Security In Iraq, Nov 22-28, 2017

Violence remained at a minimal level in Iraq for another week. The government forces were sweeping through western Anbar, but the Islamic State was not putting up a fight. That was true in most of the country as well. Several mass graves were discovered raising the casualty figures.

There were only 59 incidents reported in the media from November 22-28, 2017 in Iraq. That was the second lowest figure recorded for the year. Baghdad province has returned as the most violent in the country, but even then, there were only 21 incidents there, a fraction of what it used to see.

Security Incidents In Iraq By Province Nov 22-28, 2017

Dohuk 1

Anbar 2

KRG 2

Babil 3

Salahaddin 3

Kirkuk 7

Diyala 9

Ninewa 11

Baghdad 21

There were 149 deaths and 76 wounded in Iraq during the week. 93 of those fatalities were from two mass graves discovered, one in Ninewa and one in Salahaddin.

1 Turkish intelligence officer, 2 Hashd al-Shaabi, 2 members of the Iraqi Security Forces (ISF), 8 members of the Kurdistan Workers’ Party (PKK), and 136 civilians lost their lives along with 1 Turkish intelligence officer, 2 Hashd, and 173 civilians who were wounded.

Baghdad had the most casualties with 96, Ninewa had 84, Salahaddin 20, Kurdistan 8, Diyala 6, Babil 5, Anbar 4, and Dohuk 2.

Casualties In Iraq By Province Nov 22-28, 2017

Dohuk 2 (1 Killed, 1 Wounded)

Anbar 4 (4 Killed)

Babil 5 (2 Killed, 3 Wounded)

Diyala 6 (5 Killed, 1 Wounded)

KRG 8 (8 Killed)

Salahaddin 20 (20 Killed)

Ninewa 84 (77 Killed, 7 Wounded)

Baghdad 96 (32 Killed, 64 Wounded)

With the last towns in Iraq held by the Islamic State freed in west Anbar Prime Minister Haidar Abadi announced IS was defeated militarily in Iraq. The Iraqi forces then moved into the vast Jazeera desert region. By November 27, 175 villages were said to have been cleared as a result. That accounted for roughly 50% of the region. There was hardly any fighting during the operation as the insurgents were said to have withdrawn from the area. Some officials have talked about setting up a permanent presence in the desert to maintain security and prevent IS from returning. Unfortunately, that appears to be only talk right now. Without staying in the region, the area will remain open to re-infiltration once again.

One of the few areas where IS has renewed its activities is in northern Babil. There were three more incidents there, two of which were in the Jurf al-Sakhr district. That is not many, but is significant nonetheless as the area was cleared in 2014, and had no real insurgent activity for months afterward.

Baghdad is still witnessing the safest environment since 2003. There was a mass casualty bombing however when two suicide bombers shot up the Nahrawan area before one was able to detonate his explosive belt, while the other was killed. That left 17 dead and 28 wounded. Otherwise violence remained at a historic low.

Local officials continuously warn that IS is active along the Diyala-Salahaddin border region. For a few months that resulted in an uptick in attacks in Diyala with regular attempts at large bombings. That has passed in the last few weeks however. There were just 9 incidents during the week. Two were shootouts with militants, but it appears the militants are regrouping right now.

Since the federal forces moved into Kirkuk in the middle of October there has been a mix of political and insurgent violence in the governorate. For example, a Turkmen TV office was shot at in Kirkuk city. On the other hand, some IS elements were discovered in the Hawija district, which was recently freed resulting in a gun battle. Three suicide bombers were also killed in Rashad, which is close by.

Incidents involving the Turks and PKK have picked up in the last few weeks. Every few days Ankara launches air strikes or fires artillery into northern Kurdistan. Rarely are casualties reported, but 8 PKK fighters were said to have been killed in two bombings. Two Turkish intelligence officers were killed and wounded by the PKK. Rarely has the Kurdish group attacked Turks within Kurdistan, but has done so recently.

IS is still making its presence felt in Ninewa. There are continued attacks within Mosul and in the countryside. There were six incidents inside the city including a car bomb that was discovered, a suicide bomber who was arrested, and a shooting at a checkpoint. A mass grave with 73 Yazidi victims of the insurgents was also found in the Sinjar district.

Salahaddin was another area where IS was attempting a comeback, but like Diyala, it has not been as active in recent weeks. There were just 3 incidents, although one was a gun battle in the Baiji district. Another mass grave with 20 bodies was found in Shirqat. That area was cleared recently during the Hawija operation, and likely accounts for the sharp decline in militant activity in the governorate.

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
Nov 8-14	62	445	64
Nov 15-21	79	138	159
Nov 22-28	59	149	76

Violence By Province Nov 22-28, 2017

Province	Violence
Anbar	2 Incidents 4 Killed 1 Hashd 3 Civilians 1 Shooting 1 IED
Babil	3 Incidents 2 Killed 2 Civilians 3 Wounded 1 Civilian 2 Hashd 1 Shooting 1 IED
Baghdad	21 Incidents 32 Killed 1 ISF 31 Civilians 64 Wounded 64 Civilians 6 Shootings 10 IEDs 3 Sticky Bombs 1 Suicide Bomber 1 Suicide Bomber Killed
Diyala	9 Incidents 5 Killed 1 ISF 4 Civilians 1 Wounded 1 Civilian 4 Shootings
Dohuk	1 Incident 1 Killed 1 Turkish Intel Officer 1 Wounded 1 Turkish Intel Officer 1 Shooting
Kirkuk	7 Incidents 3 Shootings 1 IED 1 Sound Bomb 3 Suicide Bombers Killed
Kurdistan	2 Incidents 8 Killed 8 PKK 2 Turkish Air Strikes
Ninewa	11 Incidents 77 Killed 1 Hashd 76 Civilians 7 Wounded 7 Civilians 4 Shootings 2 IEDs 1 Suicide Bomber Arrested 1 Suicide Car Bomb Destroyed 1 Car Bomb Dismantled
Salahaddin	3 Incidents 20 Killed 2- Civilians 2 Shootings

SOURCES

Agence France Presse, “Iraq forces say IS retreating deep into desert,” 11/24/17

- “Iraq faces tough battle against IS desert hideouts,” 11/27/17

BBC, “IS conflict: Iraq begins final push to clear western desert,” 11/23/1

Ebraheem, Mohammed, "Iraqi forces arrest suicide bomber near Mosul market," Iraqi News, 11/22/17

- "Six Islamic State militants killed in repelled attack in Kirkuk," Iraqi News, 11/28/17

Fadel, Leith, “Iraq to declare final victory over ISIS after desert campaign: PM,” Reuters, 11/22/17

Al Ghad Press, "Killed and wounded two members of Turkish intelligence in Amadiyah district of Dohuk," 11/25/17

- "A mass grave was found in Sharqat, north Salahaddin," 11/22/17

Iraq Oil Report, “IS insurgency exploits Baghdad-KRG conflict,” 11/23/17

Al Maalomah, "The crowd repulsed an attack in the Siniya desert," 11/25/17

- "Dismantling a car bomb near a primary school in Mosul," 11/28/17

Al Mada, “Tribal regiments, trenches and berms to prevent return of Daesh to the desert,” 11/24/17

Al Mirbad, “The end of the first page of the second phase of the Jazeera and Euphrates operation,” 11/26/17

- "Interior Ministry: suicide bombed fired on citizens in Nahrawan," 11/27/17

Mostafa, Mohamed, “Commander: some senior IS leaders remain at Diyala-Salahuddin borders,” Iraqi News, 11/22/17

- "PMFs kill 3 Islamic State suicide bombers in Hawija," Iraqi News, 11/24/17

NINA, "/12/ PKK militants killed in northern Iraq and eastern Turkey," 11/28/17

- "The assassination of a Ninewa public employee in Mosul," 11/27/17

- "Death and wounding of four civilians by a bomb explosion in a popular market in Mosul," 11/23/17

- "Found the body of a young man west of Hilla," 11/27/17

- "A man killed and another one wounded by a landmine north of Hilla," 11/23/17

- "The PMF Repulse An Offensive To Deash And Arrest Two East Of Mosul," 11/28/17

- "Two members of the popular crowd injured in a bomb explosion north of Babylon," 11/25/17

Rudaw, "New Yezidi mass grave found in Shingal," 11/22/17

Al Sumaria, "At least nine people were killed and wounded in a suicide bombing southeast Baghdad," 11/27/17

- "Gunmen attack Turkmen office north Kirkuk," 11/28/17

- "The end of the attack and suicide bombing in Nahrawan leaves 45 people killed and wounded," 11/27/17