Security In Iraq Nov 8-14, 2023

The Islamic State is back to work in Iraq in November but still at a very low level. Pro-Iran groups are far more active carrying out regular attacks upon U.S. forces to protest the Gaza War.

 

There were a total of 12 security incidents reported in Iraq from November 8-14. That compared to 11 the week before. Only 2 incidents were by the Islamic State which was the same amount as the first week of the month. The other 10 incidents were by pro-Iran groups. They carried out 10 attacks the previous week.

 

In northern Baghdad in the Tarmiya district the insurgents attacked a checkpoint which left 2 soldiers wounded. The same day in southwest Diyala another checkpoint was assaulted leading to 1 soldier being injured. The Islamic State was inactive for an entire month from the end of September into October. It has now returned to the field but still is a shadow of its former self. Both of these incidents were likely aimed at making the security forces leave areas that the militants have bases in.

 

During the week pro-Iran groups branched out from their usual targets. Al-Asad airbase in Anbar was hit 5 times with a mix of drones, rockets and mortars. Al-Harir airbase in Irbil was struck four times with drones. A joint Iraq-US patrol in Ninewa was also struck by an IED which was a new type of attack. So far the Biden administration has not retaliated in Iraq for these incidents focusing upon hitting the groups in Syria instead. If the attacks continue and there is any serious casualties however the Americans will likely expand into striking targets in Iraq as well.

 

Security Incidents In Iraq By Province

Province	Nov 1-7	Nov 8-14
Anbar	7/5 Pro-Iran	5 Pro-Iran
Baghdad	-	1
Diyala	-	1
Irbil	4 Pro-Iran	4 Pro-Iran
Ninewa	-	1 Pro-Iran
TOTAL	11/9 Pro-Iran	12/10 Pro-Iran

 

Casualties In Iraq By Province

Province	Nov 1-7	Nov 8-14
Anbar	6 (4K, 2W)
Baghdad	-	2 W
Diyala	-	1 W
TOTAL	6 (4K, 2W)	3 W

 

Security In Iraq 2022-23

Week	Security Incidents (Total/By IS)	Dead (Total/By IS)	Wounded (Total/By IS)
Jan 1-7	18/9	3	4
Jan 8-14	35/21	3	18
Jan 15-21	12/5	17	12
Jan 22-28	16/3	8	19
Jan 29-31	6/2	2	6
JAN	87/41	33	59
Feb 1-7	11/3	1	10
Feb 8-14	14/6	8	3
Feb 15-21	9/1	-	11
Feb 22-28	8/4	1	5
FEB	42/14	10	29
Mar 1-7	7/3	1	-
Mar 8-14	18/3/1	6	5
Mar 15-21	10/4	5	6
Mar 22-28	6/1	7	4
Mar 29-31	4/1	-	5
MAR	46/12/1	19	21
Apr 1-7	16/8	-	6
Apr 8-14	21/7	8	25
Apr 15-21	22/2	10	22
Apr 22-28	44/4	14	44
Apr 29-30	6/1	2	6
APR	111/22	34	103
May 1-7	31/3	8	25
May 8-14	9/2	2	7
May 15-21	18/6	10	6
May 22-28	13/1	21	11
May 29-31	2/1	-	2
MAY	73/13	41	51
Jun 1-7	6/2	-	8
Jun 8-14	12/4	1	9
Jun 15-21	10/2	5	2
Jun 22-28	12/6	1	14
Jun 29-30	-	-	-
JUN	40/14	7	33
Jul 1-7	7/1	6	11
Jul 8-14	3	-	2
Jul 15-21	11/2	14	16
Jul 22-28	18/7	9	21
Jul 29-31	4	4	4
JUL	43/6	33	54
Aug 1-7	9/1	6	15
Aug 8-14	14	2	14
Aug 15-21	7/2	-	6
Aug 22-28	23/4	14	15
Aug 29-31	4	2	4
AUG	57/7/1	24	54
Sep 1-7	11/1	3	20
Sep 8-14	5	-	12
Sep 15-21	12	4	14
Sep 22-28	10/2 M	2	16
Sep 29-30	3/1 M	-	2
SEP	41/1/3 M	9	64
Oct 1-7	9/2 M	6	16
Oct 8-14	8/2/1 M	5	19
Oct 15-21	6	4	7
Oct 22-28	3	2	1
Oct 29-31	2	-	2
OCT	28/2/3 M	17	45
Nov 1-7	7	1	3
Nov 8-14	6	1	8
Nov 15-21	8	7	17
Nov 22-28	2	1	-
Nov 29-30	-	-	-
NOV	23	10	28
Dec 1-7	13/1	6	11
Dec 8-14	6	7	8
Dec 15-21	6	29	15
Dec 22-28	6	-	4
Dec 29-31	2	-	-
DEC	33/1	42	38
Jan 1-7	7	4	2
Jan 8-14	6/1	5	2
Jan 15-21	11/1	2	7
Jan 22-28	5/2	1	2
Jan 29-31	1	-	2
JAN	29/4	12	15
Feb 1-7	6/2	1	5
Feb 8-14	1	-	2
Feb 15-21	4	4	8
Feb 22-28	9/1	7	3
FEB	20/3	12	18
Mar 1-7	3	10	4
Mar 8-14	2	2	1
Mar 15-21	2	1	3
Mar 22-28	1	2	-
Mar 29-31	1	3	-
MAR	9	18	8
Apr 1-7	5	1	7
Apr 8-14	4	-	1
Apr 15-21	5	3	-
Apr 22-28	2	1	-
Apr 29-30	1	1	-
APR	16	6	8
May 1-7	2	1	1
May 8-14	6	4	3
May 15-21	3	2	6
May 22-28	3	1	3
May 29-31	2	-	3
MAY	15	8	14
Jun 1-7	-	-	-
Jun 8-14	4	7	4
Jun 15-21	2	1	2
Jun 22-28	4	2	4
Jun 29-30	-	-	-
JUN	10	10	10
Jul 1-7	1	-	-
Jul 8-14	3	2	1
Jul 15-21	2	-	1
Jul 22-28	2	-	2
Jul 29-31	3/2	-	-
JUL	11/2	2	4
Aug 1-7	4	-	4
Aug 8-14	2	1	3
Aug 15-21	2	-	5
Aug 22-28	2	-	2
Aug 29-31	3/1	1	9
AUG	13/1	2	23
Sep 1-7	1	-	1
Sep 8-14	1	1	-
Sep 15-21	2	-	4
Sep 22-28	1	1	1
Sep 29-30	-	-	-
SEP	5	2	6
Oct 1-7	-	-	-
Oct 8-14	-	-	-
Oct 15-21	7 Pro-Iran	-	-
Oct 22-28	7/5 Pro-Iran	-	8
Oct 29-31	3 Pro-Iran	-	-
OCT	17/15 Pro-Iran	-	8
Nov 1-7	11/9	4	2
Nov 8-14	12/10	-	3

 

SOURCES

 

Al-Hurra, "Drone and Explosive device attacks targeting American forces in Iraq," 11/9/23

 

Knights, Michael Al-Kaabi, Amir Malik, Hamdi, "Tracking Anti-U.S. Strikes in Iraq and Syria During the Gaza Crisis," The Washington Institute for Near East Policy, 11/10/23

Kurdistan 24, "Armed drones attack coalition base in Erbil, says Kurdish counter terrorism group," 11/9/23

 

NINA, "Two soldiers injured in a terrorist attack on an army station north of Baghdad," 11/15/23

 

Reuters, "Explosive device near Iraq's Mosul targets US-Iraqi patrol," 11/9/23

 

Rudaw, "Erbil airbase again targeted with suicide drones," 11/11/23

 

Shafaq News, "A soldier was injured in an ISIS attack in Diyala," 11/15/23

- “Targeting Ain al-Assad base in Anbar with mortar shells,” 11/11/23

 

Van Wilgenberg, Wladimir, "Iran-backed group reportedly carries out new attack on Harir base," 11/9/23