in Ninewa accept during IS campaigns.

 

Besides the two attacks by pro-Iran groups there were three more by insurgents in Salahaddin. One was a gun fight, but more importantly a Hashd brigade commander was killed by an IED. This was part of the war attrition with IS singling out officers for assassination. The week before there was an attempt upon a police general in Diyala, and the first week of September another Hashd commander ended up dead.

 

Attacks by Pro-Iran Groups 2020

Date

Incident - Location

1/4/20

Mortar – Baghdad’s Jadriya – 5 wounded

 

Rockets – Baghdad’s Green Zone

 

Mortar – Salahaddin’s Balad Air Base – 3 wounded

1/5/20

Rockets – Baghdad’s Green Zone

1/8/20

Rockets – Baghdad’s Green Zone

1/12/20

Rockets – Salahaddin’s Balad Air Base – 6 wounded

1/14/20

Rockets – Baghdad’s Camp Taji

1/20/20

Rockets – Baghdad’s Green Zone

1/21/20

Rockets – Baghdad’s Green Zone

1/26/20

Rockets – Baghdad’s Green Zone – 3 wounded

1/31/20

Rockets – Kirkuk’s Qayara Base

 

January Totals - 11

2/15/20

Rockets – Baghdad’s Green Zone

2/21/20

Rockets – Irbil’s Makhmour Base

 

February Totals - 2

3/1/20

Rockets – Salahaddin’s Sadiq Base

3/2/20

Rockets – Baghdad’s Green Zone

3/5/20

Rockets – Baghdad’s Green Zone

3/11/20

Rockets – Baghdad’s Camp Taji – 3 killed (2 US, 1 UK), 12 wounded

3/14/20

Rockets – Baghdad’s Camp Taji – 7 wounded (3 US)

3/16/20

Rockets – Baghdad’s Besmaya Base

3/17/20

Rockets – Baghdad’s Green Zone

3/26/20

Rockets – Baghdad’s Green Zone

 

March Totals - 8

4/18/20

Rockets – Baghdad’s Nahrawan Chinese company

4/6/20

Rockets – Basra’s Burjisiya US company

 

April Totals – 2

5/6/20

Rockets – Baghdad International Airport

5/19/20

Rockets – Baghdad’s Green Zone

 

May Total - 2

6/8/20

Rockets – Baghdad International Airport

6/10/20

Rockets – Baghdad’s Green Zone

6/13/20

Rockets – Baghdad’s Camp Taji

6/14/20

Rockets – Baghdad’s Camp Taji

6/15/20

Rockets – Baghdad International Airport

 

Rockets found - Rashidiya, Baghdad

6/18/20

Rockets – Baghdad’s Green Zone

6/22/20

Rockets – Baghdad’s International Airport

 

June Total - 8

7/5/20

Rockets – Baghdad’s Green Zone – 1 wounded

 

Rockets found – Baghdad’s Camp Taji

7/10/20

Rockets found – Aimed at Baghdad’s Green Zone

7/11/20

Burned trucks carrying supplies to US - Muthanna

7/19/20

Rockets – Baghdad’s Green Zone

7/22/20

IEDs trucks carrying supplies to US – Dhi Qar

7/23/10

Drone and bomb found – Jadriya, Baghdad

7/24/10

Rockets – Baghdad’s Besmaya Base

7/27/20

Rockets – Baghdad’s Camp Taji

 

Rockets – Salahaddin’s Camp Speicher

7/30/20

Rockets – Baghdad’s International Airport

7/31/20

Rockets found – Jabour al-Shaarah, Baghdad

 

July Totals – 12

8/3/20

Rockets – 2 areas of Meshada Dist, Baghdad

 

Rockets – Baghdad’s Camp Taji

8/4/20

IED on convoy carrying supplies to US – Dhi Qar

8/5/20

Rockets – Baghdad’s Green Zone

8/9/20

IED on convoy carrying supplies to US – Dhi Qar

8/10/20

IED on convoy carrying supplies to US - Basra

8/11/20

IED on convoy carrying supplies to US – Baghdad’s Camp Taji

 

Rockets – Baghdad’s Camp Taji

 

Rockets – Landed in Tigris River, Baghdad

8/14/20

Rockets – Baghdad International Airport

 

Rockets – Salahaddin’s Balad Air Base

 

IED on convoy carrying supplies to US – Diwaniya

8/15/20

Rockets – Baghdad’s Camp Taji

 

IED on convoy carrying supplies to US – Dhi Qar

8/16/20

Rockets – Baghdad’s Green Zone

8/18/20

Rockets – Baghdad International Airport

8/21/20

IED on convoy carrying supplies to US – Baghdad – 1 killed

8/22/20

IED on convoy carrying supplies to US – Baghdad

8/23/20

IED on convoy carrying supplies to US – Baghdad

8/28/20

Rockets – Baghdad’s Green Zone

8/29/20

Rockets – Baghdad’s Green Zone

 

IED on convoy carrying supplies to US – Babil

8/30/20

Rockets – Baghdad International Airport

 

August Totals – 24

9/2/20

IED on convoy carrying supplies to US – Babil – 1 wounded

9/3/20

IED on convoy carrying supplies to US – Dhi Qar

 

Rockets UK security company – Baghdad

9/6/20

IED on convoy carrying supplies to US – Baghdad – 2 wounded

 

Rockets – Baghdad International Airport

9/8/20

IED on convoy carrying supplies to US – Babil – 1 killed, 2 wounded

 

IED on convoy carrying supplies to US – Baghdad – 2 wounded

9/10/20

Rockets – Baghdad International Airport

9/12/20

IED on convoy carrying supplies to US – Salahaddin

9/14/20

IED on convoy carrying supplies to US – Babil

 

IED on convoy carrying supplies to US – Diwaniya

9/15/20

IED on UK diplomatic convoy – Baghdad

 

IED on convoy carrying supplies to US – Babil

 

Rockets – Baghdad’s Green Zone

9/16/20

Rockets – Baghdad’s Green Zone

9/17/20

IED on convoy carrying supplies to US – Baghdad

 

IED on convoy carrying supplies to US – Baghdad also reported as Babil

9/18/20

IED American Inst for English Learning – Najaf

 

IED on convoy carrying supplies to US – Salahaddin – 1 wounded

9/20/20

Rockets – Baghdad International Airport

9/21/20

IED on convoy carrying supplies to US – Salahaddin

 

September Total - 21

 

Security Incidents In Iraq By Province

Province

Sep 1-7

Sep 8-14

Sep 15-21

Anbar

2

1

-

Babil

1 Pro-Iran

2 Pro-Iran

1 Pro-Iran

Baghdad

3/

2 Pro-Iran

2 Pro-Iran

7/

6 Pro-Iran

Dhi Qar

1 Pro-Iran

-

-

Diwaniya

-

1 Pro-Iran

-

Diyala

5

8

9

Irbil

-

1

-

Kirkuk

4

4

5

Najaf

-

-

1 Pro-Iran

Ninewa

2

4

4

Salahaddin

1

2/

1 Pro-Iran

5/

2 Pro-Iran

TOTAL

19/

4 Pro-Iran

27/

6 Pro-Iran

32/

10 Pro-Iran

 

Casualties In Iraq By Province

Province

Sep 1-7

Sep 8-14

Sep 15-21

Anbar

8 (2K, 6W)

3 (3W)

-

Babil

1 (1W)

3 (1K, 2W)

-

Baghdad

2 (2W)

2 (2W)

1 (1K)

Diyala

11 (5K, 6W)

7 (3K, 4W)

10 (5K, 5W)

Irbil

-

3 (3W)

-

Kirkuk

8 (2K, 6W)

11 (1K, 10W)

4 (4K)

Ninewa

4 (2K, 2W)

7 (3K, 4W)

5 (1K, 4W)

Salahaddin

5 (2K, 3W)

1 (1W)

6 (1K, 5W)

TOTAL

39 (13K, 26W)

37 (8K, 29W)

26 (12K, 14W)

 

Islamic State Activity in Iraq 2018-20

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

2019

Totals

185

112

33

63

2

6

29

2

-

Jan 2020

13

6

-

2

-

1

-

-

-

Feb

16

5

2

8

-

1

-

-

-

Mar

15

10

4

2

-

-

-

-

-

Apr

20

17

4

2

-

-

-

-

-

May

38

18

8

9

1

5

17

-

-

Jun

13

1

-

2

-

1

2

-

-

Jul

10

10

1

2

-

-

2

-

-

Aug

16

5

2

7

-

3

3

-

-

Sep

16

6

2

2

-

-

6

-

-

 

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

2019

Totals

77

116

24

19

6

8

18

-

1

Jan 2020

10

1

2

2

-

1

-

-

-

Feb

5

-

2

1

-

2

1

-

-

Mar

1

-

-

1

-

-

-

-

-

Apr

17

7

6

3

-

2

1

1

-

May

15

10

1

7

1

4

10

-

-

Jun

5

2

1

1

-

1

1

-

-

Aug

5

5

1

-

-

-

3

-

-

Sep

6

5

2

2

-

-

-

3

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

2019

Totals

63

49

14

3

9

6

17

-

3

Jan 2020

7

5

2

1

-

1

-

-

-

Feb

5

5

-

-

1

-

-

-

1

Mar

2

5

1

-

-

-

-

-

-

Apr

8

8

1

4

-

1

1

-

-

May

5

9

-

2

-

-

2

-

-

Jun

-

5

-

-

-

-

-

-

-

Jul

-

1

-

1

-

-

-

-

-

Aug

-

12

-

-

-

-

-

-

-

Sep

4

7

1

-

-

-

-

-

-

 

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

2019

Totals

60

54

32

5

2

6

8

2

6

Jan 2020

4

-

-

1

1

-

-

-

-

Feb

5

-

1

-

-

1

-

-

-

Mar

5

2

3

-

-

-

-

-

-

Apr

4

3

3

-

-

1

-

-

-

May

21

6

9

5

-

2

2

-

-

Jun

5

4

1

2

-

-

1

-

-

Jul

4

5

1

1

1

-

-

-

-

Aug

6

3

3

1

-

-

-

-

-

Sep

4

5

2

1

-

-

-

-

-

           

Security In Iraq 2019-20

Week

Security

Incidents

(Total/By IS)

Dead

(Total/By IS)

Wounded

(Total/By IS)

Jan 1-7

32

17/10

24

Jan 8-14

32

94/31

53

Jan 15-21

22

17/11

16/14

Jan 22-28

27

36/17

31

Jan 29-31

12

7

6

JAN 2019

114

139

130/128

Feb 1-7

29/1

76/16

30

Feb 8-14

24

26

18

Feb 15-21

40

112/37

12

Feb 22-28

25

36

70

FEB

118/1

250/115

130

Mar 1-7

13

22

45

Mar 8-14

19

75/10

37

Mar 15-21

12

66/37

21/11

Mar 22-28

13

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

9/8

26

Apr 22-28

19

45

15

Apr 29-30

2

1

4

APR

99

105

100

May 1-7

20

15

18

May 8-14

24

31

41

May 15-21

37/1

62/25

39

May 22-28

43

39

54

May 29-31

13

16

48

MAY

137/1

163/125

200

Jun 1-7

26

19

44

Jun 8-14

25/1

29

15

Jun 15-21

21/2

6

13/10

Jun 22-28

18

17

41

Jun 29-30

9

3

9

JUN

99/3

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

141

Sep 1-7

39

39

38

Sep 8-14

30

35

43

Sep 15-21

23

27

26

Sep 22-28

24/1

15

20

Sep 29-30

7

6

4

SEP

123/1

122

131

Oct 1-7

3

1

2

Oct 8-14

14

25

17

Oct 15-21

19

29

13

Oct 22-28

22/1

33

10

Oct 29-31

12/1

4

11

OCT

70/2

92

53

Nov 1-7

6/1

4

1

Nov 8-14

9/1

2

25

Nov 15-21

15/1

11

2

Nov 22-28

17/1

24

33

Nov 29-30

8/1

6

37

NOV

55/5

47

98

Dec 1-7

36/3

33

44

Dec 8-14

19/3

19

19

Dec 15-21

26

44

25

Dec 22-28

30/1

30

38

Dec 29-31

9

8

7

DEC

120/7

134

133

Jan 1-7

25/7

16

84

Jan 8-14

24/3

12

34

Jan 15-21

23/2

11

12

Jan 22-28

11/1

10

8

Jan 29-31

8/1

4

1

JAN 2020

91/12

53

139

Feb 1-7

22

13

11

Feb 8-14

18/1

5

38

Feb 15-21

16/2

42

18

Feb 22-28

25

15

34

Feb 29

4

5

2

FEB

85/3

80

103

Mar 1-7

17/3

11

17

Mar 8-14

15/2

13

33

Mar 15-21

14/2

5

19

Mar 22-28

14/1

13

11

Mar 29-31

9

5

10

MAR

69/8

47

90

Ap 1-7

27/1

27

37

Apr 8-14

24

25

51

Apr 15-21

33/1

19

34

Apr 22-28

22

8

40

Apr 29-30

5

2

4

APR

111/2

81

165

May 1-7

44/1

47

36

May 8-14

49

21

47

May 15-21

66/1

45

64

May 22-28

30

9

21

May 29-31

7

3

12

MAY

196/2

125

180

Jun 1-7

17

13

19

Jun 8-14

16/4

10

15

Jun 15-21

16/3

11

19

Jun 22-28

10/1

8

13

Jun 29-30

1

4

2

JUN

60/8

46

68

Jul 1-7

12/2

3

9

Jul 8-14

16/2

15

15

Jul 15-21

19/1

17

28

Jul 22-28

13/5

9

8

Jul 29-31

13/2

3

7

JUL

73/12

47

67

Aug 1-7

10/4

7

10

Aug 8-14

19/8

7

22

Aug 15-21

14/5

13

20

Aug 22-28

32/3

23

41

Aug 29-31

13/3

4

12

AUG

88/24

54

105

Sep 1-7

19/4

13

26

Sep 8-14

27/6

8

29

Sep 15-21

32/10

12

14

 

Violence By Province Sep 15-21 2020

Province

Violence

Babil

1 Pro-Iran Incident

 

1 IED

Baghdad

7/6 Pro-Iran Incidents

1 Killed

1 Civilian

 

1 Shooting

3 IEDs

3 Rockets

Diyala

9 Incidents

5 Killed

2 Civilians

3 ISF

5 Wounded

2 ISF

3 Hashd

 

6 Shootings

2 IEDs

1 Sticky Bomb

1 Mortar

Kirkuk

5 Incidents

4 Killed

4 Hashd

 

3 Shootings

3 IEDs

Najaf

1 Pro-Iran

 

1 IED

Ninewa

4 Incidents

1 Killed

1 Civilian

4 Wounded

4 Civilians

 

2 Shootings

2 IEDs

Salahaddin

5/2 Pro-Iran Incidents

1 Killed

1 Hashd

5 Wounded

5 ISF

 

1 Shooting

3 IEDs

 

SOURCES

 

Abueish, Tamara, "Rocket attack on Baghdad's Green Zone housing US embassy: Reports," Al Arabiya, 9/16/20

 

Bas News, "Bomb Blast Targets Kirkuk Police," 9/18/20

- "Kirkuk: Village of Kakai Minorities Comes under Attack," 9/20/20

- "Kirkuk: Villagers Repel IS Attack, Casualties Reported," 9/19/20

 

Beirut Time, "Urgent/An explosion targets an American convoy carrying logistical equipment in the Dujail area of Salahaddin Governorate," 9/21/20

 

Buratha News, "ISIS terrorists killed in clashes south of Mosul," 9/19/20

 

Iraq Newspaper, "ISIS terrorists announces the killing of an officer by planting a bomb in his car and killing and wounding a number of the police and the army," 9/21/20

 

Al Maalomah, "The army and the popular crowd carry out a security operation south of Mosul," 9/15/20,

- "The Hashd and the security forces carry out a security operation in Hawi al-Azim and South Dhuluiya," 9/19/20

-"The PMF thwarts an ISIS attack on a liberated village, north of Diyala," 9/16/20

- "The popular crowd, with the support of the army's air force, stormed Akashat, west of Anbar," 9/15/20

- "The Popular Mobilization Forces dismantle an explosive device south of Mosul," 9/21/20

- “The Popular Mobilization Forces form a “fire line” to protect 15 liberated villages north of Diyala,” 9/18/20

- "The Popular Mobilization Forces thwarted an exposure to ISIS in Diyala," 9/18/20

- "The Popular Mobilization Forces thwarted an exposure to ISIS south of Samarra," 9/18/20

 

NINA, "2 People Injured By An IED West Of Mosul," 9/17/20

- "2 Security Operations In Nineveh And Diyala River," 9/19/20

- "4 Fighters Of PMF Martyred In An ISIS Attack, South Of Kirkuk," 9/17/20

- "19 ISIS Militants Killed And Arrested, Various Missiles And Weapons Found In Operations South Of Mosul," 9/19/20- "An explosive device exploded south of Kirkuk," 9/17/20

- "An explosive device targeting an International Coalition logistical convoy south of Baghdad," 9/17/20

- "A grenade attack at a house in Kirkuk," 9/16/20

- "An IED Explodes, Targeting An American Convoy In Ishaqi District In Salah Al-Din/More," 9/18/20

- "An ISIS attack on a village in Diyala foiled," 9/19/20

- "A Policeman And A Fighter In The PMF Wounded In A Terrorist Attack In Diyala," 9/21/20

- "A Policeman Killed Another Wounded In An IED In The Waqf Basin In Diyala," 9/20/20

- “Security Cordon Strategy Implemented To Secure Villages Of Khanaqin Countryside In Diyala,” 9/11/20

- "A Soldier Killed By ISIS Sniper, Southwest Of Baquba, Diyala," 9/19/20

- "Thwarting an ISIS attack on a village between Diyala and Salah al-Din," 9/18/20

- "A woman was killed in an explosive device explosion north of Muqdadiya, in Diyala," 9/19/20

 

NRT, "IED Targeted British Diplomatic Vehicles In Baghdad, No Injuries: British Embassy," 9/15/20

- "Katyusha Fired At Baghdad International Airport," 9/20/20

- "Two Bomb Attacks Reported on Coalition Forces near Baghdad," 9/17/20

- "Two Rockets Intercepted By C-Ram In Baghdad's Green Zone," 9/15/20

 

Shafaaq News, "Salahaddin: AN explosion kills a leader in the popular crowd," 9/19/20

- "An unidentified attack leaves one victim and two injuries from one family in Ninewa," 9/20/20

 

Al Sumaria, "Gunmen kill a woman inside her house north of Baghdad," 9/21/20

 

Xinhua, "4 IS militants, 1 Hashd Shaabi member killed in anti-IS operation in Iraq," 9/19/20

 

No comments:

Security In Iraq Mar 8-14, 2024

The Islamic State suddenly lurched back to life in Iraq during the second week of March carrying out the most attacks in ...