Security In Iraq Remains Stable In August 2023

Security in Iraq has remained at the same level since February 2023. That’s due to the fact that the Islamic State is barely active in the country anymore. Pro-Iran groups have returned to the scene however.

 

Factions linked with Tehran were likely responsible for a rocket attack upon the Khor Mor gas field in Sulaymaniya at the very end of August. In January there was a similar incident. In July two convoys working for the United States were hit with IEDs in southern Iraq. Before that there had been no incidents by these groups since February. That was because after the Sudani government was formed they were more interested in taking over government offices. They might be carrying out attacks again because of the upcoming elections. They have to justify their existence and being armed and attacking the Kurds and Americans provides that.

 

The Islamic State on the other hand is barely operational in Iraq anymore. There have been less than 20 incidents each month since February. In August there were 11 incidents, 9 in July, 10 in June, 15 in May, 16 in April, 9 in March and 17 in February. In 2023 the group has averaged just 14 incidents per month. That compares to 40 incidents per month in 2022. Iraq is currently experiencing the lowest level of violence since the 2003 invasion.

 

In August there were IS incidents in Diyala (1), Kirkuk (2), Ninewa (2), and Salahaddin (7).

 

That led to two deaths and 23 wounded. 1 Hashd al-Shaabi and 1 French Soldier were killed and 1 civilian, 2 Hashd, 3 French soldiers, and 17 members of the Iraqi Security Forces (ISF) were injured.

 

Salahaddin saw attacks every week of the month. That was topped off by an Iraqi raid with French advisors that was ambushed by the insurgents. 1 French soldier was killed and 3 more were wounded along with 5 Iraqi soldiers after a four hour gun battle. This operation was likely done by Iraq’s anti-terror forces as the Frenchman who died was from the special forces. No other details were published.

 

Security Incidents In Iraq By Province

Province	Aug 1-7	Aug 8-14	Aug 15-21	Aug 22-28	Aug 29-31	Totals
Diyala	-	1	-	-	-	1
Kirkuk	1	-	1	-	-	2
Ninewa	1	-	-	-	1	2
Salahaddin	2	1	1	2	1	7
Sulaymaniya	-	-	-	-	1 Pro-Iran	1 Pro-Iran
TOTAL	4	2	2	2	3/1 Pro-Iran	13/1 Pro-Iran

 

Casualties In Iraq By Province

Province	Aug 1-7	Aug 8-14	Aug 15-21	Aug 22-28	Aug 29-31	Totals
Diyala	-	2 (2W)	-	-	-	2 (2W)
Kirkuk	4 (4W)	-	5 (5W)	-	-	9 (9W)
Ninewa	-	-	-	-	1 (1W)	1 (1W)
Salahaddin	-	2 (1K, 1W)	-	2 (2W)	9 (1K, 8W)	13 (2K, 11W)
TOTAL	4 (4W)	4 (1K, 3W)	5 (5W)	2 (2W)	10 (1K, 9W)	25 (2K, 23W)

 

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
Feb 8-14	1	-	2
Feb 15-21	4	4	8
Feb 22-28	9/1	7	3
FEB	20/3	12	18
Mar 1-7	3	10	4
Mar 8-14	2	2	1
Mar 15-21	2	1	3
Mar 22-28	1	2	-
Mar 29-31	1	3	-
MAR	9	18	8
Apr 1-7	5	1	7
Apr 8-14	4	-	1
Apr 15-21	5	3	-
Apr 22-28	2	1	-
Apr 29-30	1	1	-
APR	16	6	8
May 1-7	2	1	1
May 8-14	6	4	3
May 15-21	3	2	6
May 22-28	3	1	3
May 29-31	2	-	3
MAY	15	8	14
Jun 1-7	-	-	-
Jun 8-14	4	7	4
Jun 15-21	2	1	2
Jun 22-28	4	2	4
Jun 29-30	-	-	-
JUN	10	10	10
Jul 1-7	1	-	-
Jul 8-14	3	2	1
Jul 15-21	2	-	1
Jul 22-28	2	-	2
Jul 29-31	3/2	-	-
JUL	11/2	2	4
Aug 1-7	4	-	4
Aug 8-14	2	1	3
Aug 15-21	2	-	5
Aug 22-28	2	-	2
Aug 29-31	3/1	1	9
AUG	13/1	2	23

 

SOURCES

 

Mahmoud, Sinan, "Major gasfield in northern Iraq comes under rocket attack," The National, 8/31/23

 

NINA, "Two rockets fell in gas field in Sulaymaniyah," 1/27/23

 

Reuters, "French soldier killed in Iraq in battle with Islamic State militants," 8/29/23

 

Vincent, Elise, “Third French soldier killed in Iraq amidst renewed military cooperation,” Le Monde, 8/30/23