Security In Iraq Sep 15-21, 2017

There was a decided increase in violence in Iraq during the third week of September. There were 91 incidents reported in the media. That was the highest figure since the middle of July. That was caused by an uptick in attacks in Anbar, Diyala and Kirkuk. The first and last were experiencing the latest military operations, which provoked Islamic State into action. Diyala on the other hand, is one of the main provinces in the country where the insurgents are rebuilding.

The 91 security incidents during the week broke down to 1 in Basra and Irbil each, 2 in Babil and Kurdistan respectively, 7 in Kirkuk, 9 in Salahaddin, 14 in Anbar, 17 in Diyala, 18 in Ninewa, and 20 in Baghdad. The last time there were that many incidents was July 22-28 when there were 107.

Security Incidents In Iraq By Province Sep 15-21, 2017

Basra 1

Irbil 1

Babil 2

KRG 2

Kirkuk 7

Salahaddin 9

Anbar 14

Diyala 17

Ninewa 18

Baghdad 20

The increased number of attacks led to 145 killed and 180 wounded. 1 Peshmerga, 4 fighters from the Kurdistan’ Workers’ Party (PKK), 9 members of the Iraqi Security Forces (ISF), 18 Hashd al-Shaabi, and 113 civilians lost their lives. Another 4 ISF, 7 Peshmerga, 10 Hashd, and 159 civilians were injured. Ninewa had the most casualties with 101, with another 56 in Baghdad, 49 in Salahaddin, 45 in Anbar, 38 in Diyala, 20 in Kirkuk, 11 in Kurdistan, 2 in Babil, 2 in Irbil, and 1 in Basra. The real figures are always higher especially in weeks like this when there is combat going on and the Iraqi forces do not report their losses.

Casualties In Iraq By Province Sep 15-21, 2017

Basra 1 (1 Killed)

Irbil 2 (2 Wounded)

Babil 2 (2 Killed)

KRG 11 (11 Killed)

Kirkuk 20 (6 Killed, 14 Wounded)

Diyala 38 (24 Killed, 14 Wounded)

Anbar 45 (16 Killed, 29 Wounded)

Salahaddin 49 (3 Killed, 46 Wounded)

Baghdad 56 (12 Killed, 44 Wounded)

Ninewa 101 (70 Killed, 31 Wounded)

The joint forces launched a new campaign to free northwest Anbar and the Iraq-Syrian border. That led to the Islamic State to react with 14 incidents mostly in that western region, but also attacks in Ramadi, Hit and Garma. A Coalition air strike was blamed for 6 civilian dead and 24 wounded in Qaim. 

The Iraqi capital witnessed around its average number of incidents with 20. 9 occurred in the north, 7 in the south, 2 in the west, and 1 each in the center and east. One suicide bomber was arrested, otherwise all the attacks were small such as shootings and IEDs. The hugely improved security situation in Baghdad has been maintained for several weeks now. It used to regularly witness 8-10 attacks per day. Since Mosul however, IS has apparently pulled out many of its units, and the new Baghdad Operations Command has worked to deny the insurgents the Baghdad belts. Together this has contributed to the historic lows in attacks and casualties.

Diyala is one of two governorates where IS is making a return as an insurgent force. There were 17 incidents there, the most since 19 the second week of June. It’s not just the number that has changed, but the type of attacks as well. There are still IEDs and small shootings, but there was also a suicide bomber, and one successful and failed car bomb. There were also several largely gun battles and mortar attacks upon the Iraqi forces.

The Iraqi forces also set off to liberate the Hawija district in southern Kirkuk. That prompted several terrorist attacks by IS including a suicide car bomb in Kirkuk, a car bomb in the Musalla district, and another car bomber arrested. Before, most of the incidents were displaced being killed trying to escape or people under IS control being executed. That meant these incidents were a decided escalation.

The insurgents are still trying to prove their presence in Ninewa. There were attacks in Mosul, Baaj, Hatra, Makhmour, and Sinjar districts. This included some large operations involving multiple suicide bombers, including an attack upon a school used by the Hashd that left 24 dead and 23 wounded. These were more harassing attacks, but they showed that IS still has reach across large parts of the governorate.

The Iraqi operations were focused upon northern Salahaddin as well attempting to free the left coast of the Shirqat district. That did not lead to a decided increase in militant activity however. There were just 9 incidents. The governorate is the other area where IS is rebuilding however so there were a few large-scale operations as well such as a multiple suicide bombing of a restaurant in the Baiji district, and a suicide bombing of a school in Tikrit.

Security In Iraq 2017

Week	Security Incidents	Dead	Wounded
Jan 1-7	188	509	1,346
Jan 8-14	168	371	1,036
Jan 15-21	137	585	1,262
Jan 22-28	145	289	310
Jan 29-31	74	127	338
JAN	712	1,881	4,292
Feb 1-7	123	388	176
Feb 8-14	164	434	390
Feb 15-21	148	393	508
Feb 22-28	185	647 + 399	1,390 + 1,634
FEB	620	1,862 + 399	2,464 + 1,634
Mar 1-7	179	749	622
Mar 8-14	171	551	614
Mar 15-21	143	571	1,166
Mar 22-28	152	1,233	575
Mar 29-31	71	374 + 278	288 + 2,925
MAR	716	3,478 + 278	3,265 + 2,925
Apr 1-7	174	903	487
Apr 8-14	126	599	669
Apr 15-21	108	479	449
Apr 22-28	122	698	328
Apr 29-30	39	138	51
APR	569	2,817	1,984
May 1-7	106	405	468
May 8-14	109	601	386
May 15-21	132	363	224
May 22-28	106	433	150
May 29-31	69	214	236
MAY	522	2,016	1,464
Jun 1-7	136	1,403	487
Jun 8-14	127	658	174
Jun 15-21	114	480	101
Jun 22-28	119	340	246
Jun 29-30	37	349	127
JUN	533	3,230	1,135
JAN-JUN	3,669	15,262 + 677	14,497 + 4,559
Jul 1-7	141	798	331
Jul 8-14	105	298	86
Jul 15-21	87	124	72
Jul 22-28	107	189	122
Jul 29-31	37	50	25
JUL	477	1,459	636
Aug 1-7	80	143	188
Aug 8-14	88	955	124
Aug 15-21	73	97	100
Aug 22-28	85	674	132
Aug 29-31	31	30	40
AUG	357	1,958	1,261
Sep 1-7	62	68	73
Sep 8-14	79	412	176
Sep 15-21	91	145	180

Violence By Province Sep 15-21, 2017

Province	Violence
Anbar	14 Incidents 16 Killed 1 ISF 3 Hashd 12 Civilians 29 Wounded 29 Civilians 1 Shooting 2 IEDs 1 Sticky Bomb 8 Suicide Bombers Killed 3 Car Bombs Destroyed
Babil	2 Incidents 2 Killed 2 Civilians
Baghdad	20 Incidents 12 Killed 1 ISF 11 Civilians 44 Wounded 2 ISF 3 Hashd 39 Civilians 4 Shootings 12 IEDs 2 Sticky Bombs 1 Suicide Bomber Arrested
Basra	1 Incident 1 Killed 1 Civilian 1 Shooting
Diyala	17 Incidents 24 Killed 3 Hashd 7 ISF 14 Civilians 14 Wounded 7 Civilians 7 Hashd 7 Shootings 8 IEDs 1 Suicide Bomber 1 Car Bomb 2 Mortars 1 Grenades 1 Car Bomb Dismantled
Irbil	1 Incident 2 Wounded 2 Civilians 1 Turkish Shelling
Kirkuk	7 Incidents 6 Killed 1 Peshmerga 5 Civilians 14 Wounded 14 Civilians 1 Shooting 1 IED 1 Sticky Bomb 1 Suicide Car Bomb 1 Car Bomb 1 Car Bomber Arrested
KRG	2 Incidents 11 Killed 4 PKK 7 Civilians 2 Turkish Air Strikes
Ninewa	18 Incidents 70 Killed 12 Hashd 58 Civilians 31 Wounded 7 Peshmerga 24 Civilians 8 Shootings 4 IEDs 2 Suicide Bombers 8 Suicide Bombers Killed
Salahaddin	9 Incidents 3 Killed 3 Civilians 46 Wounded 2 ISF 44 Civilians 3 Shootings 4 IEDs 3 Suicide Bombers 1 Mortar 1 Suicide Bomber Killed 1 Suicide Car Bomb Destroyed

SOURCES

Airwars, "September 17th 2017: (I652) . Husaybah, Qa'im, west of Anbar, Syrian-Iraqi borders"

Baghdad Post, "2 civilians killed, injured in blast in Ramadi," 9/16/17

- "47 killed, injured in school bombing in Mosul," 9/17/17

- "Booby-trapped car explodes in Musalla district in Kirkuk," 9/19/17

Bas News, "Blast Hits Kirkuk," 9/16/17

Al Ghad Press, "Dismantling a sticky bomb under a car in Hit district west Anbar," 9/15/17

- "Two people killed by a car bomb in Jamila neighborhood," 9/20/17

Iraq Broadcasting Networks, "A US Military Camp IN Makhmour Was Attacked By A Suicide Bomber," 9/17/17

Iraq News Center, "Urgent Ministry of the Interior: Three people were killed and 34 others injured in the initial toll of the attack carried out by two suicide bombers at the castle tourist restaurant in the Baiji district," 9/19/17

Iraq Newspaper, "Iraqi Newspaper Reporter 15 Dead And Wounded In Bombing Of A Liquor Store In Kirkuk," 9/16/17

Kuwait News Agency, "Suicide bombing kills 9 Iraqis in Miqdadiyah," 9/17/17

Al Maalomah, "A suicide bomber was arrested north Baghdad," 9/19/17

Mostafa, Nehal, "Two, including officer, killed, seven wounded in suicide attack in Diyala," Iraqi News, 9/16/17

NINA, "A Car Bomb Dismantled In Centre Of Baquba, Diyala Province," 9/18/17

- "Tribal Forces Repel An Attack To Daesh Southwest Of Mosul, Kill 4 Suicide Bombers," 9/16/17

Rudaw, “Military commander: Chemical and radioactive materials hamper the return of population to Mosul,” 9/17/17

Shafaaq News, "URGENT: 24 dead, wounded in Mosul school explosion," 9/17/17

Sotaliraq, "Baiji blast kills 42 civilians," 9/19/17

Al Sumaria, "The arrest of a car bomber in the Aden district in central Kirkuk," 9/19/17

- "BAGHDAD - Three suicide bombers were killed in a lightning raid north of Baghdad," 9/21/17

- "Several members of the Peshmerga were injured in an explosion in the Sinjar district," 9/17/17

- "A suicide bombing inside a school in southeastern Tikrit and security forces impose a curfew," 9/16/17

- "Three killed, eight wounded in central Kirkuk blast," 9/15/17

Xinhua, "3 killed in suicide bomb attacks in northern Iraq," 9/19/17