Security In Iraq Mar1-7, 2021

Violence remained at a low level in Iraq during the first week of March. Since November attacks have been fluctuating between single digits and the teens. There were 19 total from March 1-7. 5 of those were by pro-Iran groups leaving just 14 by the Islamic State. On the other hand, factions aligned with Tehran have continued a steady pace of operations.

 

Four convoys carrying supplies for the U.S. were hit by IEDs at the start of March. Those occurred in Babil, Baghdad, Diwaniya and Muthanna. There was another rocket attack as well, this time targeting the Al-Asad Air Base in Anbar. Since December pro-Iran groups have increased their attacks. Originally this was due to the anniversary of the killings of Hashd leader Abu Muhandis and head of the Iranian Revolutionary Guard Quds Force General Qasim Soleimani. Now Kataib Hezbollah and Asaib Ahl Al-Haq have been trying to assert their control over all the various factions. Part of that is by carrying out assaults on U.S. targets to show that they are the leaders.

 

The 14 Islamic State attacks took place in Anbar (1), Baghdad (2), Kirkuk (3), Salahaddin (3) and Diyala (5).

 

They left 5 dead and 8 wounded. 1 Hashd al-Shaabi and 4 Iraqi Security Forces (ISF) were killed along with 1 civilian, 1 Hashd and 6 ISF that were injured.

 

There were only a few incidents that stood out during the week. In Anbar’s Rutba district the insurgents attacked a group of sheep herders killing one and kidnapping another. That was likely to extort money from the men. In Tarmiya in northern Baghdad another officer was killed by sniper fire. In the spring of 2020 IS announced a war of attrition against the security forces and targeting officers has been one part of that. The biggest attack was in the Samarra district of Salahaddin where there was an hour long gun battle when the Islamic State attacked an army camp. There were no casualties but it did show that despite the low number of incidents the group was still capable of carrying out a bold attack now and then to directly challenge the government.

 

Security Incidents In Iraq By Province

Province	Mar 1-7
Anbar	2/1 Pro-Iran
Babil	1 Pro-Iran
Baghdad	3/1 Pro-Iran
Diwaniya	1 Pro-Iran
Diyala	5
Kirkuk	3
Muthanna	1 Pro-Iran
Salahaddin	3
TOTAL	20/2 Pro-Iran

 

Casualties In Iraq By Province

Province	Mar 1-7
Anbar	1 (1W)
Baghdad	1 (1K)
Diyala	4 (4W)
Kirkuk	4 (1K, 3W)
Salahaddin	3 (3K)
TOTAL	13 (5K, 8W)

 

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 – 17 wounded
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 – 3 killed, 19 wounded
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 – 1 wounded
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 – 1 killed
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 – 6 killed, 10 wounded
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 – 1 killed, 5 wounded
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 – 2 wounded
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
2/4/21	IED on convoy carrying supplies to US – Babil
2/7/21	IED on convoy carrying supplies to US – Babil
2/8/21	IED on convoy carrying supplies to US – Diwaniya
2/10/21	IED on convoy carrying supplies to US – Baghdad
2/11/21	IED on convoy carrying supplies to US – Baghdad
2/15/21	IED on convoy carrying supplies to US – Baghdad
	Rockets – Irbil Airport – 2 Killed, 8 Wounded
2/17/21	IED on convoy carrying supplies to US – Dhi Qar
2/18/21	IED on convoy carrying supplies to US – Basra
	IED on convoy carrying supplies to US – Diwaniya
2/19/21	IED on convoy carrying supplies to US – Basra
2/20/21	Rockets – Salahaddin’s Balad Air Base – 2 Wounded
2/22/21	Rockets – Baghdad’s Green Zone
2/25/21	IED on convoy carrying supplies to US – Babil
2/26/21	IED on convoy carrying supplies to US – Baghdad
2/27/21	IED on convoy carrying supplies to US – Diwaniya
	February Totals – 16 – 2 killed, 10 wounded
3/2/21	IED on convoy carrying supplies to US – Babil
3/3/21	Rockets – Anbar A-Asad Air Base
	IED on convoy carrying supplies to US – Baghdad
	IED on convoy carrying supplies to US – Diwaniya
	IED on convoy carrying supplies to US – Muthanna

 

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	-	-
Feb	16	2	3	3	-	2	2	-	-
Mar	2	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	-	-	-	-	-	-	-
Feb	5	2	-	1	-	-	-	-	-
Mar	-	3	-	-	-	-	-	-	-

 

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	-	-	-	-	-	-
Feb	-	2	-	-	-	-	-	-	-

 

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	-	-	-	-	-	-
Feb	1	2	-	-	-	-	-	-
Mar	2	1	1	-	-	-	-	-	-

           

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
Feb 1-7	19/2	11	23
Feb 8-14	11/3	4	8
Feb 15-21	20/7	11	23
Feb 22-28	13/4	13	23
FEB	63/16	39	77
Mar 1-7	19/5	5	8

 

Violence By Province Mar 1-7, 2021

Province	Violence
Anbar	2/1 Pro-Iran Incident 1 Wounded 1 Civilian   1 Shooting 1 Rockets
Babil	1 Pro-Iran Incident   1 IED
Baghdad	3/1 Pro-Iran Incidents 1 Killed 1 ISF   1 Shooting 2 IEDs
Diwaniya	1 Pro-Iran Incident   1 IED
Diyala	5 Incidents 4 Wounded 4 ISF   2 Shootings 1 IED 1 Mortar
Kirkuk	3 Incidents 1 Killed 1 Hashd 3 Wounded 1 Hashd 2 ISF   3 IEDs
Muthanna	1 Pro-Iran Incident   1 IED
Salahaddin	3 Incidents 3 Killed 3 ISF   2 Shootings 1 IED

 

SOURCES

 

Bas News, "Two Bomb Blasts Hit Baghdad," 3/7/21

- "Two Coalition Convoys Carrying Logistic Supplies Targeted in Southern Iraq," 3/3/21

Haboush, Joseph, "One US civilian contractor killed in Iraq rocket attack: Pentagon," Al Arabiya, 3/3/21

 

Al Hurra, "An explosive device exploded in Kirkuk targeting a member of the Popular Mobilization Forces," 3/4/21

 

Iraq Newspaper, "The command of the Salahaddin SWAT regiment miraculously escaped death from an ISIS bomb," 3/3/21

 

Al Maalomah, "A group of ISIS attacks sheep herders in western Anbar," 3/6/21

 

Al Mada, "ISIS returns to attack security sites in Salahaddin after a month-long lull," 3/8/21

 

NINA, "An agricultural village south of Buhriz was subjected to a mortar attack," 3/1/21

- "An Armed Gang Storms A Money Exchange Office And Robs Large Sums Of Money In Diyala" 3/1/21

- "The Director of the Civil Customs office of the port of Al-Mandhriya survived an assassination attempt," 3/4/21

- "An Officer And A Soldier Wounded By An Explosive Device In Diyala," 3/4/21

- "An Officer Killed By A Sniper Fire In Tarmiyah," 3/7/21

- "The PMF Rebel An ISIS Attack In Tal Al-Dhahab In Salah Al-Din," 3/7/21

- "Two fighters were killed and wounded when an explosive device exploded south of Kirkuk," 3/3/21

- "Two soldiers were wounded by a sniper fire northeast of Baqubah," 3/3/21

 

Shafaaq News, "A bombing targets a logistical support convoy for the international coalition in Iraq," 3/2/21

- "An intelligence officer was injured in an explosion in Kirkuk," 3/5/21

 

Al Sumaria, "An explosive device targets an international coalition convoy in Baghdad," 3/3/21

- "Three members of the Federal Police were killed by sniper fire in Al Dhuluiya," 3/3/21