Security In Iraq Nov 1-7, 2017

The vastly improved security situation in Iraq continued into the first week of November. There were few incidents and casualties. This was just another sign of the collapse and withdrawal of the Islamic State in the country.

There were only 72 incidents reported in Iraq from November 1-7. That marked the 14^th week in the last 15 that had under 100 incidents. There were just 2 in Salahaddin, 7 in Anbar, 9 in Baghdad, 12 in Kirkuk, 20 in Diyala, and 37 in Ninewa.

Security Incidents In Iraq By Province Nov 1-7, 2017

Salahaddin 2

Anbar 7

Baghdad 9

Kirkuk 12

Diyala 20

Ninewa 37

Those incidents led to 135 dead and 97 wounded. That was the second lowest weekly fatality total since 124 recorded from July 15-21. There were 5 Peshmerga, 7 Hashd al-Shaabi, 17 members of the Iraqi Security Forces (ISF), and 106 civilians that lost their lives along with 12 ISF and 85 civilians that were injured.

2 of those casualties occurred in Salahaddin, 28 in Diyala, 31 in Baghdad, 34 in Kirkuk, 51 in Ninewa, and 86 in Anbar.

Casualties In Iraq By Province Nov 1-7, 2017

Salahaddin 2 (1 Killed, 1 Wounded)

Diyala 28 (20 Killed, 8 Wounded)

Baghdad 31 (9 Killed, 22 Wounded)

Kirkuk 34 (14 Killed, 20 Wounded)

Ninewa 51 (37 Killed, 14 Wounded)

Anbar 86 (54 Killed, 32 Wounded)

Anbar had a high number of casualties because of a Coalition air strike in Qaim, which was blamed for 50 dead and 24 wounded. That air attack was in support of the Iraqi forces taking the Qaim district in the western section of the province along the Syrian border. That area was taken relatively easily as most of the Islamic State has withdrawn into Syria or other parts of the province. There were continued reports of the Hashd crossing over from Iraq into Syria to help the Assad government, but that has been consistently denied. There were just 6 other incidents in the rest of Anbar.

The capital province used to be the center of violence in the country, but it is currently experiencing a period of relative calm. There were only 17 incidents leading to just 9 dead and 22 wounded. Two suicide bombers were killed in the outer west attempting to target Shiite pilgrims. Otherwise, there were just a few shootings and small bombings.

The Islamic State has been rebuilding in Diyala. In October, the group was relatively quiet, but was back in business at the start of November. There were 13 incidents including a suicide car bomb. The insurgents have camps throughout the rural areas of the governorate, although their operations have gone up and down each month.

The militants launched a large attack upon Kirkuk city during the week. On November 5, they used several suicide bombers and a car bomb in the city, which targeted the municipal building, Moqtada al-Sadr’s Sayara Salam militia, and the Counterterrorism Services. 6 died and 19 were wounded in the series of attacks.

In Ninewa there were small scale attacks by IS in the smaller towns along with incidents inside Mosul. There were 6 incidents outside of Mosul including an incursion along the Iraq-Syrian border that was turned back. Inside Mosul there were 12 incidents including a car bomb, which was discovered and dismantled. The real threat was leftover IEDs, which have been consistently killing and wounding people returning to their homes. There were four such explosions during the week. Violence remained very low in the province, but the insurgents are active in many areas.

The Islamic State was regrouping in Salahaddin as well, but the recent clearing of the Shirqat district in the north has apparently disrupted their activities. There were just 2 incidents during the week. One was a car bomb in Tuz Kharmato, but casualties were not reported. That district is recovering from a rampage by Hashd and civilians who invaded the Kurdish section of town after the Peshmerga withdrew in the middle of October. The Iraqi Human Rights Commission recently visited the area and said 30,000 were displaced as a result. Few of those have returned as they do not feel the area is safe after what happened. Since Tuz was freed in 2014 Kurds and Shiite Turkmen have been vying for control. After this latest incident, the latter may have finally gained the upper hand after the spate of violence.

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	78	412	176
Sep 15-21	91	145	180
Sep 22-28	52	78	104
Sep 29-30	23	25	16
SEP	306	728	549
Oct 1-7	64	60	84
Oct 8-14	72	352	85
Oct 15-21	60	321	449
Oct 22-28	65	337	78
Oct 29-31	25	23	25
OCT	286	1,093	721
Nov 1-7	72	135	97

Violence By Province Nov 1-7, 2017

Province	Violence
Anbar	7 Incidents 54 Killed 2 ISF 52 Civilians 32 Wounded 7 ISF 25 Civilians 4 Shootings 1 IED
Baghdad	17 Incidents 9 Killed 1 ISF 8 Civilians 22 Wounded 22 Civilians 3 Shootings 7 IEDs 3 Sticky Bombs 2 Suicide Bombers Killed
Basra	1 Incident 1 IED
Diyala	13 Incidents 20 Killed 1 ISF 5 Hashd 14 Civilians 8 Wounded 8 Civilians 5 Shootings 4 IEDs 1 Suicide Car Bomb 2 Mortars
Kirkuk	12 Incidents 14 Killed 1 Hashd 5 Peshmerga 8 Civilians 20 Wounded 20 Civilians 3 Shootings 5 IEDs 1 Sound Bomb 1 Suicide Bomber 1 Suicide Car Bomb 3 Suicide Bombers Arrested
Ninewa	20 Incidents 37 Killed 1 Hashd 12 ISF 24 Civilians 14 Wounded 4 ISF 10 Civilians 6 Shootings 10 IEDs 2 Mortars 1 Car Bomb Dismantled
Salahaddin	2 Incidents 1 Killed 1 ISF 1 Wounded 1 ISF 1 Car Bomb 2 Suicide Bombers Killed

SOURCES

Airwars, "November 1st 2017: Al Qaim, Anbar province, Iraq"

Baghdad Post, "22 killed, injured in suicide bombing in Kirkuk," 11/5/17

Al Baghdadiya News, “Al Jazeera and Al Badia operations control Al Qaim,” 11/3/17

Bas News, "Unknown Armed Men Attack Iraqi Counter-Terror Forces in Kirkuk," 11/5/17

BBC, "Iraq: Twin suicide attacks kill at least five in Kirkuk," 11/5/17

Buratha News, "Kirkuk police dismantle 3 explosive devices in the area of the explosion," 11/5/17

Al Ghad Press, "News of a car bomb explosion in Tuz Kharmato," 11/7/17

- "Security forces foiled an attack by Daesh west Ninewa," 11/7/17

Iraq Newspaper, "Iraqi Newspaper: 10 Killed And Wounded, Including Members Of The Crowd In Mosul And Suicide Bombing Between Baiji And Haditha," 11/1/17

Al Maalomah, "Security forces find a car bomb and arrest the driver in Mosul," 11/4/17

Al Mada, “Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights: 30,000 Kurds displaced from Tuz Kharmato,” 11/5/17

Mostafa, Nehal, “Paramilitary troops denies entering Syria’s Deir al-Zor: Spokesperson,” Iraqi News, 11/5/17

- "Two suicide attackers, attempting Shia visitors in Baghdad, killed," Iraqi News, 11/7/17

Rudaw, "Two suicide bombers target the Saraya Salam in central Kirkuk," 11/5/17