Pro-Iran groups which are part of the Iraqi government’s Hashd al-Shaabi forces continued their offensive against US forces in December. The Islamic State was present as well but barely carried out any attacks.
In December there were a total of 35 security incidents reported in Iraq by the media. That was the same figure as November.
The Islamic State was responsible for 9 incidents during the month. That compared to 6 in November. This was the fourth straight month and the sixth month in 2023 where operations by the insurgents were in single digits. From January to June the group carried out 92 attacks or 15.3 per month. That dropped to 42 from July to December or 7.0 per month. IS has ceased to be a threat to the Iraqi state and is only concerned with protecting what little territory it holds which is all in rural, mountainous and desert areas of the country where there are few people.
In December the insurgency carried out 1 attack in Anbar, 2 in north Baghdad’s Tarmiya district, 2 in Kirkuk’s southeastern Daquq district, and 2 in the disputed area of Makhmour in Ninewa. The last was the largest assault of the month as IS attacked a checkpoint killing 1 soldier and rounding 5 others and then got into a gun battle in the same area that injured another 4 soldiers.
In total the Islamic State killed 1 soldier and 1 Hashd and wounded 2 police, 2 Hashd and 9 soldiers during the month.
There were a total of 26 attacks by pro-Iran groups in December. There were 29 in November and 15 in October. There was a short pause in operations as the factions allowed for the provincial elections to occur and then they went back to work. These attacks started as armed groups went after US troops in Iraq for the Biden administration’s support of Israel in the Gaza War.
Al-Asad Airbase in Anbar was struck 8 times with an assortment of drones and rockets. Rockets were fired at the Green Zone in Baghdad twice. Irbil Airport and Harir Airbase were attacked 5 times by drones and two more crashed into Irbil City. Western Ninewa’s Rabia was also used as a launching pad for two rocket strikes on US bases in eastern Syria.
Most importantly these groups launched three unsuccessful attacks upon Israel. A city, a gas platform on the Mediterranean and the Golan Heights were all targeted. This was a huge escalation and could bring about Israeli retaliation.
The U.S. has already struck back twice against Iraqi groups blamed for these attacks. The latest was in the middle of December when it hit three Kataib Hezbollah bases and headquarters in Babil along with Harakat al-Nujaba in Wasit. That resulted in 1 dead and 24 wounded including some Iraqi police and civilians.
Security Incidents In Iraq By Province
|
Province |
Dec 1-7 |
Dec 8-14 |
Dec 15-21 |
Dec 22-28 |
Dec 29-31 |
Totals |
|
Anbar |
4 Pro-Iran |
2 Pro-Iran |
3/2 Pro-Iran |
1 Pro-Iran |
1 Pro-Iran |
11/10 Pro-Iran |
|
Baghdad |
1 Pro-Iran |
1 Pro-Iran |
1 |
1 |
|
4/2 Pro-Iran |
|
Irbil |
2 Pro-Iran |
2 Pro-Iran |
- |
2 Pro-Iran |
3 Pro-Iran |
9 Pro-Iran |
|
Israel |
- |
- |
- |
3 Pro-Iran |
|
3 Pro-Iran |
|
Kirkuk |
- |
2 |
- |
- |
|
2 |
|
Ninewa |
3/1 Pro-Iran |
1 Pro-Iran |
- |
- |
|
4/2 Pro-Iran |
|
Salahaddin |
- |
- |
2 |
- |
|
2 |
|
TOTAL |
10/8 Pro-Iran |
8/6 Pro-Iran |
6/2 Pro-Iran |
7/6 Pro-Iran |
4 Pro-Iran |
35/26 Pro-Iran |
Casualties In Iraq By Province
|
Province |
Dec 1-7 |
Dec 8-14 |
Dec 15-21 |
Dec 22-28 |
Dec 29-31 |
Totals |
|
Baghdad |
- |
- |
1 (1K) |
- |
- |
1 (1K) |
|
Irbil |
- |
- |
- |
3 (3WUS) |
- |
3 (3WUS) |
|
Kirkuk |
- |
2 (2W) |
- |
- |
- |
2 (2W) |
|
Ninewa |
10 (1K, 9W) |
- |
- |
- |
- |
10 (1K, 9W) |
|
Salahaddin |
- |
- |
2 (2W) |
- |
- |
2 (2W) |
|
TOTAL |
10 (1K, 9W) |
2 (2W) |
3 (1K, 2W) |
3 (3WUS) |
- |
18 (2K, 16W) |
Security In Iraq 2022-23
|
Week |
Security Incidents (Total/By IS) |
Dead (Total/By IS) |
Wounded (Total/By IS) |
|
Jan 1-7 |
18/9 Pro-Iran |
3 |
4 |
|
Jan 8-14 |
35/21 Pro-Iran |
3 |
18 |
|
Jan 15-21 |
12/5 Pro-Iran |
17 |
12 |
|
Jan 22-28 |
16/3 Pro-Iran |
8 |
19 |
|
Jan 29-31 |
6/2 Pro-Iran |
2 |
6 |
|
JAN |
87/41 Pro-Iran |
33 |
59 |
|
Feb 1-7 |
11/3 Pro-Iran |
1 |
10 |
|
Feb 8-14 |
14/6 Pro-Iran |
8 |
3 |
|
Feb 15-21 |
9/1 Pro-Iran |
- |
11 |
|
Feb 22-28 |
8/4 Pro-Iran |
1 |
5 |
|
FEB |
42/14 Pro-Iran |
10 |
29 |
|
Mar 1-7 |
7/3 Pro-Iran |
1 |
- |
|
Mar 8-14 |
18/3/1 Pro-Iran |
6 |
5 |
|
Mar 15-21 |
10/4 Pro-Iran |
5 |
6 |
|
Mar 22-28 |
6/1 Pro-Iran |
7 |
4 |
|
Mar 29-31 |
4/1 Pro-Iran |
- |
5 |
|
MAR |
46/12/1 Pro-Iran |
19 |
21 |
|
Apr 1-7 |
16/8 Pro-Iran |
- |
6 |
|
Apr 8-14 |
21/7 Pro-Iran |
8 |
25 |
|
Apr 15-21 |
22/2 Pro-Iran |
10 |
22 |
|
Apr 22-28 |
44/4 Pro-Iran |
14 |
44 |
|
Apr 29-30 |
6/1 Pro-Iran |
2 |
6 |
|
APR |
111/22 Pro-Iran |
34 |
103 |
|
May 1-7 |
31/3 Pro-Iran |
8 |
25 |
|
May 8-14 |
9/2 Pro-Iran |
2 |
7 |
|
May 15-21 |
18/6 Pro-Iran |
10 |
6 |
|
May 22-28 |
13/1 Pro-Iran |
21 |
11 |
|
May 29-31 |
2/1 Pro-Iran |
- |
2 |
|
MAY |
73/13 Pro-Iran |
41 |
51 |
|
Jun 1-7 |
6/2 Pro-Iran |
- |
8 |
|
Jun 8-14 |
12/4 Pro-Iran |
1 |
9 |
|
Jun 15-21 |
10/2 Pro-Iran |
5 |
2 |
|
Jun 22-28 |
12/6 Pro-Iran |
1 |
14 |
|
Jun 29-30 |
- |
- |
- |
|
JUN |
40/14 Pro-Iran |
7 |
33 |
|
Jul 1-7 |
7/1 Pro-Iran |
6 |
11 |
|
Jul 8-14 |
3 |
- |
2 |
|
Jul 15-21 |
11/2 Pro-Iran |
14 |
16 |
|
Jul 22-28 |
18/7 Pro-Iran |
9 |
21 |
|
Jul 29-31 |
4 |
4 |
4 |
|
JUL |
43/6 Pro-Iran |
33 |
54 |
|
Aug 1-7 |
9/1 Pro-Iran |
6 |
15 |
|
Aug 8-14 |
14 |
2 |
14 |
|
Aug 15-21 |
7/2 Pro-Iran |
- |
6 |
|
Aug 22-28 |
23/4 Pro-Iran |
14 |
15 |
|
Aug 29-31 |
4 |
2 |
4 |
|
AUG |
57/7/1 Pro-Iran |
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 Pro-Iran |
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 Pro-Iran |
42 |
38 |
|
Jan 1-7 |
7 |
4 |
2 |
|
Jan 8-14 |
6/1 Pro-Iran |
5 |
2 |
|
Jan 15-21 |
11/1 Pro-Iran |
2 |
7 |
|
Jan 22-28 |
5/2 Pro-Iran |
1 |
2 |
|
Jan 29-31 |
1 |
- |
2 |
|
JAN |
29/4 Pro-Iran |
12 |
15 |
|
Feb 1-7 |
6/2 Pro-Iran |
1 |
5 |
|
Feb 8-14 |
1 |
- |
2 |
|
Feb 15-21 |
4 |
4 |
8 |
|
Feb 22-28 |
9/1 Pro-Iran |
7 |
3 |
|
FEB |
20/3 Pro-Iran |
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 Pro-Iran |
- |
- |
|
JUL |
11/2 Pro-Iran |
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 Pro-Iran |
1 |
9 |
|
AUG |
13/1 Pro-Iran |
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 |
|
Nov 15-21 |
6 Pro-Iran |
- |
8 Amer |
|
Nov 22-28 |
4 Pro-Iran |
- |
- |
|
Nov 29-30 |
2 |
11 |
16 |
|
NOV |
35/29 Pro-Iran |
15 |
29 |
|
Dec 1-7 |
10/8 Pro-Iran |
1 |
9 |
|
Dec 8-14 |
8/6 Pro-Iran |
- |
2 |
|
Dec 15-21 |
6/2 Pro-Iran |
1 |
2 |
|
Dec 22-28 |
7/6 Pro-Iran |
- |
3 US |
|
Dec 29-31 |
4 Pro-Iran |
|
|
|
DEC |
35/26 Pro-Iran |
2K |
16W |
SOURCES
Al Aalem, “Faction returned with strength .. What is the secret behind the recent cessation of faction attacks against American forces?” 12/26/23
- “The factional war with Washington reaches the cities … and Baghdad is embarrassed,” 12/27/23
Agence France Presse, "US strikes in Iraq leave one dead and 24 injured," 12/26/23
Barnea, Yuval, "Iraqi militia attempts drone attack on Eilat, drone intercepted over Jordan," The Jerusalem Post, 12/22/23
Bas News, "Iraqi Intelligence Agency HQ Attacked with Rockets," 12/8/23
- "IS Militants Attack Iraqi Army in Makhmour, Four Soldiers Injured," 12/2/23
Britzky, Haley, "US forces in Iraq came under attack for 98th time as general visited region," CNN, 12/15/23
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, 12/3/23
Mahmoud, Sinan, “Iran-backed Shiite militias claim Golan Heights attack,” The National, 12/28/23
-, "Rockets fired towards Iraq's Green Zone, security officials say," The National, 12/8/23
NINA, "Ain Al-Assad Base Targeted With A Drone," 12/4/23
- "Counter terrorism Kurdistan Region: A drone crashes into a civilian building in Erbil," 12/8/23
- "A drone fallen in Qalai Noi area in the city of Erbil," 12/30/23
- "A drone targets US forces at Ain asl-Assad base in Iraq," 12/6/23
- "An ISIS attack southwest of Kirkuk Thwarted," 12/8/23
- "ISIS Attacks a military point in Makhmour" 12/2/23
- "A military force besieges members of ISIS gang in a village in Makhmour," 12/2/23
- "Targeting Ain al-Assad base with a drone," 12/6/23
- "Targeting Ain al-Assad base with missiles," 12/20/23
- "Two members of the PMF injured in Daquq," 12/9/23
- "US forces targeted at Erbil Airport with a number of suicide drones," 12/8/23
Al Rafidain, "Explosions Rock The Ain Al-Asad Base, West Of Anbar, Where American Forces Are Stationed," 12/27/23
Reuters, "Armed drone targeting US, international forces shot down over Erbil airport in Iraq," 12/31/23
- "Erbil airport operations suspended after booby-trapped drone shot down: Iraq media," 12/25/23
Rudaw, "ISIS attack in Makhmour kills Iraqi soldier: Peshmerga," 12/3/23
Salem, Amr, "Iraqi factions targets Israeli gas rig in the Mediterranean with a drone," Iraqi News, 12/24/23
Shafaq News, "Armed factions announce a new targeting of the Harir base in Erbil," 12/6/23
- "For the second time in hours … the Iraqi Resistance announces the targeting of the Harir base in Irbil," 12/30/23
- "Iraqi factions launch 6 missiles towards the Kharab al-Jir base from the Rabia area (video)," 12/8/23
- "Iraqi factions resume their attacks and announce the bombing of an American base at Erbil airport," 12/2/23
- "ISIS Attack in Anbar … killing and wounding four members of the organization," 12/18/23
- "ISIS militants attack northern Baghdad and kill a security officer," 12/20/23
- "Launching missiles from Rabia district, west of Mosul, towards Syrian territory," 12/3/23
- "Security forces thwart an attempt to bomb 3 homes north of Baghdad," 12/28/23
- "Sources: A drone was shot down over Ain al-Assad base," 12/31/23
- "Targeting Ain al-Assad base in western Iraq with a drone," 12/11/23
Van Wilgenburg, Wladimir, "Attack on Erbil Air Base leaves no casualties or damage: Pentagon official," Kurdistan 24, 12/27/23
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