Incidents and Casualties All Down In Iraq Dec 2017

Security incidents and casualties continued their steady decline at the very end of 2017. This was due to two factors. First, attacks are always down in Iraq in the winter. Second, the Islamic State is completely rebuilding its cadres, so it is not launching as many operations.

There were 261 incidents recorded for December 2017 in Iraq. That was down from 296 in November, and the lowest figure for the entire year.

Broken down by province there were 2 incidents in Irbil, 2 in Sulaymaniya, 3 in Dohuk, 5 in Basra, 6 in Kurdistan, 12 in Babil, 14 in Anbar, 20 in Salahaddin, 42 in Diyala, 42 in Kirkuk, 46 in Ninewa, and 67 in Baghdad.

Security Incidents In Iraq By Province Dec 2017

Irbil 2

Sulaymaniya 2

Dohuk 3

Basra 5

Kurdistan 6

Babil 12

Anbar 14

Salahaddin 20

Diyala 42

Kirkuk 42

Ninewa 46

Baghdad 67

Violence resulted in 763 deaths and 300 wounded. The former consisted of 2 Sahwa, 3 Peshmerga, 17 Turkish Soldiers, 40 members of the Kurdistan Workers Party (PKK), 74 members of the Iraqi Security Forces (ISF), and 586 civilians. 482 of those were found in mass graves in Ninewa, leaving 281 fatalities from attacks during the month. The injured were made up of 1 Peshmerga, 1 Sahwa, 11 Turkish soldiers, 18 ISF, 48 Hashd, and 221 civilians. 3 of those occurred in Sulaymaniya, 5 in Basra, 6 in Irbil, 18 in Babil, 21 in Dohuk, 35 in Diyala, 43 in Kurdistan, 52 in Anbar, 61 in Kirkuk, 104 in Salahaddin, 152 in Baghdad, and 563 in Ninewa.

Casualties In Iraq By Province Dec 2017

Sulaymaniya 3 (1 Killed, 2 Wounded)

Basra 5 (2 Killed, 3 Wounded)

Irbil 6 (6 Killed

Babil 18 (8 Killed, 10 Wounded)

Dohuk 21 (12 Killed, 9 Wounded)

Diyala 35 (20 Killed, 15 Wounded)

Kurdistan 43 (40 Killed, 3 Wounded)

Anbar 52 (40 Killed, 12 Wounded)

Kirkuk 61 (44 Killed, 17 Wounded)

Salahaddin 104 (24 Killed, 80 Wounded)

Baghdad 152 (30 Killed, 122 Wounded)

Ninewa 563 (536 Killed, 27 Wounded)

There were only 14 incidents in Anbar leading to 40 deaths and 12 wounded. Most of those happened in the west where the last towns under IS control were recently liberated, but insurgent elements were still active.

Violence in Babil remained miniscule with less than 0.5 incidents per day. It did increase in the second half of the year however. More importantly, almost all the attacks occurred in the Jurf al-Sakhr district in the northeast. IS elements are said to be infiltrating from Anbar into Babil to carry out operations there, mostly targeting the Hashd. During December, there were 12 incidents in the province.

Baghdad is now seeing the safest conditions since the 2003 invasion. In December, there were 67 incidents for an average of just 2.1 per day. There weren’t even any mass casualty bombings although a suicide bomber was arrested.

Diyala officials constantly complain about IS elements moving around in the governorate especially in the rural areas and along the Salahaddin border. There were relatively few attacks however with 42 during December. There were a few shootouts with the security forces, and 6 suicide bombers were killed, but there has not been a lot of violence in Diyala since the summer.

Since Prime Minister Haidar Abadi sent in federal forces to take control of Kirkuk from the Kurds there has been an increase in incidents. There were 42 in December, which were a mix of IS attacks and political violence. Instances of the latter were the Counter Terrorism Forces, which have stayed in the governorate to provide security, the Turkmen Front, the Kurdistan Democratic Party, and the Badr Organization were all targeted during the month. If that continues there could be growing instability in the province.

The PKK has decided to strike back at Turkey for its weekly bombings and artillery strikes. 40 PKK fighters were killed in such acts. In retaliation, the PKK attacked the Turks in three different incidents leaving 17 Turkish soldiers dead and 11 wounded.

Incidents were down in Ninewa from 72 in November to 46 in December. Most of those occurred in three main places. One, IS is probing the Hashd along the Syrian border. Second, towns south of Mosul, and third, inside Mosul itself. Security in the province is handled by a variety of different forces that do not cooperate, which has opened plenty of room for insurgents to operate in.

Salahaddin is another major province where IS is rebuilding. Like the rest of the country, its activities were way down in the winter. There were only 20 incidents recorded, but some of those were direct attacks upon the security forces.

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	64	84
Oct 8-14	72	133	85
Oct 15-21	60	321	449
Oct 22-28	65	372	222 + 1,700
Oct 29-31	25	23	25
OCT	286	913	865 + 1,700
Nov 1-7	72	135	97
Nov 8-14	62	445	64
Nov 15-21	79	138	159
Nov 22-28	59	149	76
Nov 29-30	24	415	29
NOV	296	1,282	425
Dec 1-7	59	252	61
Dec 8-14	56	135	115
Dec 15-21	49	144	27
Dec 22-28	61	93	41
Dec 29-31	36	139	56
DEC	261	763	300

Weekly Violence By Province In Iraq, Dec 2017

	Dec 1-7	Dec 8-14	Dec 15-21	Dec 22-28	Dec 29-31
Anbar	2 Incidents 26 Killed 1 ISF 25 Civilians 1 Shooting 1 IED	6 Incidents 9 Killed 2 ISF 3 Hashd 4 Civilians 9 Wounded 2 ISF 7 Civilians 2 Shootings 4 IEDs	4 Incidents 5 Killed 5 Civilians 3 Wounded 3 ISF 2 Shootings 1 Rocket	1 Incident 1 Car Bomb    Dismantled	1 Incident 5 Suicide    Bombers    Killed

	Dec 1-7	Dec 8-14	Dec 15-21	Dec 22-28	Dec 29-31
Babil	2 Incidents 2 Wounded 2 Hashd 1 IED 1 Grenade	3 Incidents 4 Killed 4 Civilians 6 Wounded 3 Hashd 3 Civilians 2 IEDs 1 Sticky Bomb	1 Incident 1 IED    Dismantled	4 Incidents 2 Killed 2 Civilians 1 Wounded 1 Civilian 2 Shootings	2 Incidents 2 Killed 2 Civilians 1 Wounded 1 Civilian 2 Shootings

	Dec 1-7	Dec 8-14	Dec 15-21	Dec 22-28	Dec 29-31
Baghdad	20 Incidents 8 Killed 1 Hashd 1 Sahwa 6 Civilians 43 Wounded 1 ISF 3 Hashd 39 Civilians 2 Shootings 14 IEDs 2 Sticky Bombs 1 Suicide    Bomber    Arrested	13 Incidents 6 Killed 1 ISF 5 Civilians 36 Wounded 36 Civilians 3 Shootings 8 IEDs 1 Sticky Bomb	10 Incidents 4 Killed 1 Hashd 3 Civilians 14 Wounded 3 Hashd 11 Civilians 3 Shootings 5 IEDs 2 Sticky Bombs	18 Incidents 11 Killed 1 Sahwa 5 ISF 5 Civilians 21 Wounded 1 Sahwa 3 Hashd 17 Civilians 6 Shootings 8 IEDs 1 Sticky Bomb 1 Sound Bomb	6 Incidents 1 Killed 1 Civilian 8 Wounded 2 Hashd 6 Civilians 1 Shooting 2 IEDs 1 Sound Bomb

	Dec 1-7	Dec 8-14	Dec 15-21	Dec 22-28	Dec 29-31
Basra	1 Incident 1 IED	2 Incidents 2 Killed 2 Civilians 1 Shooting 1 IED	-	1 Incident 2 Sound Bombs	1 Incident 3 Wounded 3 Civilians 1 Shooting

	Dec 1-7	Dec 8-14	Dec 15-21	Dec 22-28	Dec 29-31
Diyala	11 Incidents 4 Killed 1 ISF 1 Civilian 2 Peshmerga 4 Wounded 1 ISF 3 Civilians 4 Shootings 1 IED 1 Grenade 2 Suicide    Bombers    Killed	8 Incidents 2 Killed 1 ISF 1 Civilian 2 Wounded 2 Civilians 3 Shootings 4 IEDs 1 Mortar	9 Incidents 8 Killed 2 Civilians 3 ISF 3 Hashd 5 Wounded 1 Peshmerga 4 Civilians 4 Shootings 2 IEDs	9 Incidents 4 Killed 2 ISF 2 Civilians 4 Wounded 4 Civilians 5 Shootings 1 IED 1 Mortar	5 Incidents 2 Killed 2 ISF 3 Shootings 4 Suicide     Bombers     Killed 1 Car Bomb     Dismantled

	Dec 1-7	Dec 8-14	Dec 15-21	Dec 22-28	Dec 29-31
Dohuk	-	-	1 Incident 1 Wounded 1 Turkish    Soldier 1 IED	1 Incident 1 Killed 1 Civilian 1 Wounded 1 Civilian 1 Turkish Air    Strike	1 Incident 11 Killed 11 Turkish    Soldiers 7 Wounded 7 Turkish    Soldiers 1 Shooting

	Dec 1-7	Dec 8-14	Dec 15-21	Dec 22-28	Dec 29-31
Irbil	-	2 Incidents 6 Killed 6 Turkish    Soldiers 2 Shootings	-	-	-

	Dec 1-7	Dec 8-14	Dec 15-21	Dec 22-28	Dec 29-31
Kirkuk	10 Incidents 10 Killed 1 ISF 9 Civilians 5 Shootings 1 IED 1 Grenade	5 Incidents 1 Killed 1 Civilian 4 Wounded 4 Civilians 3 Shootings 1 Mortar 1 Rocket 5 Suicide    Bombers    Killed	8 Incidents 3 Killed 1 ISF 2 Civilians 1 Wounded 1 ISF 2 Shootings 1 IED 1 Mortar 1 Grenade 3 Rockets	12 Incidents 28 Killed 7 Hashd 9 ISF 12 Civilians 7 Wounded 2 ISF 5 Hashd 7 Shootings 4 IEDs	7 Incidents 2 Killed 2 Civilians 5 Wounded 5 Civilians 2 Shootings 5 IEDs 1 Sound Bomb 1 Rocket

	Dec 1-7	Dec 8-14	Dec 15-21	Dec 22-28	Dec 29-31
KRG	-	1 Incident 29 Killed 29 PKK 1 Turkish Air    Strike	-	4 Incidents 7 Killed 7 PKK 4 Turkish Air    Strikes	1 Incident 4 Killed 4 PKK 3 Wounded 3 Turkish    Soldiers 1 Shooting 1 Mortar 1 Turkish Air    Strike

	Dec 1-7	Dec 8-14	Dec 15-21	Dec 22-28	Dec 29-31
Ninewa	9 Incidents 203 Killed 1 ISF 202 Civilians 10 Wounded 1 ISF 9 Civilians 1 Shooting 3 IEDs 1 Car Bomb 1 Suicide Car    Bomb    Destroyed	11 Incidents 74 Killed 7 ISF 13 Hashd 54 Civilians 12 Wounded 4 ISF 8 Civilians 5 Shootings 4 IEDs 1 Grenade	13 Incidents 118 Killed 1 Peshmerga 6 ISF 111 Civilians 2 Wounded 1 Civilian 1 ISF 7 Shootings 2 IEDs 1 Suicide    Bomber 1 Suicide    Bomber    Killed	6 Incidents 33 Killed 3 Hashd 4 ISF 26 Civilians 5 Shootings	7 Incidents 108 Killed 1 Hashd 26 ISF 81 Civilians 3 Wounded 1 Civilian 2 ISF 4 Shootings 1 IED

	Dec 1-7	Dec 8-14	Dec 15-21	Dec 22-28	Dec 29-31
Salahaddin	3 Incidents 1 Shooting 2 IEDs 1 Mortar	7 Incidents 8 Killed 2 Hashd 6 Civilians 46 Wounded 8 Hashd 38 Civilians 2 Shootings 1 Suicide    Bomber 1 Car Bomb 2 Mortars	1 Incident 1 Wounded 1 Civilian 1 Mortar	5 Incidents 7 Killed 1 ISF 6 Hashd 7 Wounded 2 Civilians 5 Hashd 2 Shootings 1 IED 3 Mortars	4 Incidents 9 Killed 1 Hashd 8 Civilians 26 Wounded 12 Civilians 14 Hashd 2 Shootings 1 Mortar 1 Suicide    Car Bomb    Destroyed

	Dec 1-7	Dec 8-14	Dec 15-21	Dec 22-28	Dec 29-31
Wasit	-	1 Incident 1 IED    Dismantled	-	-	-

Violence By Province December 2017

Province	Violence
Anbar	14 Incidents 40 Killed 3 ISF 3 Hashd 34 Civilians 12 Wounded 5 ISF 7 Civilians 5 Shootings 5 IEDs 1 Rocket 5 Suicide Bombers Killed 1 Car Bomb Dismantled
Babil	12 Incidents 8 Killed 8 Civilians 10 Wounded 5 Civilians 5 Hashd 4 Shootings 4 IEDs 1 Sticky Bomb 1 Grenade
Baghdad	67 Incidents 30 Killed 2 Hashd 2 Sahwa 6 ISF 20 Civilians 122 Wounded 1 ISF 1 Sahwa 11 Hashd 109 Civilians 15 Shootings 37 IEDs 6 Sticky Bombs 2 Sound Bombs 1 Suicide Bomber Arrested
Basra	5 Incidents 2 Killed 2 Civilians 3 Wounded 3 Civilians 2 Shootings 2 IEDs 2 Sound Bombs
Diyala	42 Incidents 20 Killed 2 Peshmerga 3 Hashd 6 Civilians 9 ISF 15 Wounded 1 ISF 1 Peshmerga 13 Civilians 19 Shootings 8 IEDs 1 Grenade 2 Mortars 6 Suicide Bombers Killed 1 Car Bomb Dismantled
Dohuk	3 Incidents 12 Killed 1 Civilian 11 Turkish Soldiers 9 Wounded 1 Civilian 8 Turkish Soldiers 1 Shooting 1 IED 1 Turkish Air Strike
Irbil	2 Incidents 6 Killed 6 Turkish Soldiers 2 Shootings
Kirkuk	42 Incidents 44 Killed 7 Hashd 11 ISF 26 Civilians 17 Wounded 3 ISF 5 Hashd 9 Civilians 19 Shootings 11 IEDs 1 Sound Bomb 2 Grenades 2 Mortars 5 Rockets 5 Suicide Bombers Killed
Kurdistan	6 Incidents 40 Killed 40 PKK 3 Wounded 3 Turkish Soldiers 1 Shooting 1 Mortar 6 Turkish Air Strikes
Ninewa	46 Incidents 536 Killed 1 Peshmerga 17 Hashd 44 ISF 474 Civilians 27 Wounded 8 ISF 19 Civilians 22 Shootings 10 IEDs 1 Suicide Bomber 1 Car Bomb 1 Grenade 1 Suicide Bomber Killed 1 Suicide Car Bomb Destroyed
Ninewa	72 Incidents 530 Killed 12 Hashd 21 ISF 497 Civilians 38 Wounded 3 Hashd 11 ISF 24 Civilians 34 Shootings 24 IEDs 1 Suicide Bomber 2 Mortars 1 Suicide Bomber Arrested 1 Suicide Car Bomb Destroyed 3 Car Bombs Dismantled
Salahaddin	20 Incidents 24 Killed 1 ISF 9 Hashd 14 Civilians 80 Wounded 27 Hashd 53 Civilians 7 Shootings 3 IEDs 1 Suicide Bomber 1 Car Bomb 8 Mortars 1 Suicide Car Bomb Destroyed