Security In Iraq Apr 1-7, 2021

The first week of April was a first. That was because there were more attacks by pro-Iran groups in Iraq than by the Islamic State. There were a total of 16 security incidents reported with 11 by factions connected to Tehran. The insurgency on the other hand continues to sputter since the winter with just five attacks.

 

Pro-Tehran groups continued to attack convoys carrying supplies for the U.S. Ten of their eleven attacks were aimed at these targets across Anbar, three in Babil, two in Baghdad, two in Diwaniya, and one in Salahaddin. The Balad Air Base in Salahaddin which houses Americans was also hit by rockets. Originally almost all of these attacks were in the south but now these factions are spreading out to places like Anbar and Salahaddin to show that they can hit the U.S. anywhere in the country.

 

There were only 5 attacks by the Islamic State, which was one of the all-time weekly lows. Those occurred across Babil (1), Diyala (2), Kirkuk (1), Ninewa (1), and Salahaddin (2).

 

Those attacks left 3 dead and 5 wounded. 3 civilians lost their lives, 2 Hashd al-Shaabi were injured along with 3 civilians.

 

In Babil 2 Hashd were wounded by an IED in Jurf al-Sakhr. This district in the northeast is a major Kataib Hezbollah base which is routinely targeted by IS.

 

There was a shootout with the security forces and an IED in Diyala that left two injured. The first occurred in Khanaqin and the second in Muqdadiya. These are the two main areas the militants operate in. They have de facto control of many rural areas in those two districts.

 

There was a kidnapping in the Rashad district of southern Kirkuk. These have been happening lately. Usually it’s to extort money out of people.

 

One person was killed and another was wounded by a roadside bomb in Hamam al-Alil south of Mosul. There are few attacks in Ninewa as it is mostly used for logistics.

 

There was another kidnapping in the Tuz Kharmato district in eastern Salahaddin. Four men were taken with two of their bodies later found. There was a gun battle as well in between insurgents and tribal fighters in Tikrit. This is a rare event because IS is almost exclusively rural. They hardly ever venture into urban areas these days.

 

Security Incidents In Iraq By Province

Province	Apr 1-7
Anbar	1 Pro-Iran
Babil	4/3 Pro-Iran
Baghdad	2 Pro-Iran
Diwaniya	2 Pro-Iran
Diyala	2
Kirkuk	1
Ninewa	1
Salahaddin	4/3 Pro-Iran
TOTAL	16/11 Pro-Iran

 

Casualties In Iraq By Province

Province	Apr 1-7
Babil	2 (2W)
Diyala	2 (2W)
Ninewa	2 (1K, 1W)
Salahaddin	2 (2K)
TOTAL	8 (3K, 5W)

 

Attacks by Pro-Iran Groups 2020-21

	Date - Incident - Location
Jan, 2020	1/4/21 - Mortar – Baghdad’s Jadriya – 5 wounded & Salahaddin’s Balad Air Base – 3 wounded, Rockets – Baghdad’s Green Zone 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
Feb	2/15/20 - Rockets – Baghdad’s Green Zone 2/21/20 - Rockets – Irbil’s Makhmour Base
	February Totals - 2
Mar	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
Apr	4/6/20 - Rockets – Basra’s Burjisiya US company 4/18/20 - Rockets – Baghdad’s Nahrawan Chinese company
	April Totals – 2
May	5/6/20 - Rockets – Baghdad International Airport 5/19/20 - Rockets – Baghdad’s Green Zone
	May Total – 2
Jun	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
Jul	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 7/23/20 - Drone and bomb found – Jadriya, Baghdad 7/24/20 - Rockets – Baghdad’s Besmaya Base 7/27/20 - Rockets – Baghdad’s Camp Taji & 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
Aug	8/3/20 – Rockets - Baghdad’s Camp Taji/Meshada Dist 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, Rockets – Baghdad’s Camp Taji 8/14/20 - Rockets – Baghdad International Airport & 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 – 21 – 1 killed
Sep	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 & 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 & Diwaniya 9/15/20 - IED on UK diplomatic convoy – Baghdad & 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 & Babil 9/18/20 - IED American Inst for English Learning – Najaf & 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, Salahaddin & Babil 9/27/20 - IED on convoy carrying supplies to US – Babil & 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 – 30 – 6 killed, 10 wounded
Oct	10/1/20 - Rocket at convoy carrying supplies to US – Babil, IED on convoy carrying supplies to US – Dhi Qar & Diwaniya 10/5/20 - Rockets – Baghdad International Airport/Jadriya 10/11/20 - IED on convoy carrying supplies to US – Muthanna 10/24/20 - IED on convoy carrying supplies to US – Basra
	October Totals – 6
Nov	11/17/20 - Rockets – Baghdad's Green Zone 1 killed, 5 wounded
	November Totals – 1 – 1 killed, 5 wounded
Dec	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, Dhi Qar & 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
Jan, 2021	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 & 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 - Rockets – Baghdad International Airport/Jihad, IED on convoy carrying supplies to US – Babil 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
Feb	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 - Rockets – Irbil Airport – 2 Killed, 8 Wounded, IED on convoy carrying supplies to US – Baghdad 2/17/21 - IED on convoy carrying supplies to US – Dhi Qar 2/18/21 - IED on convoy carrying supplies to US – Basra & 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
Mar	3/2/21 - IED on convoy carrying supplies to US – Babil 3/3/21 - Rockets – Anbar’s Al-Asad Air Base, IED on convoy carrying supplies to US – Baghdad, Diwaniya & Muthanna 3/11/21 - IED on convoy carrying supplies to US – Anbar 3/13/21 – Rockets - Salahaddin’s Balad Air Base, IED on convoy carrying supplies to US – Diwaniya 3/15/21 - IED on convoy carrying supplies to US – Babil 3/18/21 - IED on convoy carrying supplies to US – Diwaniya & Muthanna 3/20/21 - IED on convoy carrying supplies to US – Salahaddin 3/21/21 - IED on convoy carrying supplies to US – Babil 3/25/21 - IED on convoy carrying supplies to US – Babil & Baghdad 3/29/21 - IED on convoy carrying supplies to US – Babil & Dhi Qar 3/30/21 - IED on convoy carrying supplies to US – Dhi Qar & Salahaddin 3/31/21 - IED dismantled – Diwaniya
	March Totals – 20
Apr	4/1/21 – IED on convoy carrying supplies to US – Baghdad 4/4/21 – Rockets -  Salahaddin’s Balad Air Base, IED on convoy carrying supplies to US – Diwaniya 4/5/21 – IED on convoy carrying supplies to US – Babil, Baghdad & Diwaniya 4/7/21 – IED on convoy carrying supplies to US – Anbar, Babil x2 & Salahaddin
	April Totals - 10

 

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	12	8	1	1	-	1	-	-	-
Apr	1	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	-	-	-	-	-	-	-
Feb	5	2	-	1	-	-	-	-	-
Mar	4	5	2	2	-	-	-	-	-
Apr	-	-	-	-	-	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	-	-	-	-	-	-
Feb	-	2	-	-	-	-	-	-	-
Mar	2	3	1	-	-	-	-	-	-
Apr	-	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	-	-	-	-	-	-
Feb	1	2	-	-	-	-	-	-
Mar	8	4	2	2	-	-	-	-	-
Apr	1	-	1	-	-	1	-	-	-

           

Security In Iraq 2019-20

Week	Security Incidents (Total/By IS)	Dead (Total/By IS)	Wounded (Total/By IS)
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
Mar 8-14	12/2	13	15
Mar 15-21	24/6	8	7
Mar 22-28	14/2	8	13
Mar 29-31	9/5	2	1
MAR	79/20	39	44
Apr 1-7	16/20	3	5

 

Violence By Province Apr 1-7, 2021

Province	Violence
Anbar	1 Pro-Iran Incident   1 IED
Babil	4/3 Pro-Iran Incidents 2 Wounded 2 Hashd   4 IEDs
Baghdad	2 Pro-Iran Incidents   2 IEDs
Diwaniya	2 Pro-Iran Incidents   2 IEDs
Diyala	2 Incidents 2 Wounded 2 Civilians   1 Shooting 1 IED
Kirkuk	1 Incident
Ninewa	1 Incident 1 Killed 1 Civilian 1 Wounded 1 Civilian   1 IED
Salahaddin	4/2 Pro-Iran Incidents 2 Killed 2 Civilians   1 Shooting 1 IED 1 Rockets

 

FOOTNOTES

 

Bas News, "Clashes Erupt between Iraqi Tribal Fighters and IS Militants," 4/4/21

- "IS Militants Kidnap and Kill Two Fishermen in Diyala," 4/4/21

 

NINA, "A convoy of logistical support to the International Coalition forces targeted south of Baghdad," 4/5/21

- "A Convoy Of Logistical Support For The Int'l Coalition Forces Targeted In Diwaniyah," 4/4/21

- "A Convoy Of Logistical Support For The Int'l Coalition Targeted With An IED explosive device Near Babylon," 4/7/21

- "A Farmer Killed, His Father Wounded By An IED, South of Mosul," 4/3/21

- "ISIS elements kidnapped a civilian south of Kirkuk," 4/4/21

- "The PMF Announces ISIS Losses After Thwarting Its Exposure North Of Khanaqin," 4/2/21

- "Two civilians were wounded by an ISIS explosive device in Diyala," 4/7/21

- "Two explosive devices explode on two convoys in Babylon and Diwaniyah," 4/5/21

- "Two members of the Popular Mobilization Forces were wounded north of Hilla," 4/6/21

 

Shafaaq News, "The fourth of its kind within hours … an explosion targets a convoy of support for the international coalition in Iraq," 4/7/21

- "A new explosion targets an international coalition convoy west of Baghdad," 4/1/21

 

Xinhua, "2 rockets hit air base in Iraq's Salahudin province," 4/4/21