Fight For Iraq’s Anbar Continues As Islamic State Launches Massive Car Bomb Campaign

The major security news in Iraq during the third week of July 2015 was the continued effort to retake the towns surrounding Fallujah and Ramadi in Anbar. All the media coverage on that province meant that the rest of the country was neglected. That resulted in very few attacks being reported in the press, but there were actually just as many casualties during the third week as the week before. That was largely due to a huge wave of car bombs being launched the Islamic State, which started at the beginning of the month. While the government’s forces have made some progress in Anbar the overall security situation remained unchanged.

There were just 109 security incidents in the media from July 15-21, 2015. That was the lowest since May 22-28 when there were 108 attacks. Baghdad had the most incidents with 39. Then there were 23 in Anbar, 18 in Salahaddin, 12 in Ninewa, 10 in Diyala, 4 in Babil, 2 in Basra, and 1 in Kirkuk.

Despite the low number of attacks the number of casualties remained largely unchanged. There were 359 killed and 597 wounded the third week of July, which matched the 384 dead and 570 wounded the second week. From July 15-21 the dead were made up of 1 Peshmerga, 10 Sahwa, 28 Hashd al-Shaabi, 44 members of the Iraqi Security Forces (ISF), and 276 civilians. The wounded consisted of 8 Peshmerga, 14 Sahwa, 42 Hashd, 46 ISF, and 487 civilians.

The Human Rights and Peshmerga Ministries reported another 4,024 members of the security forces, Peshmerga, and civilians wounded from June 2014 to June 2015. The government has been routinely under reporting casualties in Iraq, and this was the latest example of officials not revealing the true cost of the war against the Islamic State until months later.

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

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
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
Babil	4 Incidents 8 Killed: 1 ISF, 7 Civilians 11 Wounded: 1 ISF, 10 Civilians 2 Shootings 1 IED 1 Grenade
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
Basra	2 Incidents 1 Shooting 1 IED
Diyala	10 Incidents 165 Killed: 3 Hashd, 162 Civilians 218 Wounded: 218 Civilians 1 Shooting 2 IEDs 3 Car Bombs 1 Mortar 1 Rocket
Kirkuk	1 Incident 1 Killed: 1 Civilian
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
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

Car Bombs In Iraq, June 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

The main reason why casualties remained high despite the dip in attacks was a number of deadly car bombs. There were only 9 successful vehicle borne improvised explosive devices (VBIEDs) the third week of July compared to 26 the week before. The difference was the huge toll these bombings took. The worst was on July 17 when a VBIED went off in Diyala’s Khan Bani Saad killing 130 and wounding 155. On July 21, another 39 died and 83 were injured in four bombings in Baghdad, Diyala, and Salahaddin. To show the intensity of the on going campaign IS has launched VBIEDs 20 out of 21 days in July with 51 hitting their targets and another 78 destroyed. In comparison, there were only 31 successful car bombings in all of June.

The government’s focus remained clearing the towns around Fallujah and Ramadi in Anbar. While the security forces and Hashd have reported steady progress some of this appeared to be propaganda. Central Husaiba was declared cleared on July 13, but then on July 18 the security forces said they had just reached the town’s center, and that it was cleared again on July 20. There was also fighting in eastern Husaiba, which was reported over by July 21. Likewise, on July 13 the press had Tash 2 liberated, and then again on July 19. Finally, the government forces said that Saqlawiya was freed on July 19, but then fighting broke out there again on July 21. While the situation in Saqlawiya could easily be explained as IS fighters re-infiltrating back into the town, the other examples appear to be the result of propaganda. This has happened before where joint forces have reached a town and they go to the press declaring it freed when it wasn’t or when a city center was taken and the whole place was called liberated, but fighting was still going on. Since Anbar is the major offensive in the country right now more of these types of announcements can be expected as the ISF, Hashd and tribes want to portray themselves as winning against the insurgents.

Two other operations were going on in Anbar as well. First, the fight to take Garma to the east of Fallujah, which started on May 20, remained deadlocked. The middle of the town has been surrounded for weeks and only a small IS holding force is there, but the government has not been able to break their defenses. Second, a new offensive was started on July 21 in Albu Hayat and Haditha, which is over 70 miles to the northwest of Ramadi. The goal was to clear supply lines to the Ain Assad camp that is in between Haditha and Ramadi. That seemed a distraction from the main effort in the province, but Assad has been a major base.

Attacks went down in Baghdad due to security measures to protect the Eid festival. There were 53 incidents the second week of July compared to 39 the third week. During these religious events the ISF deploy throughout the capital, limit car traffic, etc. to try to prevent attacks. That resulted in just one reported attack on July 17 and four each on July 18 and 19. By the end of the week violence jumped to 14 incidents topped off by two car bombs, two suicide bombers along with six IEDs, one sticky bomb, a kidnapping, and a shootout at a nightclub that left a total of 39 people dead and 108 injured. Besides Anbar, Baghdad has been the other main focus of the Islamic State since the end of 2014. The group has extensive networks throughout the capital, which is shown by the scope of its operations. During the week for example, there were 13 attacks in Shiite neighborhoods of eastern Baghdad. Prime Minister Hadier Abadi has been keeping a large number of police and army units in Baghdad for months now, but that has not proven effective as attacks have skyrocketed over the last several months.

Attacks In Baghdad July 15-21, 2015

Center – 1: 1 Shooting

East – 13: 1 Car Bomb, 1 Sticky Bomb, 2 Suicide Bombers, 4 Shootings, 6 IEDs

North – 2: 1 Shooting, 1 Kidnapping

Outer East – 2: 2 IEDs

Outer North – 6: 1 Shooting, 5 IEDs

Outer South – 4: 2 IEDs, 2 Sticky Bombs

Outer West – 2: 1 Shooting, 1 IED

South – 8: 1 Car Bomb, 1 Shooting, 1 Kidnapping, 5 IEDs

West – 1: 1 IED

Back in January 2015 the head of the Badr Organization Hadi Ameri declared all of Diyala free. This was after an operation in the middle of the province, which simply dispersed Islamic State elements to other parts of Diyala until the government forces left and they were able to re-infiltrate back into their bases. While violence has been at a low level in Diyala since the summer of 2014 IS has been launching more terrorist attacks there using car bombs. From July 15-21 three went off in Khan Bani Saad, Khalis and Mandali causing the loss of 142 lives and another 189 wounded. The Khan Bani Saad bombing that left 283 casualties alone was one of the single deadliest attacks in Iraq in recent memory. IS has at least one car bomb factory in Diyala reportedly in the Baladrooz area, which is where these VBIEDs are coming from. These bombings are a message from IS that it can still strike at will in the province.

Like previous weeks IS continued to test the Peshmerga in Ninewa. The militants made six attacks including one suicide bomber, five car bombs, and a mortar bombardment. Since the Kurds have set defense in the area and work closely with the Coalition all of these IS thrusts were quickly turned back.

Finally, Baghdad continued to try to take back Baiji and the refinery there in Salahaddin. On July 21, the government claimed that the center of Baiji and the northern section of the refinery had been reached. In May, this was the top priority of the government, but it appears that it finally figured out that Baiji was a diversionary attack as IS’s main effort was in Anbar. Now most of the security forces and Hashd have gone to that province leaving a small force to continue on in Baiji.

SOURCES

Abdul-Zahra, Qassim, "Anger in Iraq after suicide attack on marketplace kills 115," Associated Press, 7/18/15

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Bas News, “Human Rights Ministry: Almost 5,000 Iraqis Killed Since Fall of Mosul,” 7/2/15

Buratha News, "Golden Division liberate first and second Humera south of Ramadi," 7/14/15

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Al Mada, "12 people killed and wounded by a car bomb south Baghdad," 7/21/15

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- "A number of people killed and wounded in Diyala," 7/20/15

- "Peshmerga Destroy Five Vehicle Bombs, Foil Attack Of Daash Northwest of Mosul," 7/20/15

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Al Rayy, "The Security forces and popular crowd move towards the north of Baiji refinery," 7/21/15

Reuters, "Iraqis launch offensive against Islamic State near Anbar military base," Reuters, 7/21/15

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Shafaq News, "25 casualties from PMU while two leaders killed in bombings in Baiji," 7/25/15

Sotaliraq, "Khalidiya Council announce "cleansing" 70% of the eastern Ramadi area," 7/19/15