Battle To Retake Iraq’s Anbar Province Continues

The operation to retake Anbar province entered into its second week. Whenever there has been a large military offensive the press tends to concentrate on it, while neglecting security incidents in the rest of the country. That has resulted in two weeks with a very low number of attacks being recorded. That also usually means a drop in casualties, but three press reports gave a small glimpse into the losses in Anbar that kept those statistics up. The Baghdad’s forces are making steady progress in the governorate, although official propaganda often exaggerates how much.

From July 22-28, 2015 there were only 111 security incidents in the media. That was just around the 109 reported the week before. In comparison there were 162 attacks the first week of July and 140 the next. The reason for the drop in incidents was the major offensive going on in Anbar. That has sucked up all the media’s attention and the rest of the country is being neglected as a result. There are always more attacks then what gets into the news, but that is especially true during major military action.

As usual Baghdad had the most incidents with 52. Anbar had 37, Salahaddin 18, Diyala 14, Ninewa 10, 4 each in Dohuk and Kirkuk, 3 in Babil, 2 in Basra, and 1 in Sulaymaniya.

Despite the low number of reported attacks there were high casualties in the third week of July. 527 were killed and 590 wounded. This was due to the heavy fighting in Anbar where 311 were reported dead and 173 wounded. Because the government does not report its losses in most combat situations the real numbers are much higher for the province. After that there were 84 dead in Baghdad, 68 in Salahaddin, 18 in Diyala, 20 in Ninewa, 12 in Dohuk, 8 in Kirkuk, 4 in Babil, and one each in Diyala and Sulaymaniya.

The 527 fatalities were made up of 1 Peshmerga, 4 Sahwa, 12 Kurdistan Workers Party (PKK) fighters, 145 Hashd al-Shaabi, 170 members of the Iraqi Security Forces (ISF), and 195 civilians.

The 590 wounded consisted of 1 Peshmerga, 4 Sahwa, 13 PKK fighters, 78 ISF, 130 Hashd, and 364 civilians.

Violence In Iraq By Week 2015

Date	Incidents	Dead	Wounded
Jan 1-7	189	466	464
Jan 8-14	172	733	518
Jan 15-21	189	403	528
Jan 22-28	195	492	899
Jan 29-31	91	306	568
JAN	836	2,400	2,977
Feb 1-7	155	408	688
Feb 8-14	177	443	566
Feb 15-21	169	592	383
Feb 22-28	171	391	705
FEB	672	1,834	2,342
Mar 1-7	176	373	595
Mar 8-14	137	398	656
Mar 15-21	146	1,304	505
Mar 22-28	174	273	406
Mar 29-31	72	205	219
MAR	705	2,553 + 4	2,381 + 150
Apr 1-7	127	218	422
Apr 8-14	137	676	542
Apr 15-21	172	729	717
Apr 22-28	163	497	483
Apr 29-30	50	162 + 7	182 + 299
APR	649	2,282	2,346
May 1-7	154	626	450
May 8-14	154	420	549
May 15-21	124	963	387
May 22-28	108	341 + 1,499	348
May 29-31	38	66	164 + 646
MAY	578	2,416 + 1,499	1,898 + 646
Jun 1-7	132	431	476
Jun 8-14	126	522 + 405	394
Jun 15-21	141	365	373
Jun 22-28	162	306	474
Jun 29-30	61	122	189
JUN	622	1,804	2,012
Jul 1-7	162	436	725
Jul 8-14	140	384	570
Jul 15-21	109	359	597 + 4,024
Jul 22-28	111	527	590

Violence In Iraq July 2015 by Province

Province	July 1-7	July 8-14
Anbar	42 Incidents 216 Killed: 17 ISF, 19 Hashd, 180 Civilians 287 Wounded: 16 ISF, 20 Hashd, 251 Civilians 23 Shootings 1 Suicide Car Bomb 1 Car Bomb 4 Mortars 2 Rockets 1 Suicide Car Bomb Destroyed 18 Car Bombs Destroyed	32 Incidents 100 Killed: 24 ISF, 76 Civilians 135 Wounded: 9 ISF, 126 Civilians 14 Shootings 15 IEDs 17 Suicide Car Bombs 4 Mortars 1 Rockets 22 Suicide Bombers Killed 4 Suicide Car Bombs Destroyed 22 Car Bombs Destroyed
Babil	4 Incidents 7 Killed: 7 Civilians 15 Wounded: 15 Civilians 3 IEDs	5 Incidents 4 Killed: 4 Civilians 25 Wounded: 2 ISF, 23 Civilians 4 IEDs 1 Sticky Bomb
Baghdad	56 Incidents 112 Killed: 3 Hashd, 4 Sahwa, 13 ISF, 92 Civilians 282 Wounded: 6 Hashd, 12 Sahwa, 28 ISF, 236 Civilians 14 Shootings 28 IEDs 5 Sticky Bombs 5 Car Bombs 1 Mortar	53 Incidents 140 Killed: 2 Hashd, 29 ISF, 109 Civilians 336 Wounded: 13 ISF, 323 Civilians 11 Shootings 28 IEDs 6 Sticky Bombs 1 Suicide Bomber 1 Suicide Car Bomb 6 Car Bombs 1 Car Bomb Destroyed
Basra	1 Incident 1 IED	1 Incident 1 Killed: 1 Civilian 1 Shooting
Diyala	5 Incidents 13 Killed: 2 Hashd, 11 Civilians 22 Wounded: 22 Civilians 2 Shootings 2 IEDs 1 Car Bomb	12 Incidents 19 Killed: 2 ISF, 3 Hashd, 14 Civilians 25 Wounded: 4 ISF, 21 Civilians 3 Shootings 6 IEDs 2 Sticky Bombs 1 Car Bomb
Kirkuk	10 Incidents 9 Killed: 3 Civilians, 6 Peshmerga 33 Wounded: 1 Civilian, 32 Peshmerga 9 Shootings 1 IED	4 Incidents 2 Shootings 1 IED 1 Mortar
Ninewa	15 Incidents 31 Killed: 1 Peshmerga, 30 Civilians 4 Wounded: 4 Peshmerga 9 Shootings 3 Suicide Car Bombs Destroyed 3 Car Bombs Destroyed	12 Incidents 54 Killed: 10 ISF, 44 Civilians 7 Wounded: 7 Civilians 8 Shootings
Salahaddin	29 Incidents 48 Killed: 5 Civilians, 19 ISF, 24 Hashd 82 Wounded: 9 ISF, 35 Civilians, 38 Hashd 10 Shootings 7 IEDs 8 Suicide Car Bombs 1 Rocket 10 Suicide Bombers Killed 2 Suicide Car Bombs Destroyed 5 Car Bombs Destroyed	20 Incidents 65 Killed: 1 Sahwa, 7 Hashd, 13 Civilians, 44 ISF 40 Wounded: 10 Hashd, 15 ISF, 15 Civilians 9 Shootings 6 IEDs 1 Car Bomb 9 Car Bombs Destroyed
Wasit	-	1 Incident 1 Killed: 1 ISF 2 Wounded: 2 ISF 1 IED

Province	Jul 15-21	Jul 22-28
Anbar	23 Incidents 62 Killed: 6 Sahwa, 10 Hashd, 20 Civilians, 26 ISF 89 Wounded: 3 Sahwa, 13 ISF, 19 Hashd, 54 Civilians 12 Shootings 3 IEDs 2 Suicide Car Bombs 2 Mortars 2 Suicide Car Bombs Destroyed 3 Car Bombs Destroyed	37 Incidents 311 Killed: 46 Civilians, 103 Hashd, 162 ISF 173 Wounded: 32 Civilians, 55 ISF, 86 Hashd 21 Shootings 12 IEDs 3 Suicide Car Bombs 2 Car Bombs 2 Mortars 8 Suicide Car Bombs Destroyed 18 Car Bombs Destroyed
Babil	4 Incidents 8 Killed: 1 ISF, 7 Civilians 11 Wounded: 1 ISF, 10 Civilians 2 Shootings 1 IED 1 Grenade	3 Incidents 4 Killed: 1 ISF, 3 Civilians 12 Wounded: 4 ISF, 8 Civilians 1 Shooting 2 IEDs
Baghdad	39 Incidents 80 Killed: 3 Sahwa, 4 ISF, 73 Civilians 209 Wounded: 3 Hashd, 4 Sahwa, 7 ISF, 195 Civilians 8 Shootings 22 IEDs 3 Sticky Bombs 2 Suicide Bombers 2 Car Bombs	52 Incidents 84 Killed: 1 Hashd, 2 ISF, 4 Sahwa, 77 Civilians 218 Wounded: 1 Hashd, 4 Sahwa, 5 ISF, 208 Civilians 10 Shootings 29 IEDs 7 Sticky Bombs 1 Suicide Bomber 3 Car Bombs
Basra	2 Incidents 1 Shooting 1 IED	2 Incidents 1 Killed: 1 Civilian 1 Shooting
Diyala	10 Incidents 165 Killed: 3 Hashd, 162 Civilians 218 Wounded: 218 Civilians 1 Shooting 2 IEDs 3 Car Bombs 1 Mortar 1 Rocket	14 Incidents 18 Killed: 1 Peshmerga, 2 ISF, 7 Hashd, 8 Civilians 23 Wounded: 1 Peshmerga, 22 Civilians 5 Shootings 7 IEDs 2 Mortars
Dohuk	-	4 Incidents 12 Killed: 12 PKK 16 Wounded: 3 Civilians, 13 PKK 2 Turkish Air Strikes 2 Turkish Shelling
Kirkuk	1 Incident 1 Killed: 1 Civilian	4 Incidents 8 Killed: 8 Civilians 1 Shooting
Ninewa	12 Incidents 9 Killed: 1 Peshmerga, 8 Civilians 8 Wounded: 8 Peshmerga 8 Shootings 1 Mortar 1 Stabbing 1 Suicide Bomber Killed 5 Car Bombs Destroyed	10 Incidents 20 Killed: 20 Civilians 25 Wounded: 25 Civilians 3 Shootings 3 IEDs 1 Rocket
Salahaddin	18 Incidents 34 Killed: 1 Sahwa, 5 Civilians, 13 ISF, 15 Hashd 62 Wounded: 7 Sahwa, 10 Civilians, 20 Hashd, 25 ISF 6 Shootings 6 IEDs 2 Suicide Car Bombs 1 Mortar 3 Suicide Bombers Killed	18 Incidents 68 Killed: 3 ISF, 31 Civilians, 34 Hashd 120 Wounded: 14 ISF, 43 Hashd, 63 Civilians 6 Shootings 6 IEDs 1 Suicide Bomber 1 Suicide Motorcycle Bomb 3 Car Bombs 3 Car Bombs Destroyed
Sulaymaniya	-	1 Incident 1 Killed: 1 Civilian 3 Wounded: 3 Civilians 1 Mortar

Car Bombs In Iraq, July 2015

Date	Location	Dead	Wounded
Jul 1	Riyahah, Salahaddin		1
Jul 2	Nukhaib, Anbar Fatah & Tal Abu, Salahaddin Baiji-Tikrit Road, Salahaddin– 2 destroyed	9	12
Jul 3
Jul 4	Baya x2, Baghdad Baiji x2, Salahaddin Khursabad & Nouran, Ninewa – 3 destroyed	20	22
Jul 5	Amil & Dora, Baghdad Baladrooz, Diyala Hadith Dam, Anbar – 7 destroyed	16	55
Jul 6	Jubba, Anbar New Baghdad, Baghdad Haditha, Outside Haditha & Saqlawiya, Anbar - 12 destroyed Baiji, Salahaddin – 2 destroyed	11	11
Jul 7	Baiji x3, Salahaddin Sinjar, Ninewa – 3 destroyed Tal Abu Jarad, Salahaddin – 3 destroyed	10	35
Totals	16 & 32 Destroyed	66	136
Jul 8	Sakran, Anbar Ramadi, Anbar – 1 destroyed	1	1
Jul 9	Alwa, Baghdad Husaiba, Anbar – 1 destroyed Tal Abu Jarad, Salahaddin – 3 destroyed		1
Jul 10	Khalidiya x7, Anbar Amil & Zafaraniya, Baghdad	23	48
Jul 11	Abu Fleis x3, Anbar Husaiba & Saqlawiya, Anbar – 11 destroyed Bjara, Salahaddin – 2 destroyed	8	5
Jul 12	Bunuk, Iskan, Kadhimiya, &Shaab, Baghdad Tarmiya, Salahaddin Sadr City, Baghdad – 1 destroyed Albu Juari & Hawi, Salahaddin – 4 destroyed	43	103
Jul 13	Fallujah x5, Anbar
Jul 14	Nukhaib, Anbar Khalis, Diyala East of Husaiba, Saqlawiya, Shehan, Anbar – 13 destroyed	8	16
Totals	26 & 36 Destroyed	83	174
Jul 15	Baiji, Salahaddin	1	10
Jul 16	Nukhaib, Anbar
Jul 17	Khan Bani Saad, Diyala East of Ramadi, Anbar – 3 destroyed	130	155
Jul 18	Khalidiya, Anbar	2	3
Jul 19	Hardan, Ninewa – 5 destroyed
Jul 20	Khalis, Diyala	4	18
Jul 21	New Baghdad & Zafaraniya, Baghdad Mandali, Diyala Tarmiya, Salahaddin North of Fallujah, Anbar – 2 destroyed	39	83
Totals	9 & 10 Destroyed	176	259
Jul 22	Fallujah, Anbar Baya & Shaab, Baghdad Fallujah, Anbar – 3 destroyed East of Tikrit, Salahaddin – 3 destroyed	50	58
Jul 23	East & North of Fallujah, Anbar	81
Jul 24	Fallujah x2, Anbar Husaiba, Anbar – 1 destroyed	21	24
Jul 25	Albu Bali, Anbar – 1 destroyed
Jul 26	Anbar University, Anbar – 3 destroyed
Jul 27	Bob al-Sham, Baghdad Sijer, Anbar – 3 destroyed		4
Jul 28	Baiji x3, Salahaddin Anbar University & East Husaiba, Anbar – 4 destroyed	28	44
Totals	11 & 18 Destroyed	180	130

The Islamic State’s latest car bomb campaign continued into the third week of July. There has been at least one car bomb per day from July 4 to 28. During the week there were 11 successful Vehicle Borne Improvised Explosive Devices (VIBEDs) hitting their targets and another 18 destroyed. Anbar had 5 car bomb explosions and another 15 destroyed. These were used by IS to counter the government’s on going offensive there. Salahaddin had 3 car bombs go off and another 3 destroyed. The three successful ones were in Baiji against the government’s forces that were trying to retake the town. Finally there were 3 car bombs in Baghdad, as that has become a major target again. IS has been dividing its VBIEDs between hitting the joint forces and civilians during its current campaign.

The attempt to re-take Fallujah and Ramadi in Anbar reached its second week. The government’s forces were not only focusing upon the suburbs of those two cities, but were attempting to clear the towns in between and surrounding them as well. One of the major achievements of the week was clearing the Anbar University on the outskirts of Ramadi on July 26, which IS was supposedly using as a base.

At other times government propaganda made it unclear what was going on in Anbar. For instance, East Husaiba was declared cleared on July 21, then again on July 23, and then a sweep was made through the town on July 26. Similarly central Husaiba was said to be freed on July 13, but then the government forces said they had just reached the town on July 18, before it was called liberated again on July 27. The residential neighborhood of Saqlawiya was swept through on July 15, and then the whole town was reported freed on July 19 only to have fighting break out there again on July 21, the residential area cleared again on July 23, and then the town attacked again by the government forces on July 25. The outskirts of Ramadi also appeared to be contested. On July 23 joint forces stated they had entered the Qadisiyah district, then freed it by July 27 only to be fighting there again the next day. Finally, on July 13 Tash 2 was supposed to have been free of IS elements. Then both Tash 1 and Tash 2 were said to be cleared on July 19. The joint forces were back there on July 19 before both 1 and 2 were called liberated again on July 28. What do these examples mean? In some cases like East and central Husaiba and Tash 1 and Tash 2 the joint forces were exaggerating their advances by saying they had freed the town as soon as they got there. In other cases like Saqlawiya and Qadisiyah it looked like the Islamic State re-infiltrated and Baghdad’s troops had to go back in to expel them. This has been a common practice throughout much of the major fighting in the country and can be expected to continue. Baghdad is in full propaganda mode and wants to report as many victories as possible even before they actually happen.

An exception to that rule can be seen in the on going operation in Garma. That began in the middle of May. A month later the town was said to be surrounded, and then the effort stalled as weeks were spent trying to get into the center. By the end of July IS still holds the middle of Garma with a very small force.

Another effect of the Fallujah and Ramadi operation is that reports on casualties in the province have been very inconsistent. For example, Fallujah is shelled every day by the government forces and that used to get covered before, but now that’s happening less and less. During the week there was only one report on the artillery fire on the city. On the other hand, there were three stories on a fraction of the losses the joint forces were suffering. All together Al Jazeera, Rudaw and Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty reported 256 dead and 128 wounded by car bombs and fighting with the Islamic State just in the Fallujah area. The government does not officially release the vast majority of its casualties during big offensives. Those news pieces however gave a glimpse of what the ISF, Hashd and tribes were going through to take the area.

Baghdad remained a major target of the Islamic State. There were 52 incidents there including three car bombs, but the weapon of choice of IS was the IED with 29. By region, south Baghdad had 23 attacks followed by 14 in the east. The previous week the latter had the most incidents. Recently Interior Minister Mohammed Ghabban said that 164,000 of his forces were deployed in the capital for security. A large number of soldiers are there as well under orders of Prime Minister Haider Abadi who has made Baghdad a focus of his defense plans. That has not stopped IS from being able to hit all parts of the province with increasing ferocity over the last several months.

Attacks In Baghdad July 22-28

Center – 4: 2 Kidnappings, 3 IEDs

East – 11: 1 Suicide Bomber, 1 Robbery, 3 Shootings, 3 IEDs, 3 Sticky Bombs

North – 6: 2 Car Bombs, 2 IEDs, 2 Sticky Bombs

Outer East – 3: 3 IEDs

Outer North – 1: 1 IED

Outer South – 6: 1 Sticky Bomb, 5 IEDs

Outer West – 2: 2 IEDs

South – 17: 1 Car Bomb, 1 Kidnapping, 6 Shootings, 9 IEDs

West – 3: 1 Shooting, 1 Sticky Bomb, 1 IED

The operation in Baiji in Salahaddin continues as well. Here too government statements suffered from exaggeration. On July 23, a Hashd spokesman told the press that 80% of the Baiji Refinery had been taken. Two days later Asaib Ahl Al-Haq said that only 40% of the facility was under control. IS pulled out most of its fighters from the area as soon as Ramadi was taken in May and only left a holding unit there, but it still has been able to hold off a much larger attacking force.

Finally, Turkey has begun air strikes and shelling of northern Dohuk province to hit PKK bases. There were four reported incidents during the week that killed 12 PKK fighters, wounded another 13 along with three civilians. There were other civilian casualties mentioned but no numbers were given. Turkey has been concerned about the PKK and its Syrian offshoot the Democratic Union Party (PYD) and its militia the People’s Protection Units (YPG) progress in Syria and Iraq. Ankara fears that the group will create an autonomous Kurdish region in northern Syria and gain greater influence in Iraq. The Turkish government therefore said that its new anti-terrorism policy would strike the Islamic State, but more importantly the PKK. Bombing and artillery fire in Dohuk will likely continue for the next few weeks on an almost daily basis as a result.

SOURCES

AIN, "Federal Police announce the death of 26 Daash and advances into areas of eastern Husaybah," 7/21/15

- "Four people were injured by a car bomb north of Baghdad," 7/27/15

Al Forat, "Saraya al-Jihad kills 4 ISIL suicide bombers, destroys 3 vehicles bombs northern Fallujah," 7/28/15

Al Jazeera, "Iraq forces suffer casualties as they advance in Anbar," 7/24/15

NINA, "8 Terrorists Killed, 3 Car Bombs Detonated East Of Tikrit," 7/22/15

- "A number of terrorists killed in Anbar," 7/23/15

- "Toll of victims of Alshuhada explosion up to 16 martyrs and 40 wounded," 7/22/15

Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty, "Car Bombs Kill At Least 26 In Baghdad," 7/22/15

- "Iraqi Forces Retake University From IS In Anbar," 7/2/15,

- "Suicide Car Bombers Kill 21 Iraqi Troops, Allied Militia North Of Fallujah," 7/25/15

Radio Free Iraq, "22 July 2015," Daily Updates from Anbar, 7/22/15

- "27 July 2015," Daily Updates from Anbar, 7/27/15

Shafaq News, "62 people killed and injured in bombings in Baiji and Samarra," 7/28/15

- "About 50 people were killed and injured in bombing of fourth police district in Baghdad," 7/22/15

- “Ghabban: 164 000 elements of the Ministry of Interior keep security in Baghdad,” 7/26/15

- "More than 30 casualties of the Iraqi forces in three bombings in Baiji," 7/28/15

Sotaliraq, "Security forces repel Daash attack and destroy "armored bomb" in Ramadi," 7/25/15

Telesurtv, "Iraq: 22 Killed in Islamic State Group Suicide Blast," 7/22/15

Xinhua, "Iraqi security forces repel IS attack with 6 suicide car bombs," 7/28/15