Security In Iraq Sep 1-7, 2019

(Shafaaq News)

For the third week in a row attacks in Iraq went up. The cause is unknown. It could be a last push in the Islamic State’s Revenge of the Levant spring-summer offensive which has not amounted to much or some other issue such as targeting Ashura starting the second week of September. This year’s trends have been slower to develop and take months to come into focus.

From September 1-7, 2019 39 incidents were recorded in Iraq. One of those was a mass grave of 13 women likely victims of IS discovered south of Mosul so there were 38 attacks during the week. For the last twelve full weeks of the year incidents had been in the teens and twenties. At the end of August things began picking up with 20 incidents August 15-21 and then 27 August 22-28. As usual, Diyala was the most violent province in the country with 14 incidents. The cause of this recent jump is impossible to determine at this month and likely won’t become more apparent for several more months.

Casualties were high again during the first week of September, but part of that was the mass grave in Ninewa. There were 39 deaths consisting of 3 Hashd al-Shaabi, 16 Iraqi Security Forces (ISF), and 20 civilians. There were another 38 wounded made up of 1 U.S. soldier, 4 Hashd, 9 ISF, and 24 civilians. Ninewa had the most casualties with 22, but without the mass grave, Diyala would have the highest number at 19.

Anbar only had one incident when a pair of IEDs was discovered and dismantled in Ramadi. This was just another example of how Anbar has fallen off the map in terms of IS operations.

August saw the most attacks in Babil in 14 months. There was one more attack the first week of September when an IED hit 3 Hashd in the Jurf al-Sakhr district in the northeast. This is the most common target of insurgent attacks because it has been turned into a military base by Kataib Hezbollah.

IS had a major breakthrough in its attempt to move back into Baghdad. On September 7 there were five IEDs in the center, east and southern parts of the city proper that left a total of 14 people wounded. Almost all of the attacks by IS previously had been in the outer towns and villages in the province mostly in the south and north. Rarely has the group been able to penetrate the city’s security. The question whether this marks a new trend or is it a one off attack that won’t be repeated for weeks more? More time is necessary to determine the answer.

During the summer IS largely stopped its attacks in central Iraq. At the start of September, it made a return to that region. In Kirkuk there were two incidents including a mukhtar being kidnapped in the Hawija district in the south. There were 9 incidents in Ninewa including mortar fire on Mosul that wounded a U.S. soldier. Salahaddin had 5 incidents including an attack upon a checkpoint and a gun battle. Diyala remained the center of militant activity. There were 14 incidents there during the week. There was one shoot out, a village was attacked along with two checkpoints. It’s too early to tell whether this week marks a return to these provinces or just a short spurt. Diyala however has stayed consistent. IS continues to hit the same districts including Jalawla-Khanaqin in the northeast and in the center.

Security Incidents In Iraq By Province

Province	Sep 1-7
Anbar	1
Babil	1
Baghdad	7
Diyala	14
Kirkuk	2
Ninewa	9
Salahaddin	5
TOTAL	39

Casualties In Iraq By Province

Province	Aug 1-7
Babil	3 (1K, 2W)
Baghdad	16 (2K, 14W)
Diyala	19 (6K, 13W)
Kirkuk	2 (2W)
Ninewa	22 (17K, 5W)
Salahaddin	15 (13K, 2W)
TOTAL	77 (39K, 38W)

Islamic State Activity in Iraq 2018-19

Diyala	Shootings (Totals)	IEDs/ Sticky Bombs (Totals)	Gun Battles	Attacks on Checkpoints	Attacks on Mukhtars/ Sheikhs	Kidnappings	Attacks on Towns	Suicide Bombers	Car Bombs
2018 Totals	219	198	47	43	5	13	25	3	1
Jan 2019	21	2	3	8	-	-	1	-	-
Feb	18	2	5	7	-	-	3	-	-
Mar	7	6	1	2	-	-	-	-	-
Apr	13	15	2	4	1	-	1	-	-
May	11	13	3	5	-	-	13 (9 Farms Burned)	-	-
Jun	15	8	2	4	-	1	-	1	-
Jul	7	12	2	4	-	-	2	-	-
Aug	21	12	3	7	-	1	1	1	-
Sep	7	10	1	2	-	-	1	-	-
2019 Totals	120	80	22	43	1	2	22	2	-

Kirkuk	Shootings (Totals)	IEDs/ Sticky Bombs (Totals)	Gun Battles	Attacks on Checkpoints	Attacks on Mukhtars/ Sheikhs	Kidnappings	Attacks on Towns	Suicide Bombers	Car Bombs
2018 Totals	172	182	39	18	10	14	29	9	6
Jan 2019	8	17	-	4	2	3	-	-	1
Feb	9	5	3	-	-	2	1	-	-
Mar	5	11	2	1	2	-	2	-	-
Apr	5	9	3	-	-	-	-	-	-
May	11	18	2	3	1	-	13 (13 Farms Burned)	-	-
Jun	5	10	1	2	-	-	-	-	-
Jul	2	10	-	-	-	1	2	-	-
Aug	9	6	10	-	-	1	-	-	-
Sep	-	1	-	-	1	1	-	-	-
2019 Totals	54	87	21	10	6	8	18	-	1

Ninewa	Shootings (Totals)	IEDs/ Sticky Bombs (Totals)	Gun Battles	Attacks on Checkpoints	Attacks on Mukhtars/ Sheikhs	Kidnappings	Attacks on Towns	Suicide Bombers	Car Bombs
2018 Totals	139	74	43	7	5	6	6	2	3
Jan 2019	6	-	-	-	1	-	-	-	-
Feb	8	3	2	2	-	-	1	-	1
Mar	6	1	3	-	-	-	1	-	1
Apr	6	6	1	-	1	2	2	-	-
May	8	8	1	-	1	2	6 (5 Farms Burned)	-	1
Jun	2	5	-	-	1	-	4 (4 Farms Burned)	-	-
Jul	2	2	-	-	1	1	2	-	-
Aug	3	2	-	-	-	-	1	-	-
Sep	2	1	-	-	1	1	-	-	-
2019 Totals	43	28	7	2	6	6	17	-	3

Salahaddin	Shootings (Totals)	IEDs/ Sticky Bombs (Totals)	Gun Battles	Attacks on Checkpoints	Attacks on Mukhtars/ Sheikhs	Kidnappings	Attacks on Towns	Suicide Bombers	Car Bombs
2018 Totals	110	102	41	18	1	16	4	9	5
Jan 2019	5	5	3	1	-	3	-	-	1
Feb	7	11	3	-	-	2	1	1	-
Mar	3	5	2	-	-	-	-	-	1
Apr	2	2	1	-	-	-	-	-	1
May	10	9	4	1	1	-	6 (5 Farms Burned)	-	-
Jun	4	3	2	-	1	-	-	-	-
Jul	3	6	2	1	-	-	-	-	-
Aug	5	1	1	-	-	1	1	-	1
Sep	3	1	1	1	-	-	-	-	-
2019 Totals	42	43	19	4	2	6	8	1	4

Suicide-Car Bombs In Iraq 2018-19

Month	Suicide Bombers	Car Bombs	Totals
Jan	7 (1- Diyala, 3 – Baghdad/Baghdad, 3 - Kirkuk)	6 (1- Anbar, 1 – Diyala, 1 – Kirkuk, 1 – Salahaddin, 2 - Babil)	13
Feb	4 (1 – Anbar/Ramadi 1 – Diyala 1 – Kirkuk 1 - Ninewa)	-	4
Mar	2 (1 – Kirkuk/Kirkuk 1 - Salahaddin)	1 (1 – Kirkuk)	3
Apr	4 (1 - Salahaddin 3 – Anbar)	1 (1 – Kirkuk/Kirkuk)	5
May	8 (1 – Diyala 1 - Salahaddin) 2 – Baghdad/1 - Baghdad 4 - Kirkuk)	-	8
Jun		1 (1 – Salahaddin/Tikrit)	1
Jul	1 (1 – Salahaddin/Tikrit)	1 (1 – Kirkuk/Kirkuk)	2
Aug	1 (1 – Salahaddin)	2 (1 – Anbar, 1 – Kirkuk)	3
Sep	6 (1 – Ninewa) 2 – Anbar 3 – Salahaddin)	2 (1 – Kirkuk 1 – Salahaddin)	8
Oct	2 (1 – Anbar/Fallujah 1 – Salahaddin)	3 (1 – Anbar/Fallujah 1 – Kirkuk/Kirkuk 1 - Ninewa)	5
Nov	-	3 (1 – Ninewa/Mosul 2 – Salahaddin/Tikrit)	3
Dec	-	1 (1 – Ninewa)	1
Jan	1 (1 – Anbar)	3 (1 – Anbar 1 – Kirkuk 1 – Salahaddin/Tikrit)	4
Feb	1 (1 – Salahaddin)	1 (1 – Ninewa/Mosul)	2
Mar	-	1 (1 – Ninewa/Mosul)	1
Apr	-	2 (1 – Anbar 1 - Salahaddin)	2
May	1 (1 – Baghdad)	3 (2 – Anbar 1 – Ninewa)	4
Jun	1 (1 – Diyala)	-	1
Jul	2 (2 – Baghdad/Malif)	-	2
Aug	1 (1 – Diyala)	1 (1 – Salahaddin)	2

Security In Iraq 2018-19

Week	Security Incidents (Total/By IS)	Dead (Total/By IS)	Wounded (Total/By IS)
Jan 1-7	62/60	45	63
Jan 8-14	58/56	58/56	66/63
Jan 15-21	62/59	151	151
Jan 22-28	59/51	140/136	65/63
Jan 29-31	24	21	21
JAN 2018	265/ 250 by IS	417/ 409 by IS (196 Violent Deaths)	366/ 361 by IS
Feb 1-7	58/56	192/141	62/60
Feb 8-14	57	58	91
Feb 15-21	53/52	343	43
Feb 22-28	46/44	38/37	70/68
FEB	214/ 209 by IS	631/ 579 by IS (215 Violent Deaths)	266/ 262 by IS
Mar 1-7	68/64	115/108	79/77
Mar 8-14	52	75	59
Mar 15-21	64/59	165/119	98
Mar 22-28	77/64	210/87	61/60
Mar 29-31	19/18	26/25	34
MAR	280/ 257 by IS	591/ 414 by IS (446 Violent Deaths)	331/ 328 by IS
Apr 1-7	38/34	172/140	27/25
Apr 8-14	60/52	173/136	81/72
Apr 15-21	43/35	63/18	72/70
Apr 22-28	40/31	60/30	39/33
Apr 29-30	12/11	14/11	4
APR	193/ 163 by IS	482/ 335 by IS (236 Violent Deaths)	223/ 204 by IS
May 1-7	45/39	52/43	55/54
May 8-14	55/51	68/46	49
May 15-21	35/32	55/26	80/75
May 22-28	49/46	72/62	51/49
May 29-31	16/13	39/30	15
MAY	200/ 181 by IS	286/ 207 by IS (261 Violent Deaths)	250/ 242 by IS
Jun 1-7	50/44	96/87	29/28
Jun 8-14	67/59	107/47	88
Jun 15-21	40/35	82/28	19
Jun 22-28	45/44	53/38	62
Jun 29-30	17/15	21/16	14
JUN	219/ 197 by IS	359/ 216 by IS (315 Violent Deaths)	212/ 211 by IS
Jul 1-7	50/49	56/52	90
Jul 8-14	42/39	56/47	31
Jul 15-21	50/45	59/42	63
Jul 22-28	29/24	61/53	19/15
Jul 29-31	23/21	25/13	11
JUL	194/ 178 by IS	257/ 207 by IS (212 Violent Deaths)	214/ 210 by IS
Aug 1-7	43/39	49/45	30/29
Aug 8-14	43/42	38	44
Aug 15-21	38/35	24/21	40/37
Aug 22-28	35/31	25/19	61
Aug 29-31	27/24	68/30	43
AUG	186/ 171 by IS	204/ 153 by IS (189 Violent Deaths)	218/ 214 by IS
Sep 1-7	38	44	54
Sep 8-14	48/43	63/55	127
Sep 15-21	44/38	90/74	70
Sep 22-28	36/33	22/17	27/26
Sep 29-30	9/6	19/10	29/25
SEP	175/ 158 by IS	237/ 200 by IS (179 Violent Deaths)	307/ 302 by IS
Oct 1-7	54/49	85/25	92
Oct 8-14	43/41	161/152	41
Oct 15-21	54/50	87/72	35
Oct 22-28	24/23	24/20	53
Oct 29-31	23	10	24
OCT	198/ 186 by IS	367/ 279 by IS (177 Violent Deaths)	245 by IS
Nov 1-7	32/31	75/69	36
Nov 8-14	39/31	111/63	19
Nov 15-21	30/27	51/43	29
Nov 22-28	26/21	35/25	30
Nov 29-30	9/8	4	27
NOV	136/ 118 by IS	276/ 204 by IS (183 Violent Deaths_	141 by IS
Dec 1-7	22/15	21/8	11
Dec 8-14	22	15	22
Dec 15-21	23/21	23/16	17
Dec 22-28	30/28	24/18	37
Dec 29-31	15/14	225/220	4
DEC	112/ 100 by IS	308/ 277 by IS (96 Violent Deaths)	91 by IS
Jan 1-7	32/31	17/10	24
Jan 8-14	32/30	94/31	53
Jan 15-21	22/18	17/11	16/14
Jan 22-28	27/22	36/17	31
Jan 29-31	12	7	6
JAN	114	139	130/128
Feb 1-7	29/28	76/16	30
Feb 8-14	24	26	18
Feb 15-21	40	112/37	12
Feb 22-28	25	36	70
FEB	118	250/115	130
Mar 1-7	13	22	45
Mar 8-14	19/18	75/10	37
Mar 15-21	12/11	66/37	21/11
Mar 22-28	13/12	8/5	1
Mar 29-31	6	8	7
MAR	61	147	101
Apr 1-7	20	22	13
Apr 8-14	41	28	42
Apr 15-21	17/16	9/8	26
Apr 22-28	19/18	45/10	15
Apr 29-30	2	1	4
APR	99	105	100
May 1-7	20/19	15	18
May 8-14	24	31	41
May 15-21	37/36	62/25	39
May 22-28	43	39	54
May 29-31	13	16	48
MAY	137/136	163/125	200
Jun 1-7	26	19	44
Jun 8-14	25/24	29	15
Jun 15-21	21/16	6	13/10
Jun 22-28	18	17	41
Jun 29-30	9	3	9
JUN	99/93	74	122/119
Jul 1-7	20	11	39
Jul 8-14	14	31	10
Jul 15-21	17	14	37
Jul 22-28	23	14	20
Jul 29-31	8	13	13
JUL	82	83	119
Aug 1-7	27	14	31
Aug 8-14	18	13	13
Aug 15-21	20	33	15
Aug 22-28	27	24	72
Aug 29-31	11	19	10
AUG	104/103	103	141
Sep 1-7	39	39	38

Violence By Province Sep 1-7, 2019

Province	Violence
Anbar	1 Incident 2 IEDs
Babil	1 Incident 1 Killed 1 Hashd 2 Wounded 2 Hashd 1 IED
Baghdad	7 Incidents 2 Killed 2 Civilians 14 Wounded 14 Civilians 2 Shootings 5 IEDs
Diyala	14 Incidents 6 Killed 2 Civilians 4 ISF 13 Wounded 5 Civilians 8 ISF 7 Shootings 10 IEDs
Kirkuk	2 Incidents 2 Wounded 2 Civilians 1 IED
Ninewa	9 Incidents 17 Killed 2 ISF 15 Civilians 5 Wounded 1 U.S. Soldier 1 ISF 3 Civilians 2 Shootings 1 IED 2 Mortars 3 Car Bombs Dismantled
Salahaddin	5 Incidents 13 Killed 1 Civilian 2 Hashd 10 ISF 2 Wounded 2 Hashd 3 Shootings 1 Sticky Bomb

SOURCES

Adel, Loaa, "Security Media Cell announce seizing 3 car bombs in Nineveh," Iraqi News, 9/5/19

Baghdad Post, "Civilian killed in armed attack southeast of Baghdad," 9/3/19

- "Two civilians wounded in an explosion in Kirkuk," 9/7/19

- "A woman was killed inside her house in Sinjar district," 9/3/19

Bas News, "At Least Five Iraqi Forces Killed in IS Attack," 9/5/19

- "Bomb Blast Hits Iraqi Army Convoy near Khanaqin," 9/4/19

- "Diyala: Iraqi Farmer Killed in Bomb Attack," 9/1/19

Ebraheem, Mohammed, "Iraqi farmer wounded in bomb explosion northeast of Iraq," Iraqi News, 9/4/19

- "Mortar attack hurts U.S. soldier in Mosul," Iraqi News, 9/7/19

Hath al-Youm, "One soldier martyred and two others wounded by ISIS attack northeast of Diyala," 9/5/19

NINA, "2 IEDs Dismantled Northeast Of Baquba," 9/4/19

- "3 Civilians From One Family Wounded When A Mortar Shell Hit Their House Northeast Of Mosul," 9/7/19

- "An explosive device explodes on a herd of cows northeast of Baquba," 9/4/19

- "A Civilian killed by armed attack in Tal Afar, in Nineveh," 9/2/19

- "A Civilian killed in an armed attack northeast of Baquba," 9/7/19

- "ISIS Militants Kidnap A Village's Mukhtar And Another Person In Kirkuk," 9/4/19

- "A Joint Security Force Foils ISIS Attack On A Village Northeast Of Baquba," 9/5/19

- "A mass grave was found south of Mosul with the remains of 13 women," 9/4/19

- "A Security source: A series of explosive devices hit the areas of Talbiya, Baladiyat and the 4th police targeting crowds of worshipers and processions of Husseini condolences," 9/7/19

- "A Soldier Killed, Another Wounded In A Terrorist Attack On A Military Outpost Between Diyala And Salahuddin," 9/2/19

- "Three members of the Popular Mobilization killed and wounded in a bomb explosion north of Babylon," 9/6/19

- "Three security elements killed and wounded in an attack by ISIS on a security post northeast of Baquba," 9/6/19

- "Three soldiers wounded in an explosion in northeast Baquba," 9/4/19

- "Two civilians injured in an armed attack northeast of Baquba," 9/6/19

- "Unknown gunmen kidnap a tribal sheikh in Mosul," 9/5/19

Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty, "Baghdad Rocked By Explosions, 14 Wounded," 9/7/19

Reuters, "Four killed, including a civilian, across Iraq in day of militant attacks," 9/7/19

Sputnik News, "Wounded by an explosive device in central Baghdad," 9/7/19

Al Sumaria, "Dismantling two explosive devices in Ramadi," 9/2/19

- "Five people, mostly soldiers, were killed and wounded in an armed attack in Diyala," 9/6/19

- "Four civilians were wounded in two explosions in eastern Baghdad," 9/7/19

- "Two civilians wounded by an explosive device east of Baghdad," 9/7/19

- "Two civilians wounded by an explosive device southwest of Baghdad," 9/7/19

- "Wounded by an explosive device south of Baghdad," 9/7/19