Security In Iraq Nov 1-7, 2021

Security in Iraq has remained stable for the last seven weeks. Islamic State attacks have remained in the teens to twenties each week. Pro-Iran groups on the other hand made a major escalation with an attempt upon the life of Prime Minister Mustaf al-Kazemi.

 

There were a total of 20 security incidents reported in the media in Iraq from November 1-7.

 

They left 3 dead, consisting of 3 Hashd, and 21 wounded, 5 Hashd, 8 members of the Iraqi Security Forces (ISF) and 8 civilians. Diyala had the most casualties with 8.

 

Two of the incidents were by pro-Iran groups. They fired rockets at a Turkish military base in Ninewa. These factions consider Ankara’s presence in northern Iraq as a foreign occupation and have occasionally attacked their bases as a result. More importantly a Hashd group launched a drone strike upon PM Kazemi’s residence in Baghdad’s Green Zone slightly wounding the premier and five of his bodyguards. Various Hashd al-Shaabi groups are members of the Fatah list which did poorly in October’s election and trying to use violence to change the results.

 

18 incidents were by the Islamic State. Those occurred in Anbar (1), Babil (2), Diyala (6), Kirkuk (4), Ninewa (2), Salahaddin (1), and Sulaymaniya (2).

 

Anbar and Ninewa have few incidents as IS is more interested in using the two provinces to move in people and material from Syria. In Anbar a checkpoint was attacked in the Rutba district in the west that left four soldiers wounded. In Ninewa an old IED went off in Hamam al-Alil that wounded two and there was a gun battle.

 

Babil is a target of opportunity. IS regularly targets the Jurf al-Sakhr district in the northeast which is a large Hashd base. During the week there was a shootout and an IED both targeting the Hashd in that area.

 

Diyala is where IS is usually the most active in Iraq. During the week there were six incidents, all low level with five shootings plus some IEDs that were unsuccessfully dismantled by the Hashd that left two wounded.

 

Kirkuk and Salahaddin have seen attacks go up and down every week. The insurgents launched two major attacks in Kirkuk, one involved gun and mortar fire and the other was when an army base was hit with mortars. In Salahaddin a checkpoint was assaulted.

 

The Islamic State is also testing security around the country. Before it was probing the disputed areas of southern Irbil which is divided between the peshmerga and the ISF. This week it carried out two attacks in Kifri, Sulaymaniya. The group appears to be looking for new areas it can operate in which is a step up in its overall operations despite the total number of incidents remaining low.

 

Security Incidents In Iraq By Province

Province	Nov 1-7
Anbar	1
Babil	2
Baghdad	1 Pro-Iran
Diyala	6
Kirkuk	4
Ninewa	3/1 Pro-Iran
Salahaddin	1
Sulaymaniya	2
TOTAL	20/2 Pro-Iran

 

Casualties In Iraq By Province

Province	Nov 1-7
Anbar	4 (4W)
Babil	1 (1K)
Baghdad	6 (6W)
Diyala	7 (1K, 6W)
Ninewa	2 (2W)
Salahaddin	3 (1K, 2W)
TOTAL	23 (3K, 20W)

 

	September Totals – 11
10/13/21	IED on convoy carrying supplies to US - Basra
10/19/21	IED on convoy carrying supplies to US – Dhi Qar
10/21/21	3 IEDs dismantled – Babil
10/22/21	IED on convoy carrying supplies to US – Dhi Qar
10/28/21	IED on convoy carrying supplies to US – Baghdad
10/31/21	Rockets – Landed in Mansour, Baghdad
	October Totals – 5 (1)
11/7/21	Drone Strike – PM Kazemi’s residence – 6 Wounded
	Rockets – Turkish military base, Bashiqa, Ninewa
	November Totals – 2 – 6 Wounded

 

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
Aug 8-14	31/6	17	23
Aug 15-21	25/8	12	18
Aug 22-28	21/9	8	10
Aug 29-31	12/2	5	12
AUG	133/30	54	82
Sep 1-7	21/3	12	24
Sep 8-14	28/3	24	36
Sep 15-21	13/1	5	17
Sep 22-28	17/4	13	9
Sep 29-30	2	-	-
SEP	81/11	54	86
Oct 1-7	17	11	22
Oct 8-14	14/1	4	13
Oct 15-21	9/2	3	2
Oct 22-28	21/1/1	36	42
Oct 29-31	11/1	7	7
OCT	72/6/1	61	86
Nov 1-7	20/2	3	20

 

Violence By Province Nov 1-7, 2021

Province	Violence	2018 Avg	2019 Avg	2020 Avg	2021 Avg
Anbar	1 Incident 4 Wounded 4 ISF   1 Shooting	12.6 incidents/ month	8.6 incidents/ month	7.0 incidents/ month	5.3 incidents/ month
Babil	2 Incidents 1 Killed 1 Hashd   1 Shooting 1 IED	4.0 incidents/month	3.0 incidents/month	2.75 incidents/month	2.6 incidents/month
Baghdad	1 Pro-Iran Incident 6 Wounded 6 Civilians   1 Drone Strike	33.0 incidents/month	11.6 incidents/month	7.3 incidents/month	6.7 incidents/ month
Diyala	6 Incidents 1 Killed 1 Hashd 6 Wounded 2 Hashd 4 ISF   5 Shootings 1 IED	34.5 incidents/month	30.0 incidents/month	30.6 incidents/month	22.9 incidents/month
Kirkuk	4 Incidents   2 Shootings 1 Mortar	36.5 incidents/month	18.6 incidents/month	13.9 incidents/month	12.3 incidents/month
Ninewa	3/1 Pro-Iran Incidents 2 Wounded 2 Civilians   1 Shooting 1 IED 1 Rockets	20.0 incidents/month	14.0 incidents/month	10.6 incidents/month	8.7 incidents/month
Salahaddin	1 Incident 1 Killed 1 Hashd 2 Wounded 2 Hashd   1 Shooting	21.7 incidents/month	10.6 incidents/month	11.2 incidents/month	12.3 incidents/month
Sulaymaniya	2 Incidents   1 Shooting 1 IED

 

SOURCES

 

Bas News, "IS Attacks Hashd Al-Shaabi in Ninevah," 11/7/21

- "Multiple Rockets Fired at Turkish Base near Mosul," 11/7/21

 

Buratha News, "The thwarting of an ISIS attack in Jurf Al-Nasr by the 47th Brigade of the Popular Mobilization," 11/5/21

 

Mahmoud, Sinan, “Iraqi PM Al Kadhimi escapes drone assassination attempt in Baghdad,” The National, 11/7/21

 

NINA, "2 Of The PMF Injured In An Operation To Track Down ISIS Remnants In Hamrin Mountains," 11/3/21

- "Federal Police and Popular Mobilization Forces Repel An ISIS Attack South of Kirkuk," 11/4/21

- "An ISIS Attack On A Military Point Near Jalawla In Diyala," 11/5/21

- "The martyrdom of a member of the Popular Mobilization Forces north of Babylon," 11/6/21

- "The martyrdom of a Popular Mobilization fighter in Akbashi sector, northeast of Baquba," 11/2/21

- "An officer was injured in a clash with armed men in Abu Saida district, in Diyala," 11/3/21

- "Two civilians were wounded by an explosive device left behind by ISIS, south of Mosul," 11/6/21

- "Two security personnel were wounded in a night attack northeast of Baquba," 11/7/21

 

NRT, "Peshmerga Repel ISIS Attack Near Prde," 11/4/21

- "Peshmerga Targeted By IED Near Kifri: Commander," 11/7/21

 

Rudaw, "Peshmerga foils ISIS attack in Kifri: ministry," 11/5/21

 

Shafaq News, "3 soldiers injured while repelling an ISIS attack in Anbar," 11/4/21

- "Kirkuk .. A mortar attack on the headquarters of the Iraqi army," 11/5/21

- "Salahaddin .. ISIS attacks the crowd and causes a victim and two wounded," 11/5/21

- "Thwarting an ISIS attack in Diyala," 11/8/21