Security In Iraq Dec 1-7, 2021

The winter break in Islamic State operations continued into the first week of December. For the last eleven weeks incidents by the insurgency have been in the teens or tens. On the other hand, pro-Iran groups have been picking up their operations against American targets now that the elections are over and the U.S. is supposed to withdraw its combat troops by the end of the year. These factions also carried out a bombing in Basra aimed at the security forces.

 

There were a total of 17 security incidents reported in the media in Iraq from December 1-7. For the three previous weeks incidents have been in the teens.

 

Those left 29 dead and 22 wounded. 4 members of the Iraqi Security Forces (ISF), 11 civilians and 14 Peshmerga were killed and 2 Peshmerga, 3 ISF and 17 civilians were injured. Irbil had the most casualties with 18 followed by 17 in Kirkuk. The other provinces were in single digits.

 

2 incidents were by pro-Iran groups. A logistics convoy working for the U.S. was hit by an IED in Diwaniya. In Basra however, a “death squad” was blamed for a motorcycle bomb in Basra city which killed four and left four more wounded. According to reports the bomb was aimed at a security official who has been investigating the group which might be affiliated with Kataib Hezbollah for attacks upon protesters, journalists, and activists.

 

The Islamic State was responsible for 15 incidents. Attacks by the group have been at that level since the middle of August. Insurgent attacks have gone down almost every winter since 2003.

 

Ninewa and Salahaddin had just one incident each. In Ninewa Hatra was hit by mortars and there was a home invasion in Salahaddin. IS has been focusing upon Hatra for the last several weeks. It sits in the southern part of the province. The militants are either trying to expand into the area or are already there and attempting to keep people out.

 

Kirkuk and Diyala had the most incidents at 5 and 6 respectively. Violence picked up in the former. There were three gun battles, Qara Salim was attacked leading to 5 dead and 6 wounded, and Lahiban was occupied by the insurgents. The town lies in the gap between the Peshmerga and ISF. IS often exploits these areas for attacks. In Diyala it was the usual mix of bombings and shootings, with three checkpoints targeted. Three of the incidents were in Muqdadiya in the center and one in Khanaqin in the northeast which are the main areas where IS has de facto control in Iraq. These are meant to intimidate the local population and security forces so that they don’t interfere with the group.

 

Besides the assaults on towns in Kirkuk the other big incidents occurred in Irbil. There the Islamic State attacked two more villages leaving 13 dead and 5 injured. This is part of a new strategy by IS to explore different parts of the country to test the security and see if it can move into the area. In November the group was probing Sulaymaniya and September they were trying Irbil. More of these types of incidents can be expected in the coming months.

 

Security Incidents In Iraq By Province

Province	Dec 1-7
Basra	1 Pro-Iran
Diwaniya	1 Pro-Iran
Diyala	6
Irbil	2
Kirkuk	5
Ninewa	1
Salahaddin	1
TOTAL	17/2 Pro-Iran

 

Casualties In Iraq By Province

Province	Dec 1-7
Basra	8 (4K, 4W)
Diyala	4 (2K, 2W)
Irbil	18 (13K, 5W)
Kirkuk	17 (9K, 8W)
Ninewa	1 (1W)
Salahaddin	3 (1K, 2W)
TOTAL	51 (29K, 22W)

 

	October Totals – 5 (1)
11/7/21	Drone Strike – PM Kazemi’s residence – 6 Wounded
	Rockets – Turkish military base, Bashiqa, Ninewa
11/9/21	IED on convoy carrying supplies to US - Diwaniya
11/16/21	IED dismantled – Babil
	Rockets – Turkish military base, Bavian, Ninewa
11/19/21	Rockets dismantled Ninewa
	IED on convoy carrying supplies to US – Dhi Qar
11/22/21	IED on convoy carrying supplies to US – Diwaniya
11/25/21	IED on convoy carrying supplies to US – Basra
11/28/21	IED on convoy carrying supplies to US – Diwaniya, Muthanna
11/30/21	IED on convoy carrying supplies to US – Babil
	November Totals – 10 (2) – 6 Wounded
12/5/21	IED on convoy carrying supplies to US – Diwaniya
12/7/21	Motorcycle Bomb ISF – 4 killed, 4 Wounded
	December Totals 2 – 4 Killed, 4 Wounded

 

Security In Iraq 2021

Week	Security Incidents (Total/By IS)	Dead (Total/By IS)	Wounded (Total/By IS)
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	31/5	14	25
May 15-21	15/2	3	3
May 22-28	20/9	3	24
May 29-31	11	6	11
MAY	113/24	59	100
Jun 1-7	12/5	6	29
Jun 8-14	22/10	7	7
Jun 15-21	24/4	14	14
Jun 22-28	19/2	10	17
Jun 29-30	5	-	21
JUN	83/21	36	87
Jul 1-7	38/9	11	35
Jul 8-14	25/4	7	17
Jul 15-21	20/1	48	75
Jul 22-28	10/1	10	7
Jul 29-31	16/5	30	30
JUL	110/20	106	164
Aug 1-7	44/5	12	19
Aug 8-14	31/6	17	23
Aug 15-21	25/8	12	18
Aug 22-28	21/9	8	10
Aug 29-31	12/2	5	12
AUG	133/30	54	82
Sep 1-7	21/3	12	24
Sep 8-14	28/3	24	36
Sep 15-21	13/1	5	17
Sep 22-28	17/4	13	9
Sep 29-30	2	-	-
SEP	81/11	54	86
Oct 1-7	17	11	22
Oct 8-14	14/1	4	13
Oct 15-21	9/2	3	2
Oct 22-28	21/1/1	36	42
Oct 29-31	11/1	7	7
OCT	72/6/1	61	86
Nov 1-7	20/2	3	20
Nov 8-14	15/1	11	18
Nov 15-21	14/4	2	4
Nov 22-28	15/4	10	14
Nov 29-30	3/1	1	3
NOV	67/12	27	59
Dec 1-7	17/2	29	22

 

Violence By Province Dec 1-7, 2021

Province	Violence	2018 Avg	2019 Avg	2020 Avg	2021 Avg
Anbar	-	12.6 incidents/ month	8.6 incidents/ month	7.0 incidents/ month	5.0 incidents/ month
Babil	-	4.0 incidents/month	3.0 incidents/month	2.75 incidents/month	2.6 incidents/month
Baghdad	-	33.0 incidents/month	11.6 incidents/month	7.3 incidents/month	6.1 incidents/ month
Basra	1 Pro-Iran Incident 4 Killed 4 Civilians 4 Wounded 4 Civilians   1 Motorcycle Bomb
Diwaniya	1 Pro-Iran Incident   1 IED
Diyala	6 Incidents 2 Killed 2 Civilians 2 Wounded 1 Civilian 1 ISF   4 Shootings 2 IEDs 1 Sticky Bomb	34.5 incidents/month	30.0 incidents/month	30.6 incidents/month	22.4 incidents/month
Irbil	2 Incidents 13 Killed 3 Civilians 10 Peshmerga 5 Wounded 5 Civilians   2 Shootings
Kirkuk	5 Incidents 9 Killed 1 Civilian 4 Peshmerga 4 ISF 8 Wounded 2 Peshmerga 2 ISF 4 Civilians   5 Shootings 1 IED 1 Rockets	36.5 incidents/month	18.6 incidents/month	13.9 incidents/month	11.9 incidents/month
Ninewa	1 Incident 1 Wounded 1 Civilian   1 Mortar	20.0 incidents/month	14.0 incidents/month	10.6 incidents/month	8.6 incidents/month
Salahaddin	1 Incident 1 Killed 1 Civilian 2 Wounded 2 Civilians   1 Shooting	21.7 incidents/month	10.6 incidents/month	11.2 incidents/month	12 incidents/month

 

SOURCES

 

Asharaq Al-Awsat, "Officials: Civilians Among 10 Dead In Iraq Attack Blamed on ISIS," 12/3/21

 

Bas News, "Casualties Reported after IS Attack against Iraqi Army in Kirkuk," 12/8/21

- "IS Attacks Two Villages in Makhmour, Kills Three Civilians," 12/2/21

 

Hussein, Mohammed, Tahir, Rawaz, Mohammed, Araz, "Intensifying IS attacks strike near northern oil fields," Iraq Oil Report, 12/7/21

 

New Arab, "Roadside bomb targets coalition forces convoy in Iraq," 12/5/21

 

NINA, "3 Security Personnel Wounded In An IED Explosion South Of Kirkuk," 12/7/21

- "4 Peshmerga Killed And Wounded Between Kirkuk/Erbil Borders," 12/5/21

- "A civilian was injured by a mortar shell in Hatra district, south of Mosul," 12/4/21

- "A Guard In A Poultry Field In Diyala Assassinated," 12/2/21

- "An ISIS Attack On A Military Post Thwarted In Diyala," 12/6/21

- "ISIS Control Lahiban Village Entirely, South Of Kirkuk, And Burn Homes/More," 12/5/21

- "A policeman and a civilian were injured when a sticky bomb exploded west of Baquba," 12/1/21

- "A Shepherd Martyred By A Landmine Left By ISIS, Northeast of Baquba," 12/6/21

 

NRT, "Attacks Target Iraqi, Kurdish Forces North Of Kirkuk," 12/8/21

- "At Least Four Killed In ISIS Attack On Village Southwest Of Erbil," 12/3/21

- "At Least Four People Killed In Bomb Blast Near Basra Hospital," 12/7/21

- "Two Federal Police Killed In Explosion In Kirkuk," 12/7/21

 

Reuters, "Iraqi forces, Kurdish Peshmerga retake northern village from ISIS fighters," 12/6/21

 

Shafaq News, "The army thwarts an ISIS attack, northeast of Diyala," 12/3/21

- "Army thwarts ISIS attack in Diyala," 12/5/21

- "Kirkuk … thwarting ISIS infiltration of a village between the army and the Peshmerga lines," 12/4/21

- "A victim and two wounded in an attack by armed men in military uniforms on a house in Salahaddin," 12/3/21