Slight Uptick In Violence In Iraq Fourth Week of December 2014

The number of attacks and casualties went up a bit in Iraq in the fourth week of December 2014. That was due to an increase in fighting in Anbar and the discovery of a mass grave in Diyala. On the other hand the Iraqi Security Forces (ISF), militias and tribes made major advances in the Balad district of southern Salahaddin. Overall, violence remains relatively low compared to the summer when the insurgents were on the offensive.

From December 22-28 there were a reported 160 attacks in Iraq. That was up from 133 the previous week. Security incidents went from an average of 19.0 per day to 22.8. The main cause for the increase was Anbar where attacks went from 19 to 38 in the last two weeks. Baghdad led the week with 46 incidents, followed by 34 in Salahaddin, 32 in Anbar, 18 in Ninewa, 13 in Diyala, 8 in Babil, six in Kirkuk, three in Basra, and one in Qadisiyah. Attacks are down from the first half of the year when there were regularly more than 200 incidents per week.

Casualties were also up for the 4^th week of December. There were 558 deaths and 432 wounded up from 377 killed and 340 injured the third week of the month. The dead consisted of 40 members of the Iraqi Security Forces (ISF), 45 Sahwa, 17 peshmerga, and 2 members of the Syrian YPG, and 454 civilians, while the injured were 72 ISF, 77 Sahwa, 54 peshmerga, and 229 civilians. The main reason why there were more fatalities was the discovery of three mass graves in northeast Diyala with approximately 250 bodies in them. That meant that province had the most dead with 271. After that 103 were killed in Baghdad, 50 in Anbar, 45 in Kirkuk, 41 in Salahaddin, 32 in Babil, 14 in Ninewa, and two in Basra. In total, from January 1 to December 28 Musings On Iraq counted 10,117 security incidents, 24,464 dead, and 37,360 wounded.

Violence In Iraq By Week 2014

Date	Incidents	Dead	Wounded
Jan 1-7	244	363	733
Jan 8-14	272	364	676
Jan 15-21	205	358	616
Jan 22-28	236	305	618
Jan 29-31	57	93	237
JAN	1,014	1,483	2,890
Feb 1-7	211	306	706
Feb 8-14	229	258	505
Feb 15-21	264	347	703
Feb 22-28	251	374	617
FEB	955	1,285	2,531
Mar 1-7	252	412	702
Mar 8-14	205	323	610
Mar 15-21	216	423	736
Mar 22-27	211	279	580
Mar 28-31	108	169	261
MAR	992	1,606	2,889
Apr 1-7	238	259	550
Apr 8-14	224	362	646
Apr 15-21	241	406	805
Apr 22-28	226	347	744
Apr 29-30	61	82	179
APR	990	1,456	2,924
May 1-7	198	246	483
May 8-14	257	466	752
May 15-21	183	256	426
May 22-28	203	403	810
May 29-31	64	91	131
MAY	905	1,462	2,602
Jun 1-7	228	612	1,020
Jun 8-14	234	1,889	890
Jun 15-21	179	803	759
Jun 22-28	203	733	777
Jun 29-30	59	127	236
JUN	901	4,172	3,701
Jul 1-7	203	526	651
Jul 8-14	214	577	628
Jul 15-21	230	444	1,009
Jul 22-28	224	589	801
Jul 29-31	66	163	230
JUL	937	2,299	3,319
Aug 1-8	269	1,122	885
Aug 9-14	179	710	1,152
Aug 15-21	150	354	499
Aug 22-28	156	523	798
Aug 29-31	59	125	289
AUG	813	2,834	3,623
Sep 1-7	168	616	751
Sep 8-14	156	433	722
Sep 15-21	166	620	749
Sep 22-28	153	395	573
Sep 29-30	47	112	252
SEP	690	2,176	3,047
Oct 1-7	170	451	687
Oct 8-14	188	532	875
Oct 15-21	156	449	770
Oct 22-28	159	345	592 + 1,230
Oct 29-31	68	570	227
OCT	741	2,347	3,151 + 1,230
Nov 1-7	153	601	828
Nov 8-14	128	420	593
Nov 15-21	134	283	464
Nov 22-28	138	321	640
Nov 29-30	40	62	123
NOV	593	1,687	2,648
Dec 1-7	137	323	476
Dec 8-14	156	233 + 166	444 + 1,113
Dec 15-21	133	377	340
Dec 22-28	160	558	432
2014	10,117	24,464	37,360

Violence In Iraq By Province Dec 2014

Province	Dec 1-7	Dec. 8-14
Anbar	19 Incidents 84 Killed: 16 ISF, 68 Civilians 58 Wounded: 6 ISF, 52 Civilians 11 Shootings 1 IED	38 Incidents 79 Killed: 28 ISF, 51 Civilians 146 Wounded: 28 ISF, 118 Civilians 22 Shootings 1 IED 3 Mortar 5 Suicide Car Bombs 1 Car Bomb
Babil	5 Incidents 6 Killed: 2 ISF, 4 Civilians 20 Wounded: 4 ISF, 16 Civilians 4 IEDs 1 Car Bomb	2 Incidents 3 Killed: 1 ISF, 2 Civilians 10 Wounded: 2 ISF, 8 Civilians 2 IEDs
Baghdad	44 Incidents 97 Killed: 97 Civilians 262 Wounded: 7 ISF, 255 Civilians 11 Shootings 25 IEDs 1 Mortar 5 Sticky Bombs 2 Car Bombs	38 Incidents 49 Killed: 2 ISF, 47 Civilians 135 Wounded: 16 ISF, 119 Civilians 11 Shootings 18 IEDs 4 Stick Bombs 1 Mortar 3 Rockets
Basra	1 Incident 2 Stun Bombs	1 Incident
Diyala	8 Incidents 8 Killed: 2 Peshmerga, 6 Civilians 10 Wounded: 6 ISF, 4 Civilians 6 Shootings 2 IEDs	18 Incidents 18 Killed: 3 ISF, 1 Sahwa, 1 Peshmerga, 13 Civilians 28 Wounded: 1 ISF, 2 Peshmerga, 25 Civilians 6 Shootings 1 IED 1 Suicide Bomber 3 Mortar
Kirkuk	6 Incidents 18 Killed: 18 Civilians 22 Wounded: 22 Civilians 1 Shooting 3 Mortar 1 Suicide Car Bomb	9 Incidents 7 Killed: 7 Civilians 12 Wounded: 12 Civilians 3 Shootings 50 IEDs 1 Sticky Bomb 1 Mortar
Ninewa	13 Incidents 15 Killed: 1 ISF, 4 Peshmerga, 10 Civilians 6 Shootings 6 IEDs	8 Incidents 7 Killed: 2 ISF, 5 Civilians 5 Wounded: 1 Peshmerga, 4 Civilians 3 Shootings 4 IEDs
Salahaddin	41 Incidents 95 Killed: 22 ISF, 1 Sahwa, 72 Civilians 104 Wounded: 4 ISF, 100 Civilians 24 Shootings 31 IEDs 3 Mortar 1 Suicide Bomber 1 Suicide Car Bomb	40 Incidents 69 Killed: 20 ISF, 49 Civilians 104 Wounded: 25 ISF, 79 Civilians 18 Shootings 11 IEDs 10 Mortar 3 Rockets 2 Suicide Car Bombs
Province	Dec 15-21	Dec 22-28
Anbar	22 Incidents 38 Killed: 5 ISF, 33 Civilians 28 Wounded: 5 ISF, 23 Civilians 18 Shootings	32 Incidents 50 Killed: 8 ISF, 42 Civilians 57 Wounded: 10 ISF, 3 Sahwa, 44 Civilians 26 Shootings 1 Suicide Car Bomb 1 Mortar
Babil	8 Incidents 22 Killed: 22 Civilians 27 Wounded: 2 ISF, 25 Civilians 2 Shootings 3 IEDs 1 Sticky Bomb 1 Car Bomb 1 Mortar	8 Incidents 32 Killed: 3 Sahwa, 29 Civilians 25 Wounded: 3 ISF, 22 Civilians 3 Shootings 3 IEDs 2 Car Bombs
Baghdad	51 Incidents 159 Killed: 8 ISF, 151 Civilians 192 Wounded: 18 ISF, 174 Civilians 14 Shootings 24 IEDs 5 Sticky Bombs 1 Car Bomb 2 Mortar 1 Rocket 1 Grenade	46 Incidents 103 Killed: 19 ISF, 40 Sahwa, 44 Civilians 192 Wounded: 18 ISF, 70 Sahwa, 104 Civilians 13 Shootings 21 IEDs 7 Sticky Bombs 1 Suicide Bomber 1 Mortar
Basra	1 Incident 1 Wounded: 1 Civilian 1 Shooting	3 Incidents 2 Killed: 2 Civilians 2 Shootings
Diyala	10 Incidents 12 Killed: 3 ISF, 9 Civilians 18 Wounded: 1 ISF, 17 Civilians 6 Shootings 2 IEDs 3 Mortar	13 Incidents 271 Killed: 3 ISF, 12 Peshmerga, 256 Civilians 24 Wounded: 1 ISF, 2 Peshmerga, 21 Civilians 5 Shootings 2 IEDs 6 Mortar
Kirkuk	3 Incidents 1 Killed: 1 Civilian 1 IED	6 Incidents 45 Killed: 45 Civilians 2 Wounded: 2 Civilians 3 Shootings 2 IEDs 1 Rocket
Ninewa	7 Incidents 77 Killed: 77 Civilians 24 Wounded: 24 Peshmerga 5 Shootings 3 IEDs 1 Car Bomb	18 Incidents 14 Killed: 5 Peshmerga, 2 YPG, 7 Civilians 52 Wounded: 52 Peshmerga 11 Shootings 9 IEDs
Qadisiyah	-	1 Incident 1 Sound Bomb
Salahaddin	31 Incidents 68 Killed: 4 ISF, 64 Civilians 50 Wounded: 6 ISF, 44 Civilians 19 Shootings 63 IEDs 1 Suicide Bomber 1 Suicide Car Bomb 1 Mortar	34 Incidents 41 Killed: 10 ISF, 2 Sahwa, 29 Civilians 80 Wounded: 40 ISF, 4 Sahwa, 36 Civilians 12 Shootings 39 IEDs 1 Suicide Truck Bomb 6 Mortar 1 Rocket

Car Bomb Attacks In Iraq Dec 2014

Date	Location	Dead	Wounded
Dec 1
Dec 2	Mahmudiya, Babil		1
Dec 3
Dec 4	Shaab & Sadr City, Baghdad Shorja, Kirkuk	39	97
Dec 5
Dec 6
Dec 7	Salman, Salahaddin	9	17
1st Wk Totals	5	48	115
Dec 8
Dec 9	Nikhaib, Anbar
Dec 10	Ramadi, Anbar Dijla & Mutasim, Salahaddin	11	22
Dec 11	Ramadi, Anbar	2	4
Dec 12
Dec 13	Haditha & Ramadi, Anbar	15	33
Dec 14
2nd Wk Totals	7	28	59
Dec 15
Dec 16
Dec 17
Dec 18	Mahmuidya, Babil Husseiniya, Baghdad	10	25
Dec 19	Samarra, Salahaddin	2	5
Dec 20
Dec 21	Makhmour, Ninewa		4
3rd Wk Totals	4	12	34
Dec 22
Dec 23	Yusifiya, Babil Dhuluiya, Salahaddin	3	6
Dec 24
Dec 25
Dec 26
Dec 27	Outside Baghdadi, Anbar
Dec 28	Iskandiriya, Babil
4th Wk Totals	4	3	6

Like the previous week there were only four vehicle borne improvised explosive devices (VBIEDs) from December 22-28. There were two in Babil, and one each in Anbar and Salahaddin. Those resulted in three dead and six wounded, but the actual numbers were much higher as no casualties were reported for the December 28 bombing in Iskandiriya. The two attacks in Babil were terrorist ones, but the other two were part of military operations against the ISF and militias. So far, there have only been 20 VBIEDs this month. That means December looks like it will end with the fewest number of car bombs in a single month since October 2012 when there were just 23.

Anbar continued to be one of the most violent areas of the country. The Islamic State (IS) remained focused upon taking Baghdadi and the neighboring Assad Air Base, Haditha and its dam, and the provincial capital of Ramadi. IS has brought in tanks and other armored vehicles, plus several hundred reinforcements from Syria in its assault upon Baghdadi and Assad. In Ramadi insurgents made more thrusts at the downtown government complex, the Anbar Operations Command headquarters, and the 8^th Army Brigade base. Coalition air strikes have played a large role in blunting many of these attacks. IS was said to have suddenly withdrew from Qaim on December 22, while the ISF pulled out of 14 villages they had just taken in the Baghdadi area on December 27. The pro-government forces are still trying to clear towns around Hit in part of an offensive that started two weeks ago, and that has made very limited progress. This was also meant to relieve pressure on Baghdadi. December 25 the ISF claimed it had made major gains in Ramadi retaking Howaz, Andolus, Jamouri, Mualimin, and 20^th Street. These have been contested areas since January, and have traded hands many times. Finally, on December 22 a mass grave was found in Amiriya Fallujah with 20 people in it executed by IS. Despite the concerted efforts of the insurgents they have made no real progress in Anbar lately. At the same time up to 85% of the province is under their control, and no real help appears to be coming from Baghdad, which has written off the province for other areas of the country.

In Diyala there is continued controversy over the Jalawla and Sadiya areas that were cleared by the Peshmerga and militias several weeks ago, along with renewed IS attacks upon the center of the province. Local leaders told Al Mada that Jalawla was a disaster area. Mosques and shops have been blown up and destroyed by both pro and anti-government forces. Local Arabs have had their homes destroyed to try to stop them from returning. A local sheikh blamed the Kurds for trying to stop people from returning to the town on the grounds that they supported the insurgents. In Jalawla and Sadiya three mass graves were also discovered on December 24 with 250 bodies of people executed by the Islamic State. Diyala’s governor warned of the deteriorating security situation in Muqtadiya. He said the northern section of the district was under insurgent control. For the last several weeks they have been hitting the area with mortar fire, which caused more than 60 families to flee. For the week Muqtadiya was hit six times by mortars killing three and wounding 19. Badr Organization head Hadi Ameri told locals that they should leave because Muqtadiya was going to be the next target of a security sweep. Violence in the province is not as bad as it was at the start of the year, but it remains a major base for insurgents. It has lost ground in the northeast to the Kurds and militias, but places like the Hamrin Mountains are an insurgent stronghold despite several operations there. That has allowed them to carry out attacks like those on going in Mutaqadiya.

During the week the peshmerga continued to make progress in the Sinjar district of Ninewa. They broke the siege of Mount Sinjar last week and moved into Sinjar itself. IS has been attacking the surrounding areas like Gwar and Makhmour to draw Kurdish forces away, but they have not been successful. On December 24 a peshmerga commander said that 30% of Sinjar had been cleared. These moves have caused concern that an offensive against Mosul is imminent. Reports have said that is causing foreign fighters to leave the city, and locals are hoarding supplies.

In Salahaddin the ISF and militias made big gains in the southern part of the province. That was part of an offensive in the Balad district that started at the end of the third week of December. On December 22 two towns near Dhuluiya, and Albu Handal near Aziz were cleared. That was followed by two parts of Yathrib and Dhuluiya Bridge on December 25, one town in Dhuluiya, and two in Yathrib the next day, and then Al-Atheem River and Albu Salabi in Diyala neighboring Dhuluiya, Dhuluiya airport, Rosasi River, and ten more villages the next day. Finally, on December 28 two more sections of Aziz were freed, along with four more areas of Dhuluiya. Securing the Balad district is important to ensure communication and supply lines between central Salahaddin and Baghdad. The Dhuluiya area has also been under siege since the summer and is in desperate need of relief. The government has finally decided to address this area.

SOURCES

AIN, “2 areas within Dhilo’aya district liberated from ISIL,” 12/22/14

- “Peshmerga control new areas western Mosul,” 12/28/14

- “Security forces liberate 5 areas in Anbar,” 12/25/14

Alsumaria, "Peshmerga repel Daash attack on two villages south of Irbil, killing 33 of its gunmen," 12/28/14

- “Source: tactical withdrawal of the army from 14 villages west of Ramadi,” 12/27/14

- "A suicide bombing destroys vital bridge linking al-Baghdadi to villages west of 14 gray," 12/27/14

Awara, Omar, "Three Mass Graves Found in Jalawla and Saadia," Bas News, 12/24/14

Berwani, Hawar, "Car bomb goes off southern Baghdad," Iraqi News, 12/23/14

Buratha News, “Ameri appeal to the people of Muqdadiyah to leave the region before a heavy blow to Daash terrorists,” 12/28/14

- “Interior announces purge of Albu Tuma area south of Tikrit,” 12/26/14

EFE, “Islamic State once again blockades Iraq’s Biyi oil refinery,” 12/21/14

Al Forat, “23 ISIL terrorists killed in western Anbar,” 12/27/14

- “Albo Asaf area liberated of ISIL,” 12/27/14

- “ISF liberate eastern part of Rusasi River southern Tikrit,” 12/27/14

- “Salah al-Din: ISF & volunteers entered Remelat , Albu Handal,” 12/28/14

- “Salah al-Din: ISF & volunteers liberate Um Rosas from ISIL,” 12/27/14

- “Tikrit: ISF & volunteers liberate Tal Dhahab from ISIL,” 12/27/14

- “Tikrit: ISF liberate Banat al-Hassan area from ISIL,” 12/27/14

Hawrami, Karzan Sabah, “Peshmerga Commander: %30 of Sinjar Under Our Control,” Bas News, 12/24/14

Independent Press Agency, "Killing and injuring eight people by a roadside bomb south of Baghdad," 12/23/14

Jasim, Ali, “Governor of Diyala warns of collapse of the security situation in Muqdadiyah after recording six assassinations,” Alsumaria, 12/28/14

- "Suicide truck bomb over the Dhuluiya concrete bridge," Alsumaria, 12/23/14

Joumah, Khales, “Effect Of Victory In Sinjar: Extremists On The Move in Mosul,” Niqash, 12/24/14

Lewis, Jessica, Ali, Ahmed, and Adnan, Sinan, “ISIS Offensives in Ramadi City and Al-Asad Airbase in Al-Anbar, Iraq,” Institute for the Study of War, 12/24/14

Al Mada, “Federal Police freed one part of Yathrib area and cleared the Dhuluiya bridge and the clearing of explosive devices in Mutasim,” 12/25/14

- “Jalawla officials describe it as “distressed city” and Daash burned mosques and buildings before withdrawal,” 12/24/14

- “Joint forces led by Ameri begin joint forces operation led by Ameri to clear area around Balad of Daash,” 12/26/14

- “Joint forces of the Federal Police and popular crowd freed nine areas of southern Salahuddin,” 12/28/14

Majid, Haidar, “Freed two areas south of Tikrit and killed 20 members of Daash,” Alsumaria, 12/25/14

NINA, “The fighting continues around Ein al-Assad base and the IS managed to control a nearby residential neighborhoods,” 12/21/14

- "Mass grave found north of Babil," 12/22/14

- “Military force liberates /4/ villages northwest of Heet,” 12/22/14

- “More than /60/ families displaced from Muqdadiyah because of the mortars of the IS organization,” 12/27/14

- “Security Source: Yathrib and Aziz Balad Liberated From The Control Of Daash,” 12/27/14

- “Source: Large Scale Military Operation Starts in The Areas Near Iraqi-Jordan-Syrian Border,” 12/27/14

Radio Free Iraq, “24 December 2014,” Daily Updates from Anbar, 12/24/14

- “25 December 2014,” Daily Updates from Anbar, 12/25/14

Al Rayy, “The arrival of military reinforcements to secure the perimeter of Dhuluiya,” 12/23/14

- “Cleared four areas in the south of Tikrit in Dhuluiya,” 12/28/14

- “Daash terrorists withdraw from Qaim, fleeing to an unknown destination,” 12/22/14

Shafaq News, "Car bomb explosion in a residential complex in Babil," 12/28/14

- "Commander of combat terrorism Regiment in Dohuk passes away," 12/25/14

- “ISIS reinforces its presence western Ramadi by 300 terrorists,” 12/23/14

- “Several areas in Tikrit resorted in the biggest military operation,” 12/27/14

Xinhua, “Iraqi forces launch offensives on IS,” 12/25/14