Thursday, February 4, 2021

Violence Continues To Decline In Iraq Winter 2020-21


Violence in Iraq continues to decline since November 2020. That month there was a five month high of 86 incidents by the Islamic State. After that it went down to 71 incidents in December to 64 in January 2021. At the same time the number of attacks by pro-Iran groups remained the same from December to January with 13 each month. This appears to simply be the result of the ebb and flow of the low level insurgency over the last year in the country.


 

Offshoots of Hashd factions aligned with Iran carried out 11 IEDs on convoys carrying supplies for the U.S. with one being dismantled before it exploded. There was also one rocket attack upon the Baghdad International Airport in January. The bombings were spread across Salahaddin (1), Muthanna (2) Babil (3), Baghdad (3) and Dhi Qar (3). There were 13 attacks by these groups in December, but only one in November. In December the pro-Iran groups picked up their operations because of the anniversary of the deaths of the Iranian Revolutionary Guards Quds Force commander General Qasim al-Soleimani and the deputy head of the Hashd Commission Abu Muhandis was in January. New groups took responsibility for these attacks but they are likely connected to Asaib Ahl Al-Haq and Kataib Hezbollah.

 

Islamic State attacks took place in Sulaymaniya (2), Kirkuk (3), Babil (6), Baghdad (6), Salahaddin (7), Ninewa (9) Anbar (10) and Diyala (21).

 

92 peopled died made up of 16 Hashd al-Shaabi, 30 Iraqi Security Forces (ISF) members, and 46 civilians. Another 176 were wounded consisting of 2 Asayesh, 22 ISF, 27 Hashd, and 125 civilians. This was a dramatic increase from January’s casualty count because of a double suicide bombing in Baghdad that left 32 dead and 110 wounded. This was a shock to the country because it had been three years since such a deadly incident had taken place.


 

Anbar went through the biggest change in Iraq. There hadn’t been any real activity in the governorate since May when the Islamic State launched a spring campaign. Before and after that attacks were in single digits and usually just IEDs and small shootings because it was mostly used to bring in men and material from Syria. In January however there were 10 attacks including a checkpoint that was shot at, an attack upon soldiers, a suicide bomber killed, and 3 gun battles. This was the first steady pace of offensive operations in the province since 2019.


 

Incidents in Babil also went up from four in December to 6 in January. That was the most since seven in May. These were all in the Jurf al-Sakhr district in the northeast which is a large Kataib Hezbollah base. That points to IS trying to infiltrate back into the area because there are so many targets there.


 

Ninewa and Salahaddin were relatively the same from December to January. There were 9 incidents both months in Ninewa and 7 in both months in Salahaddin. There was a bombing in the former that killed 9 including 8 soldiers and a regiment commander and wounded another 2 soldiers. Likewise in Salahaddin there was a gun battle that left 11 Hashd dead including a brigade commander and 12 wounded. Since the spring IS has been fighting a war of attrition against the security forces and they regularly account for the most casualties each month.


 

As a sign of the winter decrease incidents dropped from 31 to 21 in Diyala and 9 to 3 in Kirkuk. Diyala is regularly the most violent part of Iraq. Almost all the incidents took place in the Muqdadiya district in the center and Khanaqin in the northeast. The security forces were the main targets resulting in 12 out of the 17 dead coming from the ISF and Hashd and 13 of the 19 wounded. The biggest incident in Kirkuk came at the hands of the government when it killed the Wali for Iraq Abu Yasser al-Issawi in an operation in retaliation for the Baghdad bombing.

 

Security Incidents In Iraq By Province

Province

Jan 1-7

Jan 8-14

Jan 15-21

Jan 22-28

Jan 29-31

JAN

Anbar

4

1

3

1

1

10

Babil

-

2/1 Pro-Iran

3

1 Pro-Iran

3/1 Pro-Iran

9/3 Pro-Iran

Baghdad

2

1 Pro-Iran

5/2 Pro-Iran

2/1 Pro-Iran

-

10/4 Pro-Iran

Dhi Qar

-

1 Pro-Iran

1 Pro-Iran

1 Pro-Iran

-

3 Pro-Iran

Diyala

4

7

4

2

4

21

Kirkuk

2

-

-

1

-

3

Muthanna

1

Pro-Iran

1 Pro-Iran

-

-

-

2 Pro-Iran

Ninewa

5

-

3

1

-

9

Salahaddin

2/1

Pro-Iran

3

1

1

1

8/1 Pro-Iran

Sulaymaniya

1

1

-

-

-

2

TOTAL

22/2

Pro-Iran

17/4 Pro-Iran

20/3 Pro-Iran

10/3 Pro-Iran

9/1 Pro-Iran

77/13 Pro-Iran

 

Casualties In Iraq By Province

Province

Jan 1-7

Jan 8-14

Jan 15-21

Jan 22-28

Jan 29-31

JAN

Anbar

3 (3W)

3 (3K)

12 (3K, 9W)

-

-

18 (6K, 12W)

Babil

-

2 (2W)

3 (3W)

-

1 (1W)

6 (6W)

Baghdad

1 (1K)

-

144 (33K, 111W)

-

-

145 (34K, 111W)

Diyala

13 (4K, 9W)

11 (8K, 3W)

5 (2K, 3W)

2 (2K)

5 (1K, 4W)

36 (17K, 19W)

Kirkuk

5 (3K, 2W)

-

-

-

-

5 (3K, 2W)

Ninewa

7 (4K, 3W)

-

21 (14K, 7W)

-

-

28 (18K, 10W)

Salahaddin

1 (1K)

-

-

23 (11K, 12W)

2 (1K, 1W)

26 (13K, 13W)

Sulaymaniya

2 (2 W)

2 (1K, 1W)

-

-

-

4 (1K, 3W)

TOTAL

32 (13K, 19W)

18 (12K, 6W)

185 (52K, 133W)

25 (13K, 12W)

8 (2K, 6W)

268 (92K, 176W)

 

Attacks by Pro-Iran Groups 2020-21

Date

Incident - Location

1/4/20

Mortar – Baghdad’s Jadriya – 5 wounded

 

Rockets – Baghdad’s Green Zone

 

Mortar – Salahaddin’s Balad Air Base – 3 wounded

1/5/20

Rockets – Baghdad’s Green Zone

1/8/20

Rockets – Baghdad’s Green Zone

1/12/20

Rockets – Salahaddin’s Balad Air Base – 6 wounded

1/14/20

Rockets – Baghdad’s Camp Taji

1/20/20

Rockets – Baghdad’s Green Zone

1/21/20

Rockets – Baghdad’s Green Zone

1/26/20

Rockets – Baghdad’s Green Zone – 3 wounded

1/31/20

Rockets – Kirkuk’s Qayara Base

 

January Totals - 11

2/15/20

Rockets – Baghdad’s Green Zone

2/21/20

Rockets – Irbil’s Makhmour Base

 

February Totals - 2

3/1/20

Rockets – Salahaddin’s Sadiq Base

3/2/20

Rockets – Baghdad’s Green Zone

3/5/20

Rockets – Baghdad’s Green Zone

3/11/20

Rockets – Baghdad’s Camp Taji – 3 killed (2 US, 1 UK), 12 wounded

3/14/20

Rockets – Baghdad’s Camp Taji – 7 wounded (3 US)

3/16/20

Rockets – Baghdad’s Besmaya Base

3/17/20

Rockets – Baghdad’s Green Zone

3/26/20

Rockets – Baghdad’s Green Zone

 

March Totals - 8

4/18/20

Rockets – Baghdad’s Nahrawan Chinese company

4/6/20

Rockets – Basra’s Burjisiya US company

 

April Totals – 2

5/6/20

Rockets – Baghdad International Airport

5/19/20

Rockets – Baghdad’s Green Zone

 

May Total – 2

6/8/20

Rockets – Baghdad International Airport

6/10/20

Rockets – Baghdad’s Green Zone

6/13/20

Rockets – Baghdad’s Camp Taji

6/14/20

Rockets – Baghdad’s Camp Taji

6/15/20

Rockets – Baghdad International Airport

 

Rockets found – Baghdad’s Rashidiya

6/18/20

Rockets – Baghdad’s Green Zone

6/22/20

Rockets – Baghdad’s International Airport

 

June Total – 8

7/5/20

Rockets – Baghdad’s Green Zone – 1 wounded

 

Rockets found – Baghdad’s Camp Taji

7/10/20

Rockets found – Aimed at Baghdad’s Green Zone

7/11/20

Burned trucks carrying supplies to US - Muthanna

7/19/20

Rockets – Baghdad’s Green Zone

7/22/20

IEDs trucks carrying supplies to US – Dhi Qar

7/23/10

Drone and bomb found – Jadriya, Baghdad

7/24/10

Rockets – Baghdad’s Besmaya Base

7/27/20

Rockets – Baghdad’s Camp Taji

 

Rockets – Salahaddin’s Camp Speicher

7/30/20

Rockets – Baghdad’s International Airport

7/31/20

Rockets found – Baghdad’s Jabour al-Shaarah

 

July Totals – 12

8/3/20

Rockets – 2 areas of Baghdad’s Meshada Dist

 

Rockets – Baghdad’s Camp Taji

8/4/20

IED on convoy carrying supplies to US – Dhi Qar

8/5/20

Rockets – Baghdad’s Green Zone

8/9/20

IED on convoy carrying supplies to US – Dhi Qar

8/10/20

IED on convoy carrying supplies to US - Basra

8/11/20

IED on convoy carrying supplies to US – Baghdad’s Camp Taji

 

Rockets – Baghdad’s Camp Taji

 

Rockets – Landed in Tigris River, Baghdad

8/14/20

Rockets – Baghdad International Airport

 

Rockets – Salahaddin’s Balad Air Base

 

IED on convoy carrying supplies to US – Diwaniya

8/15/20

Rockets – Baghdad’s Camp Taji

 

IED on convoy carrying supplies to US – Dhi Qar

8/16/20

Rockets – Baghdad’s Green Zone

8/18/20

Rockets – Baghdad International Airport

8/21/20

IED on convoy carrying supplies to US – Baghdad – 1 killed

8/22/20

IED on convoy carrying supplies to US – Baghdad

8/23/20

IED on convoy carrying supplies to US – Baghdad

8/28/20

Rockets – Baghdad’s Green Zone

8/29/20

Rockets – Baghdad’s Green Zone

 

IED on convoy carrying supplies to US – Babil

8/30/20

Rockets – Baghdad International Airport

 

August Totals – 24

9/2/20

IED on convoy carrying supplies to US – Babil – 1 wounded

9/3/20

IED on convoy carrying supplies to US – Dhi Qar

 

Rockets UK security company – Baghdad

9/6/20

IED on convoy carrying supplies to US – Baghdad – 2 wounded

 

Rockets – Baghdad International Airport

9/8/20

IED on convoy carrying supplies to US – Babil – 1 killed, 2 wounded

 

IED on convoy carrying supplies to US – Baghdad – 2 wounded

9/10/20

Rockets – Baghdad International Airport

9/12/20

IED on convoy carrying supplies to US – Salahaddin

9/14/20

IED on convoy carrying supplies to US – Babil

 

IED on convoy carrying supplies to US – Diwaniya

9/15/20

IED on UK diplomatic convoy – Baghdad

 

IED on convoy carrying supplies to US – Babil

 

Rockets – Baghdad’s Green Zone

9/16/20

Rockets – Baghdad’s Green Zone

9/17/20

IED on convoy carrying supplies to US – Baghdad

 

IED on convoy carrying supplies to US – Baghdad also reported as Babil

9/18/20

IED American Inst for English Learning – Najaf

 

IED on convoy carrying supplies to US – Salahaddin – 1 wounded

9/20/20

Rockets – Baghdad International Airport

9/21/20

IED on convoy carrying supplies to US – Salahaddin

9/22/20

Mortars – Baghdad’s Green Zone

9/23/20

IED on convoy carrying supplies to US – Baghdad

 

IED on convoy carrying supplies to US – Salahaddin

 

IED on convoy carrying supplies to US – Babil

9/27/20

IED on convoy carrying supplies to US – Babil

 

IED on convoy carrying supplies to US – Dhi Qar

9/28/20

Rockets – Baghdad’s Radwaniya – 5 killed 2 wounded

9/29/20

IED on convoy carrying supplies to US – Babil

9/30/20

Rockets – Irbil Airport

 

IED airport road – Baghdad

 

September Totals – 31

10/1/20

Rocket at convoy carrying supplies to US – Babil

 

IED on convoy carrying supplies to US – Dhi Qar

 

IED on convoy carrying supplies to US – Diwaniya

10/5/20

Rockets – Baghdad International Airport

 

Rockets – Baghdad’s Jadriya neighborhood

10/11/20

IED on convoy carrying supplies to US – Muthanna

10/24/20

IED on convoy carrying supplies to US – Basra

 

October Totals – 7

11/17/20

Rockets – Baghdad's Green Zone 1 killed, 5 wounded

 

November Totals – 1

12/10/20

IED on convoy carrying supplies to US – Muthanna

12/12/20

Mortar – Baghdad International Airport

12/20/20

Rockets – Baghdad’s Green Zone – 1 wounded

 

IED on convoy carrying supplies to US – Dhi Qar – 1 wounded

12/21/20

IED on convoy carrying supplies to US – Babil

12/23/20

IED on convoy carrying supplies to US – Babil

12/25/20

IED on convoy carrying supplies to US – Diwaniya

 

IED on convoy carrying supplies to US – Dhi Qar

 

IED on convoy carrying supplies to US – Muthanna

12/27/20

IED on convoy carrying supplies to US – Babil

12/28/20

IED on convoy carrying supplies to US – Diwaniya

12/29/20

IED on convoy carrying supplies to US – Diwaniya

12/31/20

IED on convoy carrying supplies to US – Baghdad

 

December Totals - 13

1/1/21

IED on convoy carrying supplies to US – Muthanna

1/4/21

IED on convoy carrying supplies to US – Salahaddin

1/8/21

IED on convoy carrying supplies to US – Baghdad

 

IED on convoy carrying supplies to US – Muthanna

1/9/21

IED on convoy carrying supplies to US – Babil

 

IED dismantled – Dhi Qar

1/18/21

IED on convoy carrying supplies to US – Dhi Qar

1/20/21

IED on convoy carrying supplies to US – Baghdad

1/21/21

IED on convoy carrying supplies to US – Baghdad

1/22/21

IED on convoy carrying supplies to US – Babil

 

Rockets – Baghdad International Airport/Jihad

1/26/21

IED on convoy carrying supplies to US – Dhi Qar

1/31/21

IED on convoy carrying supplies to US – Babil

 

January Totals - 13

 

Islamic State Activity in Iraq 2018-20

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

2019

Totals

185

112

33

63

2

6

29

2

-

2020

Totals

215

103

28

41

3

13

41

-

-

Jan

2021

11

4

1

3

-

1

1

-

-

 

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

2019

Totals

77

116

24

19

6

8

18

-

1

2020

Totals

87

44

20

24

1

14

21

4

-

Jan

2021

1

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

2019

Totals

63

49

14

3

9

6

17

-

3

2020

Totals

43

77

5

10

4

3

3

-

1

Jan 2021

1

5

1

-

-

-

-

-

-

 

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

2019

Totals

60

54

32

5

2

6

8

2

6

2020

Totals

82

41

30

13

3

5

4

-

-

Jan 2021

4

3

2

-

-

-

-

-

-

           

Security In Iraq 2019-20

Week

Security

Incidents

(Total/By IS)

Dead

(Total/By IS)

Wounded

(Total/By IS)

JAN 2019

114

139

130/128

FEB

118/1

250/115

130

MAR

61

147

101

APR

99

105

100

MAY

137/1

163/125

200

JUN

99/3

74

122/119

JUL

82

83

119

AUG

104

103

141

SEP

123/1

122

131

OCT

70/2

92

53

NOV

55/5

47

98

DEC

120/7

134

133

Jan 1-7

25/7

16

84

Jan 8-14

24/3

12

34

Jan 15-21

23/2

11

12

Jan 22-28

11/1

10

8

Jan 29-31

8/1

4

1

JAN 2020

91/12

53

139

Feb 1-7

22

13

11

Feb 8-14

18/1

5

38

Feb 15-21

16/2

42

18

Feb 22-28

25

15

34

Feb 29

4

5

2

FEB

85/3

80

103

Mar 1-7

17/3

11

17

Mar 8-14

15/2

13

33

Mar 15-21

14/2

5

19

Mar 22-28

14/1

13

11

Mar 29-31

9

5

10

MAR

69/8

47

90

Ap 1-7

27/1

27

37

Apr 8-14

24

25

51

Apr 15-21

33/1

19

34

Apr 22-28

22

8

40

Apr 29-30

5

2

4

APR

111/2

81

165

May 1-7

44/1

47

36

May 8-14

49

21

47

May 15-21

66/1

45

64

May 22-28

30

9

21

May 29-31

7

3

12

MAY

196/2

125

180

Jun 1-7

17

13

19

Jun 8-14

16/4

10

15

Jun 15-21

16/3

11

19

Jun 22-28

10/1

8

13

Jun 29-30

1

4

2

JUN

60/8

46

68

Jul 1-7

12/2

3

9

Jul 8-14

16/2

15

15

Jul 15-21

19/1

17

28

Jul 22-28

13/5

9

8

Jul 29-31

13/2

3

7

JUL

73/12

47

67

Aug 1-7

10/4

7

10

Aug 8-14

19/8

7

22

Aug 15-21

14/5

13

20

Aug 22-28

32/3

23

41

Aug 29-31

13/3

4

12

AUG

88/24

54

105

Sep 1-7

19/4

13

26

Sep 8-14

27/6

8

29

Sep 15-21

32/10

12

14

Sep 22-28

28/7

19

11

Sep 29-30

6/3

1

6

SEP

113/31

53

86

Oct 1-7

19/5

9

12

Oct 8-14

14/1

8

10

Oct 15-21

30/1

25

26

Oct 22-28

25/1

16

24

Oct 29-31

5

4

5

OCT

93/8

62

77

Nov 1-7

11

7

10

Nov 8-14

25

23

39

Nov 15-21

19/1

18

25

Nov 22-28

24

11

26

Nov 29-30

8

1

10

NOV

87/1

60

110

Dec 1-7

19

4

30

Dec 8-14

21/2

13

26

Dec 15-21

15/2

6

8

Dec 22-28

17/6

3

22

Dec 29-31

11/2

3

4

DEC

83/12

29

90

Jan 1-7

21/2

13

19

Jan 8-14

17/3

12

6

Jan 15-21

20/3

52

133

Jan 22-28

10/3

13

12

Jan 29-31

9/1

2

6

JAN

77/13

92

176

 

Violence By Province Jan, 2021

Province

Violence

Anbar

10 Incidents

6 Killed

1 Civilian

5 ISF

12 Wounded

1 Civilian

11 Hashd

 

6 Shootings

3 IEDs

1 Suicide Bomber Killed

Babil

9/3 Pro-Iran Incidents

6 Wounded

2 ISF

4 Hashd

 

4 Shootings

5 IEDs

Baghdad

10/4 Pro-Iran Incidents

34 Killed

2 ISF

32 Civilians

111 Wounded

1 ISF

110 Civilians

 

3 Shootings

4 IEDs

3 Rockets

2 Suicide Bombers

1 Suicide Bomber Arrested

Dhi Qar

3 Pro-Iran Incidents

 

3 IEDs

Diyala

21 Incidents

17 Killed

5 Civilians

5 Hashd

7 ISF

19 Wounded

6 Civilians

13 ISF

 

11 Shootings

4 IEDs

2 Mortars

1 Grenade

Kirkuk

3 Incidents

3 Killed

3 ISF

2 Wounded

2 ISF

 

1 Shooting

1 IED

1 Mortar

Muthanna

2 Pro-Iran Incidents

 

2 IEDs

Ninewa

9 Incidents

18 Killed

5 Civilians

13 ISF

10 Wounded

4 ISF

6 Civilians

 

1 Shooting

5 IEDs

Salahaddin

8/1 Pro-Iran Incidents

13 Killed

2 Civilians

11 Hashd

13 Wounded

1 Civilian

12 Hashd

 

4 Shootings

3 IEDs

Sulaymaniya

2 Incidents

1 Killed

1 Civilian

3 Wounded

1 Civilian

2 Asayesh

 

2 IEDs

 

SOURCES

 

Asharq Al-Awsat, "11 Iraqi PMF Fighters Killed in ISIS Attack," 1/24/21

 

Bas News, "Bomb Blast Kills Nine People in Sinjar," 1/17/21

 

Iraq Newspaper, "Lieutenant Colonel Haider Adel, commander of the 2nd Regiment, 15th Division in the Iraqi army, was killed by a booby-trapped hut planted by ISIS north of Tal Afar," 1/17/21

 

Kittleson, Shelly, “Iraq, coalition partners had been on trail of IS commander a ‘long time,’” Al Monitor, 1/30/21

 

Al Maalomah, "Three ISIS terrorists were killed in armed clashes in the western regions," 1/5/21

-, "Three members of the tribal crowd wounded in western Anbar," 1/6/21

- "Thwarting an ISIS attack on a security post west Anbar," 1/4/21

 

Al Monitor, "Dozens killed in Baghdad suicide bombings," 1/21/21

 

Shafaaq News, "ISIS is carrying out an attack on the Tribal Mobilization Forces in western Iraq," 1/3/21

 

Shilani, Hiwa, "Suspected ISIS attack leaves 11 PMF fighters dead, 12 injured in Iraq's Salahuddin," Kurdistan 24, 1/24/21

 

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