Tuesday, May 18, 2021

Security In Iraq May 8-14, 2021


Both the Islamic State and pro-Iran groups continued their offensives into the second week of May. During the winter attacks by the insurgency were often down to single digits each week. Then at the end of April the annual Ramadan offensive began. On the other hand, starting in December Hashd groups loyal to Iran began a new series of assaults upon American targets in Iraq.

 

There were a total of 31 security incidents recorded in Iraq from May 8-14. There were 36 the week before.


 

5 of those incidents were by factions loyal to Tehran. That included IEDs on convoys carrying supplies for the U.S. in Anbar (2), Dhi Qar and Diwaniya. A drone also hit the Ain al-Asad base in Anbar. This was the second time Asad had been attacked this month. These groups have been increasing their operations nearly every month. Originally this was driven by rivalries between different factions. Now it appears they have a wide range of goals that include things like hindering foreign contractors working with the Iraqi forces that will cripple the Air Force.

 

26 attacks were by the Islamic State. Those were in Anbar (2), Babil (1), Baghdad (2), Diyala (9), Irbil (1) Kirkuk (4), Ninewa (1), and Salahaddin (6).

 

They left 14 dead and 25 wounded. 1 Peshmerga, 2 members of the Iraqi Security Forces (ISF), 4 civilians, and 7 Hashd al-Shaabi lost their lives and 1 Peshmerga, 5 civilians, 7 Hashd and 12 ISF were injured. Salahaddin had the most casualties during the week with 17.

 

Anbar, Babil, Baghdad and Ninewa continued to see low level insurgent activity. There was a kidnapping in Rutba likely to get people to pay ransom, and an IED was discovered and dismantled in Akashat in Anbar. An infiltration attempt was stopped in the Jurf al-Sakhr district of northeast Babil. In Baghdad, crops were burned in Meshahda and a grenade was thrown in Tarmiya both in the outer regions of the province. That’s where almost all IS attack occur these days. There was an IED in south Ninewa in the Qayara district. All of these areas only see single digit incidents each week. Anbar and Ninewa are used to ferry men and material from Syria to Iraq. Baghdad and Babil are secondary fronts these days.

 

Diyala is the center of IS activity in Iraq. There were 9 incidents there including two attacks on villages, two assaults on checkpoints and three gun battles. During one of those incidents the militants also destroyed an agricultural pump and electrical transformers in the Azim district in the north. 5 of the 9 incidents were in the Khanaqin district in the northeast which is the main strongpoint of the insurgency. IS continues with its campaign to intimidate locals while challenging the security forces.

 

Kirkuk was very quiet during the winter but incidents have returned with the new Ramadan campaign. Out of the four incidents the biggest was two electricity towers being blown up in the Riyad district in the south. The Islamic State was never expelled from the south during the war and has maintained camps there ever since. Almost all violence is concentrated there with occasional attacks in Kirkuk city.

 

Salahaddin followed the same pattern as Kirkuk. During the second week of May there were 2 attacks on checkpoints and three gun battles. Incidents in the governorate are spread across areas like Tuz Kharmato in the east to Samarra and Dour in the center. All of the attacks were against the security forces. This has been the main target for months now as IS announced a war of attrition against the government.

 

Security Incidents In Iraq By Province

Province

May 1-7

May 8-14

Anbar

3/2 Pro-Iran

5/3 Pro-Iran

Babil

2/1 Pro-Iran

1

Baghdad

3/1 Pro-Iran

2

Basra

1 Pro-Iran

-

Dhi Qar

-

1 Pro-Iran

Diwaniya

-

1 Pro-Iran

Diyala

9

9

Irbil

-

1

Kirkuk

10

3

Muthanna

1 Pro-Iran

-

Ninewa

4

1

Salahaddin

3/2 Pro-Iran

6

TOTAL

36/8 Pro-Iran

30/5 Pro-Iran

 

Casualties In Iraq By Province

Province

May 1-7

May 8-14

Anbar

5 (2K, 3W)

2 (2K)

Babil

2 (1K, 1W)

-

Baghdad

12 (12K)

-

Diyala

7 (2K, 5W)

9 (1K, 8W)

Irbil

-

2 (1K, 1W)

Kirkuk

35 (15K, 20W)

8 (2K, 6W)

Ninewa

4 (1K, 3W)

1 (1W)

Salahaddin

5 (5W)

17 (8K, 9W)

TOTAL

70 (33K, 37W)

39 (14K, 25W)

 

Attacks by Pro-Iran Groups 2021

 

Date - Incident - Location

Jan, 2021

1/1/21 - IED on convoy carrying supplies to US – Muthanna

1/4/21 - IED on convoy carrying supplies to US – Salahaddin

1/8/21 - IED on convoy carrying supplies to US – Baghdad & Muthanna

1/9/21 - IED on convoy carrying supplies to US – Babil, IED dismantled – Dhi Qar

1/18/21 - IED on convoy carrying supplies to US – Dhi Qar

1/20/21 - IED on convoy carrying supplies to US – Baghdad

1/21/21 - IED on convoy carrying supplies to US – Baghdad

1/22/21 - Rockets – Baghdad International Airport/Jihad, IED on convoy carrying supplies to US – Babil

1/26/21 - IED on convoy carrying supplies to US – Dhi Qar

1/31/21 - IED on convoy carrying supplies to US – Babil

 

January Totals – 13

Feb

2/4/21 - IED on convoy carrying supplies to US – Babil

2/7/21 - IED on convoy carrying supplies to US – Babil

2/8/21- IED on convoy carrying supplies to US – Diwaniya

2/10/21 - IED on convoy carrying supplies to US – Baghdad

2/11/21 - IED on convoy carrying supplies to US – Baghdad

2/15/21 - Rockets – Irbil Airport – 2 Killed, 8 Wounded, IED on convoy carrying supplies to US – Baghdad

2/17/21 - IED on convoy carrying supplies to US – Dhi Qar

2/18/21 - IED on convoy carrying supplies to US – Basra & Diwaniya

2/19/21 - IED on convoy carrying supplies to US – Basra

2/20/21 - Rockets – Salahaddin’s Balad Air Base – 2 Wounded

2/22/21 - Rockets – Baghdad’s Green Zone

2/25/21 - IED on convoy carrying supplies to US – Babil

2/26/21 - IED on convoy carrying supplies to US – Baghdad

2/27/21 - IED on convoy carrying supplies to US – Diwaniya

 

February Totals – 16 – 2 killed, 10 wounded

Mar

3/2/21 - IED on convoy carrying supplies to US – Babil

3/3/21 - Rockets – Anbar’s Al-Asad Air Base, IED on convoy carrying supplies to US – Baghdad, Diwaniya & Muthanna

3/11/21 - IED on convoy carrying supplies to US – Anbar

3/13/21 – Rockets - Salahaddin’s Balad Air Base, IED on convoy carrying supplies to US – Diwaniya

3/15/21 - IED on convoy carrying supplies to US – Babil

3/18/21 - IED on convoy carrying supplies to US – Diwaniya & Muthanna

3/20/21 - IED on convoy carrying supplies to US – Salahaddin

3/21/21 - IED on convoy carrying supplies to US – Babil

3/25/21 - IED on convoy carrying supplies to US – Babil & Baghdad

3/29/21 - IED on convoy carrying supplies to US – Babil & Dhi Qar

3/30/21 - IED on convoy carrying supplies to US – Dhi Qar & Salahaddin

3/31/21 - IED dismantled – Diwaniya

 

March Totals – 20

Apr

4/1/21 – IED on convoy carrying supplies to US – Baghdad

4/4/21 – Rockets -  Salahaddin’s Balad Air Base, IED on convoy carrying supplies to US – Diwaniya

4/5/21 – IED on convoy carrying supplies to US – Babil, Baghdad & Diwaniya

4/7/21 – IED on convoy carrying supplies to US – Anbar, Babil x2 & Salahaddin

4/8/21 – Rockets found – Anbar, Ain Al-Asad Base, IED on convoy carrying supplies to US – Babil

4/13/21 - IED on convoy carrying supplies to US – Muthanna

4/14/21 – Drone/Rockets – Irbil Airport, IED on convoy carrying supplies to US – Babil, Dhi Qar

4/15/21 – Rockets – Dohuk Turkish Army Base – 1 Turk killed, 1 wounded

4/16/21 – IED on convoy carrying supplies to US – Anbar

4/17/21 – IED on convoy carrying supplies to US – Dhi Qar

4/18/21 – Rockets – Salahaddin’s Balad Air Base – 5 wounded

4/22/21 – Rockets – Baghdad’s Camp Victory

4/25/21 - IED on convoy carrying supplies to US – Anbar

4/27/21 - IED on convoy carrying supplies to US – Anbar, Dhi Qar, Diwaniya

4/28/21 – Gunfire checkpoint – Anbar

4/29/21 - IED on convoy carrying supplies to US – Anbar

 

April Totals – 20 – 1 Killed (Turk), 6 Wounded

May

5/2/21 – Rockets – Baghdad’s International Airport, IED on convoy carrying supplies to US – Babil, Muthanna

5/3/21 – Rockets – Salahaddin’s Balad Air Base – 1 wounded

5/4/21 – Rockets – Anbar’s Ain Al-Asad Base, IED on convoy carrying supplies to US – Basra

5/6/21 – IED on convoy carrying supplies to US – Anbar, Salahaddin

5/8/21 – Rockets – Anbar’s Ain Al-Asad Base

5/11/21 - IED on convoy carrying supplies to US – Diwaniya

5/13/21 - IED on convoy carrying supplies to US – Anbar

5/14/21 - IED on convoy carrying supplies to US – Dhi Qar

 

May Totals – 13 – 1 Wounded

 

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

-

2020

Totals

215

103

28

41

3

13

41

-

-

Jan

2021

11

4

1

3

-

1

1

-

-

Feb

16

2

3

3

-

2

2

-

-

Mar

12

8

1

1

-

1

-

-

-

Apr

12

13

3

4

-

-

2

-

-

May

14

2

3

7

-

1

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

2019

Totals

77

116

24

19

6

8

18

-

1

2020

Totals

87

44

20

24

1

14

21

4

-

Jan

2021

1

1

-

-

-

-

-

-

-

Feb

5

2

-

1

-

-

-

-

-

Mar

4

5

2

2

-

-

-

-

-

Apr

7

4

3

2

1

3

1

-

-

May

10

5

6

-

-

-

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

2020

Totals

43

77

5

10

4

3

3

-

1

Jan 2021

1

5

1

-

-

-

-

-

-

Feb

-

2

-

-

-

-

-

-

-

Mar

2

3

1

-

-

-

-

-

-

Apr

-

8

-

1

-

-

-

-

-

May

1

4

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

2020

Totals

82

41

30

13

3

5

4

-

-

Jan 2021

4

3

2

-

-

-

-

-

-

Feb

1

2

-

-

-

-

-

-

 

Mar

8

4

2

2

-

-

-

-

-

Apr

10

6

6

1

1

1

-

-

-

May

6

1

3

2

-

-

-

-

-

           

Security In Iraq 2019-20

Week

Security

Incidents

(Total/By IS)

Dead

(Total/By IS)

Wounded

(Total/By IS)

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

Sep 22-28

28/7

19

11

Sep 29-30

6/3

1

6

SEP

113/31

53

86

Oct 1-7

19/5

9

12

Oct 8-14

14/1

8

10

Oct 15-21

30/1

25

26

Oct 22-28

25/1

16

24

Oct 29-31

5

4

5

OCT

93/8

62

77

Nov 1-7

11

7

10

Nov 8-14

25

23

39

Nov 15-21

19/1

18

25

Nov 22-28

24

11

26

Nov 29-30

8

1

10

NOV

87/1

60

110

Dec 1-7

19

4

30

Dec 8-14

21/2

13

26

Dec 15-21

15/2

6

8

Dec 22-28

17/6

3

22

Dec 29-31

11/2

3

4

DEC

83/12

29

90

Jan 1-7

21/2

13

19

Jan 8-14

17/3

12

6

Jan 15-21

20/3

52

133

Jan 22-28

10/3

13

12

Jan 29-31

9/1

2

6

JAN

77/13

92

176

Feb 1-7

19/2

11

23

Feb 8-14

11/3

4

8

Feb 15-21

20/7

11

23

Feb 22-28

13/4

13

23

FEB

63/16

39

77

Mar 1-7

19/5

5

8

Mar 8-14

12/2

13

15

Mar 15-21

24/6

8

7

Mar 22-28

14/2

8

13

Mar 29-31

9/5

2

1

MAR

79/20

39

44

Apr 1-7

16/10

3

5

Apr 8-14

15/6

6

18

Apr 15-21

32/4

19

44

Apr 22-28

31/6

15

42

Apr 29-30

12/1

11

23

APR

107/27

54

132

May 1-7

36/8

33

37

May 8-14

30/5

14

25

 

Violence By Province May 8-14, 2021

Province

Violence

Anbar

5/3 Pro-Iran Incidents

2 Killed

2 Civilians

 

3 IEDs

1 Drone Attack

Babil

1 Incident

 

1 Gunfire

Baghdad

2 Incidents

 

1 Grenade

1 Burned Crop

Dhi Qar

1 Pro-Iran Incident

 

1 IED

Diwaniya

1 Pro-Iran Incident

 

1 IED

Diyala

9 Incidents

1 Killed

1 Civilian

8 Wounded

2 Hashd

3 Civilians

3 ISF

 

7 Shootings

1 IED

1 Rockets

Irbil

1 Incident

1 Killed

1 Peshmerga

1 Wounded

1 Peshmerga

 

1 Shooting

Kirkuk

3 Incidents

2 Killed

1 Civilian

1 ISF

6 Wounded

1 Civilian

5 ISF

 

1 Shooting

3 IEDs

Ninewa

1 Incident

1 Wounded

1 Civilian

 

1 IED

Salahaddin

6 Incidents

8 Killed

1 ISF

7 Hashd

9 Wounded

4 ISF

5 Hashd

 

5 Shootings

1 IED

 

SOURCES

 

Bas News, "Bomb Blast Kills Iraqi Soldiers, Wounds Four," 5/9/21

- "Two Civilians Injured in Separate IS Attacks near Khanaqin," 5/11/21

 

Buratha News, "Clashes between the 47th Brigade of the Popular Mobilization Forces and ISIS terrorist elements trying to infiltrate and cross to Jurf al-Nasr," 5/8/21

- "The forces of the 315th Brigade in the Samarra Operations Command of the Popular Mobilization Forces put an end to the attack by ISIS terrorists," 5/8/21

 

Dri, Karwan Faidhi, "One dead in ISIS attacks on Peshmerga, PMF in Diyala: Kurdish commanders," Rudaw, 5/12/21

 

Iraq Newspaper, "The assassination of an activist by militia fire near the grave of Hussein, and ISIS kills three of the Mahdi Army near Hassan al-Askari," 5/8/21

- "Iran targets an American convoy in Babil and Qadisiya," 5/11/21

 

NINA, "2 Civilians Injured In Two Security Incidents In Diyala," 5/10/21

- "3 Soldiers Injured By An IED Explosion, Northeast Of Baquba, Diyala," 5/9/21

- "4 Fighters Of The PMF Martyred And Wounded While Responding To An ISIS Attack, East Of Samara," 5/9/21

- "6 Soldiers Martyred And Wounded, South Of Kirkuk," 5/9/21

- "A Civilian Injured By An IED South Of Mosul," 5/9/21

- "A convoy of logistical support for the international coalition forces targeted in Anbar," 5/13/21

- "An ISIS attack thwarted and the assassination of a young man by unknown gunmen in Diyala," 5/12/21

- "ISIS Targets 15 Agricultural Pump And An Electric Transformer On The Border Between Diyala And Salah al-Din," 5/11/21

- "ISIS targets two electricity transmission towers in Kirkuk," 5/14/21

- "The PMF Repels An ISIS Attack East Of Al-Dur District In Salah al-Din," 5/11/21

- "The popular crowd repels an ISIS attack in Salah al-Din," 5/11/21

- "Popular Mobilization Forces foils a terrorist attempt in Anbar," 5/10/21

- "Reports About Targeting A Convoy Of Logistical Support For The Int'l Coalition Forces In Anbar," 5/10/21

- "Security Forces Defuse An IED Near An Oil Field In Kirkuk," 5/9/21

 

NRT, "New Drone Attack Targets US Forces In Iraq," 5/8/21

- "One Peshmerga Killed, One Wounded In ISIS Attack Near Kifri," 5/11/21

 

Shafaaq News, "An armed attack near a mosque in Kirkuk leaves a woman dead and a man wounded," 5/13/21

- "An explosion targets a convoy carrying equipment for the International Coalition in southern Iraq," 5/14/21

- "Unidentified persons throw a bomb at an army target north of Baghdad," 5/11/21

 

Sotaliraq, "Victims from the Sadr Brigades in the Samarra attack and ISIS set fire to agricultural land north of Baghdad," 5/9/21

 

Al Sumaria, "ISIS executes two people and kidnaps another in Anbar," 5/8/21

 

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