Security In Iraq Feb 1-7, 2023

The Islamic State continued to be insignificant in Iraq the first week of February. Its incidents were in single digits again. There were two more attacks by pro-Iran groups showing that they are trying to re-activate.

 

There were 2 attacks by pro-Iran groups from February 1-7. Rockets were fired at a Turkish military base in northern Ninewa. This used to be a regular target of the factions in 2022. In Muthanna a convoy working for the Americans was bombed. In September last year incidents by these groups fell off as they became more involved in the new Sudani government. Since than they’ve only averaged 1-2 attacks per month to show that they are still around.

 

That left just 4 incidents by the Islamic State. Those took place in Baghdad (2) and Salahaddin (2). In 2023 4 out of 5 weeks have seen IS incidents in single digits which follows the pattern set in 2022.

 

The Islamic State left 6 casualties, 1 civilian killed and 2 members of the Iraqi Security Forces (ISF) and 3 civilians injured.

 

There were two incidents in Baghdad involving a Sticky bomb in Tarmiya in the north and a grenade in Yusifiya in the south. Tarmiya is the main area IS operates in within the capital province but there are rare incidents in Yusifiya as well which was a long time insurgent base.

 

A Kurdish kid was kidnapped in the Tuz Kharmato district in the east and an IED went off in Ishaqi in the south in Salahaddin. The abduction was likely for money as it is one of the main sources of revenue for the insurgency.

 

None of the incidents appeared offensive in nature and all took place in the rural areas of the country. IS is not able to do much more than this week to week in Iraq showing its decline.

 

Security Incidents In Iraq By Province

Province	Feb 1-7
Baghdad	2
Ninewa	1 Pro-Iran
Salahaddin	2
Muthanna	1 Pro-Iran
TOTAL	6/2 Pro-Iran

 

Casualties In Iraq By Province

Province	Feb 1-7
Baghdad	3 (3W)
Salahaddin	3 (1K, 2W)
TOTAL	6 (1K, 5W)

 

Security In Iraq 2022-23

Week	Security Incidents (Total/By IS)	Dead (Total/By IS)	Wounded (Total/By IS)
Jan 1-7	18/9	3	4
Jan 8-14	35/21	3	18
Jan 15-21	12/5	17	12
Jan 22-28	16/3	8	19
Jan 29-31	6/2	2	6
JAN	87/41	33	59
Feb 1-7	11/3	1	10
Feb 8-14	14/6	8	3
Feb 15-21	9/1	-	11
Feb 22-28	8/4	1	5
FEB	42/14	10	29
Mar 1-7	7/3	1	-
Mar 8-14	18/3/1	6	5
Mar 15-21	10/4	5	6
Mar 22-28	6/1	7	4
Mar 29-31	4/1	-	5
MAR	46/12/1	19	21
Apr 1-7	16/8	-	6
Apr 8-14	21/7	8	25
Apr 15-21	22/2	10	22
Apr 22-28	44/4	14	44
Apr 29-30	6/1	2	6
APR	111/22	34	103
May 1-7	31/3	8	25
May 8-14	9/2	2	7
May 15-21	18/6	10	6
May 22-28	13/1	21	11
May 29-31	2/1	-	2
MAY	73/13	41	51
Jun 1-7	6/2	-	8
Jun 8-14	12/4	1	9
Jun 15-21	10/2	5	2
Jun 22-28	12/6	1	14
Jun 29-30	-	-	-
JUN	40/14	7	33
Jul 1-7	7/1	6	11
Jul 8-14	3	-	2
Jul 15-21	11/2	14	16
Jul 22-28	18/7	9	21
Jul 29-31	4	4	4
JUL	43/6	33	54
Aug 1-7	9/1	6	15
Aug 8-14	14	2	14
Aug 15-21	7/2	-	6
Aug 22-28	23/4	14	15
Aug 29-31	4	2	4
AUG	57/7/1	24	54
Sep 1-7	11/1	3	20
Sep 8-14	5	-	12
Sep 15-21	12	4	14
Sep 22-28	10/2 M	2	16
Sep 29-30	3/1 M	-	2
SEP	41/1/3 M	9	64
Oct 1-7	9/2 M	6	16
Oct 8-14	8/2/1 M	5	19
Oct 15-21	6	4	7
Oct 22-28	3	2	1
Oct 29-31	2	-	2
OCT	28/2/3 M	17	45
Nov 1-7	7	1	3
Nov 8-14	6	1	8
Nov 15-21	8	7	17
Nov 22-28	2	1	-
Nov 29-30	-	-	-
NOV	23	10	28
Dec 1-7	13/1	6	11
Dec 8-14	6	7	8
Dec 15-21	6	29	15
Dec 22-28	6	-	4
Dec 29-31	2	-	-
DEC	33/1	42	38
Jan 1-7	7	4	2
Jan 8-14	6/1	5	2
Jan 15-21	11/1	2	7
Jan 22-28	5/2	1	2
Jan 29-31	1	-	2
JAN	29/4	12	15
Feb 1-7	6/2	1	5

 

Violence By Province Feb 1-7, 2023

Province	Violence	2018 Avg	2019 Avg	2020 Avg	2021 Avg	2022 Avg
Anbar	-	12.6 incidents/ month	8.6 incidents/ month	7.0 incidents/ month	4.6 incidents/ month	2.0 incidents/month
Babil	-	4.0 incidents/month	3.0 incidents/month	2.7 incidents/month	2.5 incidents/month	2.0 incidents/month
Baghdad	2 Incidents 3 Wounded 1 Civilian 2 ISF   1 Sticky Bomb 1 Grenade	33.0 incidents/month	11.6 incidents/month	7.3 incidents/month	5.6 incidents/ month	3.5 incidents/month
Diyala	-	38.6 incidents/month	30.0 incidents/month	30.6 incidents/month	22.8 incidents/month	12.2 incidents/month
Kirkuk	-	36.5 incidents/month	18.6 incidents/month	13.9 incidents/month	11.6 incidents/month	8.2 incidents/month
Ninewa	1 Pro-Iran Incident   1 Rockets	20.0 incidents/month	13.2 incidents/month	10.6 incidents/month	8.4 incidents/month	6.0 incidents/month
Salahaddin	2 Incidents 1 Killed 1 Civilian 2 Wounded 2 Civilians   1 IED	21.7 incidents/month	10.6 incidents/month	11.2 incidents/month	11.5 incidents/month	5.5 incidents/month
Muthanna	1 Pro-Iran Incident   1 IED
IRAQ	-	166.6 incidents/month	95.5 incidents/month	85.5 incidents/month	69.9 incidents/month	40.2 incidents/month

 

SOURCES

 

Bas News, "Kurdish Youth Abducted in Tuz Khurmatu," 2/4/23

 

NINA, "A child killed and two other children wounded when an IED exploded south of Salah al-Din," 2/5/23

- "Targeting a convoy of logistical support for the international coalition forces with an explosive device in Al-Muthanna," 2/6/23

 

Salem, Amr, "Rocket attack targets Turkish base in northern Iraq," Iraqi News, 2/1/23

 

Shafaq News, "A person was injured in an explosion and a girl was killed by electric shock in Baghdad and Basra," 2/3/23

 

Al Sumaria, "Two affiliates were wounded," 2/6/23