Security In Iraq Apr 22-28, 2018

The last two weeks of April was the first time in 2018 that there were consecutive weeks with a low number of incidents. That resulted in low casualty figures as well.

From April 22-28, 2018, there were just 44 incidents reported. That matched the total from the week before. During the first week of the month there were 40 incidents, then 64 the second week. For most of the year there were roughly 60-70 incidents per week, so April has been a decided change.

Incidents were spread across Babil (1), Basra (1), Dohuk (1), Anbar (2), Salahaddin (3), Ninewa (4), Diyala (6), Kurdistan (7), Kirkuk (9), and Baghdad (10).  

Security Incidents In Iraq By Province Apr 15-21, 2018

Babil 1

Basra 1

Dohuk 1

Anbar 2

Salahaddin 3

Ninewa 4

Diyala 6

Kurdistan 7

Kirkuk 9

Baghdad 10

Casualties In Iraq By Province Apr 15-21, 2018

Salahaddin 1 (1 Wounded)

Diyala 4 (1 Killed, 3 Wounded)

Anbar 6 (1 Killed, 5 Wounded)

Baghdad 17 (3 Killed, 14 Wounded)

Kirkuk 22 (5 Killed, 17 Wounded)

Ninewa 24 (22 Killed, 2 Wounded)

Kurdistan 36 (30 Killed, 6 Wounded)

There were 62 reported deaths during the week and 48 wounded. 20 bodies were discovered in the rubble in west Mosul leaving 42 violent fatalities during the week. The dead consisted of 1 Hashd al-Shaabi, 2 members of the Iraqi Security Forces (ISF), 10 members of the Kurdistan Workers Party (PKK), 20 Turkish soldiers, and 29 civilians. The injured were made up of 5 Hashd, 6 Turkish soldiers, 8 ISF, and 29 civilians.

There were just two incidents in Anbar, both IEDs that left 1 killed and 5 wounded. Politicians continued to warn about Islamic State elements being in the western desert. Prime Minister Haidar Abadi announced that 4 new police regiments would be created to protect that area, and a security sweep was made along the Syrian border. These concerns have been going on for months now. Despite those stories, IS has not been very active in the province.

The deputy head of the Olympic Committee was kidnapped in Babil and then released. There was no news about what caused this incident, whether it was political or just for ransom.

Violence remained low in Baghdad. A suicide bomber was killed in Tarmiya in the north, otherwise the capital province witnessed its usual mix of shootings, IEDs and kidnappings.

The security forces launched several operations in Diyala. At the start of the week a plan was launched to protect the polling stations before next month’s election. Two sweeps were also made in the Muqtadiya district in the center and the east. This is one of the main governorates where IS is rebuilding, which is why the security forces have been so active there. There was an attack upon a checkpoint and mortar fire, both in the northeast, but otherwise things were relatively quiet.

IS made some bold attacks in Kirkuk. First, a Turkmen candidate had a grenade thrown at him, and the same thing happened to an employee of the North Oil Company both in Kirkuk. The politician survived a car bomb the week before. In the Daquq district in the south four villages were attacked. Insurgents showed up at night, shot things up and then left. People in that district said that IS elements had been coming out at night for quite some time, but now some of them are openly walking around during the day. In one incident, they joined a service at a mosque. In one town, they were reportedly shopping at markets. The security forces have launched a number of clearing operations in response, and there was another during the week, but these have had little effect as the militants have simply moved back in after they are over.

Turkey and the PKK were still fighting each other in northern Kurdistan. A Turkish air strike was responsible for the deaths of 10 PKK fighters, while that group launched attacks in 6 villages that left 20 Turkish soldiers dead and another 6 injured. This is the heaviest fighting between these two sides within Iraq for years.

There was a sweep through eastern Ninewa by the Iraqi forces, while there are still scattered attacks by IS in the west along the Syrian border.

2 suicide bombers were killed in Balad, Salahaddin, but otherwise it was another quite week in the province.

Security In Iraq 2017-18

Week	Security Incidents	Dead	Wounded
JAN 2017	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
Jan 29-31	27	23	22
JAN 2018	298	439	375
Feb 1-7	66	196	67
Feb 8-14	65	63	93
Feb 15-21	59	346	43
Feb 22-28	55	44	72
FEB	245	649	275
Mar 1-7	78	120	84
Mar 8-14	60	84	61
Mar 15-21	67	168	98
Mar 22-28	81	213	61
Mar 29-31	21	26	35
MAR	307	611	339
Apr 1-7	40	174	29
Apr 8-14	64	175	83
Apr 15-21	44	63	72
Apr 22-28	44	62	48

Violence By Province Apr 22-28, 2018

Province	Violence
Anbar	2 Incidents 1 Killed 1 Civilian 5 Wounded 2 Civilians 3 ISF 2 IEDs
Babil	1 Incident
Baghdad	10 Incidents 3 Killed 3 Civilians 14 Wounded 14 Civilians 4 Shootings 2 IEDs 1 Sticky Bomb 1 Suicide Bomber Killed
Basra	1 Incident
Diyala	6 Incidents 1 Killed 1 Civilian 3 Wounded 1 ISF 2 Civilians 1 Shooting 2 IEDs 1 Sticky Bomb 1 Mortar
Dohuk	1 Incident
Kirkuk	9 Incidents 5 Killed 1 Hashd 2 ISF 2 Civilians 17 Wounded 4 ISF 5 Hashd 8 Civilians 7 Shootings 2 Grenades
Kurdistan	7 Incidents 30 Killed 10 PKK 20 Turkish Soldiers 6 Wounded 6 Turkish Soldiers 6 Shootings 1 Turkish Air Strike
Ninewa	4 Incidents 22 Killed 22 Civilians 2 Wounded 2 Civilians 3 Shootings
Salahaddin	3 Incidents 1 Wounded 1 Civilian 2 IEDs 2 Suicide Bombers Killed

SOURCES

Baghdad Post, “Anbar provincial call for clearing desert from ISIS remnants,” 4/22/18

- "Gov't launched operation in Diyala to protect polling stations," 4/22/18

Bas News, "Car Bomb Kills, Wounds Twelve in Kirkuk," 4/15/18

Buratha News, "The anti terrorism force conducts a wide security campaign in east Ninewa," 4/25/18

Ebraheem, Mohammed, "Iraq thwarts attack by Islamic State militants on security roadblock," Iraqi News, 4/25/18

Al Ghad Press, "Baghdad operations says suicide bomber wearing explosive belt was killed north of the capital," 4/25/18

Hussein, Mohammed, Kullab, Samya, “Insurgents use intimidation to amplify influence,” Iraq Oil Report, 4/24/18

Al Maalomah, "A large-scale operation was launched to track down Dash in Anbar desert border triangle," 4/22/18

Mahmoud, Nawzad, “Kirkuk locals: We see ISIS movements; they steal our chickens,” Rudaw, 4/23/18

Mostafa, Mohamed, “Iraq PM orders assigning of rapid intervention troops in Anbar: commander,” Iraqi News, 4/25/18

- “Iraqi official says terror threat eliminated from Anbar desert,” Iraqi News, 4/22/18

Mostafa, Nehal, "Five policemen killed, injured in attack by Islamic State, south of Kirkuk," Iraqi News, 4/26/18

- "Three people killed, injured in bomb blast, west of Anbar," Iraqi News, 4/23/18

- "Three policemen injured in landmine explosion, west of Anbar," Iraqi News, 4/25/18

NINA, "20 Bodies Of Civilians Were Under Rubble Recovered In Mosul," 4/22/18

- "A Bomb attack on the office of a Turkman candidate in central Kirkuk" 4/24/18

- "Gunmen kidnapped Deputy Chairman of the Olympic Committee south of Baghdad," 4/24/18

- "Joint forces carried out a security operation to hunt down Daesh elements in villages south-west of Kirkuk," 4/25/18

- "A Joint Military Operation To Track Daesh Cells North East Of Baquba," 4/26/18

Sotaliraq, "A new Daash attack and mass exodus of residents from Kirkuk," 4/26/18

- "Unknown gunmen throw a grenade at the home of an employee of the North Oil Company," 4/28/18

Al Sumaria, "Civilian injured in bombing of Turkmen candidates in central Kirkuk," 4/24/18

- "Launch of search into three areas north-east of Baquba to track Daesh cells," 4/28/18

Xinhua, "Iraqi forces kill 2 suicide bombers," 4/27/18