Security In Iraq, Jan 22-28, 2018

The number of incidents reported in Iraq has stayed steady for the start of 2018. During the third week, there was a large number of fatalities because of two mass graves.

There were 68 incidents recorded in Iraq from January 22-28. There were 68 the week before, 64 the 2^nd week of January, and 71 the first week. That broke down to 1 incident in Dohuk, 1 in Karbala, 1 in Sulaymaniya, 2 in Babil, 4 in Anbar, 5 in Basra, 6 in Ninewa, 7 in Kirkuk, 7 in Salahaddin, 12 in Diyala, and 22 in Baghdad.

Security Incidents In Iraq By Province Jan 22-28, 2018

Dohuk 1

Karbala 1

Sulaymaniya 1

Babil 2

Anbar 4

Basra 5

Ninewa 6

Kirkuk 7

Salahaddin 7

Diyala 12

Baghdad 22

Casualties In Iraq By Province Jan 22-28, 2018

Dohuk 1 (1 Killed)

Basra 5 (3 Killed, 2 Wounded)

Babil 6 (2 Killed, 4 Wounded)

Diyala 10 (6 Killed, 4 Wounded)

Anbar 11 (7 Killed, 4 Wounded)

Salahaddin 13 (3 Killed, 10 Wounded)

Ninewa 29 (29 Killed)

Baghdad 53 (19 Killed, 34 Wounded)

Kirkuk 86 (78 Killed, 8 Wounded)

There were 148 deaths and 66 wounded during the week. 98 bodies were found in two mass graves meaning there were only 50 violent fatalities during the week. The dead consisted of 2 Hashd al-Shaabi, 12 members of the Iraqi Security Forces (ISF), and 134 civilians, while there were 10 Hashd, 17 ISF, and 39 civilians injured. By province there was 1 casualty in Dohuk, 5 in Basra, 6 in Babil, 10 in Diyala, 11 in Anbar, 13 in Salahaddin, 29 in Ninewa, 53 in Baghdad, and 86 in Kirkuk.

The two previous weeks there were only one incident each in Anbar. During the third week, there were four. 3 people were killed and four wounded when they entered booby trapped houses in the Rawa district. 3 suicide bombers were also killed in Garma to the west, which left two soldiers dead.

Since the summer of 2017 Islamic State units have been infiltrating into northern Babil to carry out attacks. That started off with small incidents such as planting IEDs and random shootings. Last week there was an escalation as two Hashd commanders were assassinated in separate incidents. During this week two car bombs went off in the Jurf al-Sakhr district. Soldiers were attempting to dismantle one when it went off. Then two days later another vehicle bomb exploded targeting soldiers. While there are still few incidents in the province, the type of attacks is getting more and more dangerous.

Another area where violence has increased is in Baghdad. For the last two weeks, there were mass casualty bombings in the governorate. That didn’t happen from January 22-28, but that was not for lack of trying. Two suicide bombers were killed during the week in the outer northern section of the province. Otherwise there was the regular mix of shootings and IEDs. Of the 9 IEDs, 6 were aimed at shops and markets as the insurgents were attempting to inflict as many casualties as possible.

Diyala is a third area where IS has been more active. There were 12 incidents there spread throughout the province. That included a female suicide bomber being arrested in Muqtadiya in the center, two mortar incidents, and an electricity tower being blown up. Recently, people have been fleeing the Qara Tappa district in the north, and officials have been warning about the presence of militants. That led to a sweep through the area. There were also operations in Mukhisa and Nada. Diyala is one of the governorates where IS is rebuilding. So far, the security forces have not been able to get ahold of the situation.

In Karbala Ayatollah Sistani’s spokesman Abdul Mahdi al-Karbalai claimed he escaped an assassination attempt. Details on what exactly happened were scant.

Political violence has finally cooled off in Kirkuk, but the insurgents are still active. A car bomb blew up at a Shiite shrine in Daquq, there were two separate suicide bombings in Hawija aimed at the Hashd, and a mass grave with 75 victims of the Islamic State was found there as well. Fortunately, those attacks did not lead too many casualties. Politicians have been saying that Hawija is not yet secured. That led to a major military campaign there recently, and another sweep through part of the district starting on January 23.

The major news out of Ninewa during the week was another mass grave being discovered. This was found in Houd, south of Mosul, with 23 bodies in it. There were other scattered incidents such as two people being killed by a leftover IED in west Mosul, a body being pulled from the rubble there, and an attack upon a checkpoint among others. There was also a security operation in the Ninewa islands.

Salahaddin is another area where the insurgency is returning. There was a gun battle with militants in the Baiji district for example. There was still trouble in Tuz Kharmato with a shootout with the White Flags groups and a car bomb explosion.

Security In Iraq 2017-18

Week	Security Incidents	Dead	Wounded
JAN	719	1,923	4,374
FEB	628	1,891 + 399	2,511 + 1,634
MAR	720	3,504 + 278	3,302 + 2,925
APR	578	2,933	1,955
MAY	528	2,038	1,563
JUN	534	2,038	1,563
JUL	478	1,490	650
AUG	359	1,949	584
SEP	306	728	549
OCT	286	913	865 + 1,700
NOV	296	1,282	425
DEC	261	763	300
Jan 1-7	71	50	66
Jan 8-14	64	62	70
Jan 15-21	68	156	151
Jan 22-28	68	148	66

Violence By Province Jan 22-28, 2018

Province	Violence
Anbar	4 Incidents 7 Killed 3 Civilians 4 ISF 4 Wounded 4 Civilians 2 IEDs 3 Suicide Bombers Killed
Babil	2 Incidents 2 Killed 2 ISF 4 Wounded 4 ISF 2 Car Bombs
Baghdad	22 Incidents 19 Killed 4 ISF 15 Civilians 34 Wounded 1 Hashd 5 ISF 28 Civilians 6 Shootings 9 IEDs 3 Sticky Bombs 2 Suicide Bombers Killed
Basra	5 Incidents 3 Killed 3 Civilians 2 Wounded 2 Civilians 3 Shootings 2 IEDs
Diyala	12 Incidents 6 Killed 6 Civilians 4 Wounded 1 Hashd 3 Civilians 2 Shootings 6 IEDs 2 Mortars 1 Suicide Bomber Arrested
Dohuk	1 Incident 1 Killed 1 Civilian 1 Turkish Air Strike
Karbala	1 Incident 1 Shooting
Kirkuk	7 Incidents 78 Killed 2 Hashd 76 Civilians 8 Wounded 8 Hashd 2 Shootings 1 IED 2 Suicide Bombers 1 Car Bomb 1 Mortar
Ninewa	6 Incidents 29 Killed 29 Civilians 1 Shooting 3 IEDs
Salahaddin	7 Incidents 3 Killed 1 Civilian 2 ISF 10 Wounded 2 Civilians 8 ISF 2 Shootings 4 IEDs 1 Car Bomb
Sulaymaniya	1 Incident 1 Rocket

SOURCES

Agence France Presse, "Dozens of bodies found in Iraq mass grave," 1/26/18

Baghdad Post, "2 suicide bombers killed in Fallujah," 1/23/18

- "Female suicide bomber arrested in Diyala," 1/27/18

- "Iraqi security forces repel White Flags terrorists in Tuz Khumrato," 1/25/18

- "Woman, her daughter killed in bomb blast in Mosul," 1/23/18

Bas News "Car Bomb Hits Kirkuk," 1/25/18

Ebraheem, Mohammed, "16 Islamic State militants killed in clashes with security forces in Hawija," Iraqi News, 1/23/18

- "Civilian killed in house bomb explosion in Anbar, says military source," Iraqi News, 1/23/18

- "Six family members killed, injured as booby-trapped house explodes in Anbar," Iraqi News, 1/22/18

Al Ghad Press, "Dash attacks the popular crowd between Baiji and Kharqot," 1/25/18

Hassan, Yassin, "Car Bomb Blasts in Tuz Khurmatu," Bas News, 1/27/18

Hussein, Rikar, “Mosul Workers Still Pulling Bodies From Rubble, 6 Months After IS Expulsion,” Voice of America, 1/26/18

Iraq Newspaper, "Detonation Of An Electricity Tower And A House In Daquq In Kirkuk," 1/28/18

- "Dhi Qar Police Announce: Dead And Wounded In Car Bomb Explosion In Jurf Al-Sakhr In Babil Province," 1/28/18

Mostafa, Nehal, "Bodies of 20 victims, executed by Islamic State, found in mass grave in Mosul," Iraqi News, 1/23/18

- "Two suicide attackers, Islamic State member killed as troops repel attack in Baghdad," Iraqi News, 1/23/18

NINA, "Four Members Of Dase Killed Southeast Of Mosul," 1/27/18

- "Sistani's Representative In Karbala Subjected To A Failed Attempt To Attack In Friday Sermon," 1/27/18

- "Two Terrorists Killed North Of Baghdad, BOC Says," 1/23/18

Al Sumaria, "A mortar shell landed near gravel factory east of Baquba," 1/23/18

- "A soldier was killed and a officer wounded in a suicide attack on a checkpoint north Babil," 1/26/18

Xinhua, "2 Sunni tribal fighters killed in suicide attack in Iraq's Kirkuk," 1/25/18