Kataib Hezbollah Likely Behind Latest Rocket Attack Upon Baghdad’s Green Zone

Truck found in Baghdad's's Amin neighborhood used to fire rockets at Green Zone (Al Hurra)

 

On the night of November 17 seven rockets were fired at Baghdad’s Green Zone. Four hit their target while three landed on a residential area resulting in the death of a child and wounding 5 others. They were launched from a truck in the Amin neighborhood. This was the first attack by a pro-Iran group since October 24 when an IED hit a convoying in Basra carrying supplies to the United States. The last time rockets were used was on October 5 when they were fired on Baghdad’s International Airport with some falling short and hitting the Jadriya area. It appears that Kataib Hezbollah was behind the incident.

 

After the attack a new organization called Ashab al-Kahf said it was responsible. It is considered a front group for Kataib Hezbollah. After it was reported that a child died in the incident Kataib Hezbollah said that the truce with the Americans was still on and that the attack was meant to keep U.S. forces in Iraq.

 

Some have claimed the motivation for the rockets was an announcement by the U.S. that it was withdrawing some but not all of its forces from Iraq. Al Mada however reported that three members of Ashab al-Kahf were arrested on November 16 in western Baghdad. Middle East analyst Hamdi Malik Tweeted that Ashab al-Kahf also threatened to attack Habaniya Air Base in Anbar if its fighter were not freed. The rockets therefore appear to be a message towards the Kazemi government to release the fighters or face further retaliation. This is just the latest example of Baghdad being threatened and attacked by forces that are nominally under its command. The prime minister said he would stand up to these groups and stop their rocket fire but he has done little substantively about them fearing the possible repercussions of a crackdown. With no consequences for their actions they have continued on with their work.

 

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 – Baghdad’s Rashidiya
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 – Baghdad’s Jabour al-Shaarah
	July Totals – 12
8/3/20	Rockets – 2 areas of Baghdad’s Meshada Dist
	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
9/22/20	Mortars – Baghdad’s Green Zone
9/23/20	IED on convoy carrying supplies to US – Baghdad
	IED on convoy carrying supplies to US – Salahaddin
	IED on convoy carrying supplies to US – Babil
9/27/20	IED on convoy carrying supplies to US – Babil
	IED on convoy carrying supplies to US – Dhi Qar
9/28/20	Rockets – Baghdad’s Radwaniya – 5 killed 2 wounded
9/29/20	IED on convoy carrying supplies to US – Babil
9/30/20	Rockets – Irbil Airport
	IED airport road – Baghdad
	September Totals – 31
10/1/20	Rocket at convoy carrying supplies to US – Babil
	IED on convoy carrying supplies to US – Dhi Qar
	IED on convoy carrying supplies to US – Diwaniya
10/5/20	Rockets – Baghdad International Airport
	Rockets – Baghdad’s Jadriya neighborhood
10/11/20	IED on convoy carrying supplies to US – Muthanna
10/24/20	IED on convoy carrying supplies to US – Basra
	October Totals – 7
11/7/20	Rockets – Green Zone – 1 killed, 5 wounded

 

SOURCES

 

Al Aaelm, “Learn about the armed factions that appeared in 2020,” 8/9/20

 

Al Hurra, “The Katyusha militia scandal on the night of the targeting of the US embassy in Baghdad,” 11/18/20

 

Al Mada, “Katyusha groups attacked the Green Zone in response to the arrest of 3 of its members,” 11/18/20

 

Mahmoud, Sinan, “Attack on US embassy in Iraq highlights risk of wider war,” The National, 11/18/20

 

Malik, Hamdi, “KH’s Ashab al-Kahf says they will attack the Habbaniya air base (al-Taghaddom) if their fighters aren’t freedom soon.,” Twitter, 11/17/20

 

Mamouri, Ali, “Iraqi militias defy government, expand networks and pressure,” Al Monitor, 10/19/20

- “Iraqi security forces raid militia headquarters,” Al Monitor, 6/26/20

 

Al Monitor, “Rockets fall in Baghdad after Pentagon announces Iraq troop reduction,” 11/18/20

 

NINA, "The Green Zone And The Vicinity Of Baghdad Airport Hit By Katyusha Rockets," 10/5/20

 

NRT, “Rockets Fall Inside Baghdad’s Green Zone, Child Killed: Military,” 11/18/20

 

Al Sumaria, "An explosive device targeting an international coalition logistical support convoy in Basra," 10/24/20