Security In Iraq Aug 1-7, 2021

Violence spiked in Iraq during the first week of August 2021. There were the most security incidents since May 2020. That was due to the Islamic State’s continued campaign against the country’s electricity grid.

 

Security incidents in Iraq constantly go up and down and the first week of August was one of the former. There were a total of 44 incidents recorded in the country the highest figure of the year and the most since the third week of May 2020.

 

5 of those incidents were by pro-Iran groups. They hit five logistics convoys in Babil (2), Dhi Qar and Diwaniya (2). One of the attacks in Babil killed three Fijian contract workers. A recent report by the Inspector General for the U.S. Operation Inherent Resolve said that Iran had okayed an increased pace of attacks by these factions against American targets in Iraq. That started in December 2020. Incidents have been in the teens and twenties every month since.

 

There were 39 incidents by the Islamic State. That was up from 9 the last full week of July and the most since May 2020. The attacks occurred in Anbar (3), Babil (1), Baghdad (3), Diyala (4), Irbil (1) Kirkuk (9), Ninewa (2), and Salahaddin (16).

 

All the incidents together left 12 dead and 19 wounded for the week. 1 Hashd al-Shaabi, 3 Fijians, 3 civilians, and 5 members of the Iraqi Security Forces (ISF) kill and 1 Hashd, 5 ISF and 13 civilians injured.

 

The main reason for the jump in attacks in August was IS’s campaign against the electrical grid. In Anbar four IEDs were dismantled around power towers in two different incidents both in Hit. A tower was blown up in northern Baghdad. Two more were destroyed in northern Diyala, and two more in Kirkuk in two separate attacks. Another bomb was discovered in Kirkuk. Finally in Salahaddin 14 towers were hit across two days. These are easy targets for the insurgents because they are usually in isolated areas with no protection. It also undermines the government during the hot summer a tactic the militants have used since 2003.

 

Anbar and Ninewa remain way stations for the Islamic State. Besides the two attempts on power towers in Anbar there was an infiltration attempt as well. The insurgents are constantly moving fighters and their families across from Syria to Iraq. In Ninewa there was an IED and mortar fire on a village. Because of their role as logistics hubs there are usually few attacks in either governorate.

 

Babil and Irbil are targets of opportunity. A Hashd commander was assassinated in the former and eight people were kidnapped in south Irbil and another 3 shot and wounded at a fake checkpoint.

 

IS is trying to pick up its operations in Baghdad. The power tower was bombed in Tarmiya in the norther where the militants have revived its cell. There was also a sticky bomb in central Baghdad that might have been done by the insurgents. Three police were also shot in the south. IS might also becoming active in that area of the province as well.

 

Insurgents have shifted their focus away from Diyala and towards Kirkuk and Salahaddin over the last few weeks. Diyala was regularly the most violent area of Iraq but There were only four incidents their at the start of August. There were 9 in Kirkuk in comparison. This included four attacks on checkpoints, a kidnapping, and the assaults on power towers. Salahaddin had 16 incidents, almost all of which were targeting electricity infrastructure.

 

Security Incidents In Iraq By Province

Province	Aug 1-7
Anbar	3
Babil	3/2 Pro-Iran
Baghdad	3
Dhi Qar	1 Pro-Iran
Diwaniya	2 Pro-Iran
Diyala	4
Irbil	1
Kirkuk	9
Ninewa	2
Salahaddin	16
TOTAL	44/5 Pro-Iran

 

Casualties In Iraq By Province

Province	Jul 1-7
Babil	5 (4K, 1W)
Baghdad	5 (5W)
Diyala	1 (1W)
Irbil	3 (3W)
Kirkuk	6 (4K, 2W)
Ninewa	2 (1K, 1W)
Salahaddin	9 (3K, 6W)
TOTAL	31 (12K, 19W)

 

Attacks by Pro-Iran Groups July-August 2021

7/2/21	IED on convoy carrying supplies to US – Babil, Salahaddin
	Rockets dismantled - Baghdad
7/4/21	IED on convoy carrying supplies to US - Baghdad
7/5/21	Rockets – Anbar’s Ain Al-Asad Base
	Drone shot down - Baghdad
7/6/21	IED on convoy carrying supplies to US – Anbar, Diwaniya
	Rockets – Irbil Airport
7/7/21	Rockets – Anbar’s Ain Al-Asad Base – 2 US wounded
7/8/21	Rockets – Baghdad’s Green Zone
7/10/21	IED on convoy carrying supplies to US – Anbar
7/11/21	IED on convoy carrying supplies to US – Basra
	IED on convoy carrying supplies to US – Diwaniya
7/15/21	IED on convoy carrying supplies to US – Dhi Qar
7/24/21	Drone strike – Irbil’s Al-Harir Base
7/29/21	IED on convoy carrying supplies to US – Babil, Dhi Qar x2
	Rockets – Baghdad’s Green Zone
7/30/21	IED on convoy carrying supplies to US – Dhi Qar
	July Totals – 17 (2) – 2 U.S. Soldiers wounded
8/1/21	IED on convoy carrying supplies to US – Babil 3 Fajians killed, Diwaniya
8/4/21	IED on convoy carrying supplies to US – Dhi Qar
8/5/21	IED on convoy carrying supplies to US – Babil, Diwaniya
	August Totals – 5 – 3 Fajians killed

 

Security In Iraq 2021

Week	Security Incidents (Total/By IS)	Dead (Total/By IS)	Wounded (Total/By IS)
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	16/10	3	5
Apr 8-14	15/6	6	18
Apr 15-21	32/4	19	44
Apr 22-28	31/6	15	42
Apr 29-30	12/1	11	23
APR	107/27	54	132
May 1-7	36/8	33	37
May 8-14	31/5	14	25
May 15-21	15/2	3	3
May 22-28	20/9	3	24
May 29-31	11	6	11
MAY	113/24	59	100
Jun 1-7	12/5	6	29
Jun 8-14	22/10	7	7
Jun 15-21	24/4	14	14
Jun 22-28	19/2	10	17
Jun 29-30	5	-	21
JUN	83/21	36	87
Jul 1-7	38/9	11	35
Jul 8-14	25/4	7	17
Jul 15-21	20/1	48	75
Jul 22-28	10/1	10	7
Jul 29-31	16/5	30	30
JUL	110/20	106	164
Aug 1-7	44/5	12	19

 

Violence By Province Aug 1-7, 2021

Province	Violence
Anbar	3 Incidents   1 Shooting 4 IEDs
Babil	3/2 Pro-Iran Incidents 4 Killed 1 Hashd 3 Figians 1 Wounded 1 Hashd   1 Shooting 2 IEDs
Baghdad	3 Incidents 5 Wounded 2 Civilians 3 ISF   1 Shooting 1 IED 1 Sticky Bomb
Dhi Qar	1 Pro-Iran Incident   1 IED
Diwaniya	2 Pro-Iran Incidents   3 IEDs
Diyala	4 Inicdents 1 Wounded 1 Civilian   2 Shootings 2 IEDs 1 Sticky Bomb
Irbil	1 Incident 3 Wounded 3 Civilians   1 Shooting
Kirkuk	9 Incidents 4 Killed 4 ISF 2 Wounded 2 ISF   4 Shootings 4 IEDs
Ninewa	2 Incidents 1 Killed 1 Civilian 1 Wounded 1 Civilian   1 IED 1 Mortar
Salahaddin	16 Incidents 3 Killed 1 ISF 2 Civilians 6 Wounded 6 Civilians   2 Shootings 14 IEDs

 

SOURCES

 

Bas News, "Iraqi Policeman Killed While Defusing IED in Kirkuk," 8/4/21

- "Kurdish Civilian Kidnapped in Kirkuk," 8/3/21

- "Terrorist Attack Takes Down Power Transmission Tower in Kirkuk," 8/4/21

 

Iraq Newspaper, "Iran targets an American convoy with two double bombings in Qadisiyah and a third in Babil, killing 3 from the Republic of Fiji," 8/1/21

- "Now a convoy of logistical support for the American occupation has been damaged with explosive devices in Nasiriya, near Al-Batha and the Qassim Al-Jabarin Brigade is adopting the operation," 8/4/21

 

Lead Inspector General, “Operation Inherent Resolve, Lead Inspector General Report To The United States Congress, April 1, 2021-June 30,2021,” August 2021

 

NINA, "2 Towers For Transmitting Electricity Power Detonated In Diyala," 8/2/21

- "An Attempt To Infiltrate Of Syrians Thwarted After Clashing With Them On Iraqi-Syrian Border," 8/1/21

- "A Civilian Killed And Another Wounded In An IED's Explosion West Of Mosul," 8/1/21

- "The Commander Of The 9th Brigade In The Popular Mobilization Forces, Martyred South Of Hilla," 8/2/21

- "ISIS Elements Attack A PMF's Security Point West Of Kirkuk," 8/2/21

- "A Lawyer Survives An Assassination Attempt And A Tribal Sheikh's House Attacked In Diyala," 8/2/21

- "A Number Of Electric Power Towers Fall Due To Sabotage Acts In Kirkuk," 8/5/21

- "A Real Estate Office Attacked By Gunmen In Khanaqin, Diyala, His Owner Injured," 8/6/21

- "Thwarting the bombing of an electricty power tower in Anbar," 8/6/21

- "A Village Southeast Of Mosul Subjected to Mortar Shelling," 8/5/21

 

NRT, "Eights Abducted, Three Wounded By ISIS On Erbil-Makhmour Road: PUK Commander," 8/7/21

 

Shafaq News, "A casualty of the Iraqi army in an attack in Kirkuk," 8/6/21

- "In less than an hour, a second attack targets the international coalition in central Iraq," 8/5/21

- "The intelligence agency thwarted the bombing of two electric power towers in Anbar," 8/1/21

- "An ISIS attack kills two Federal Police in Kirkuk," 8/2/21

- "Pictures .. Exploding towers cut off electricity and water in areas in Baghdad and Salahaddin," 8/4/21

- "Two victims and 5 wounded in an ISIS attack in Salahaddin," 8/1/21

 

Sotaliraq, "3 police were wounded in an armed attack south of Baghdad," 8/6/21

- "Iraq..Darkness descends on Salahaddin after 14 electricity towers were targeted with explosive devices," 8/5/21

 

Al Sumaria, "Thwarting the bombing of one of the main power transmission towers in Kirkuk," 8/7/21

 

Xinhua, "2 killed in Islamic State attacks on security forces in Iraq," 8/8/21

- "2 wounded in 2 bomb explosions in Baghdad," 8/5/21