Security In Iraq Oct 22-28, 2023

For the first time in four weeks there was an incident involving the Islamic State in Iraq. That was not of their doing however. Pro-Iran groups also continued their attacks upon US troops in the country for Washington’s support of Israel.

 

In Salahaddin the security forces intercepted some IS fighters and got into a gun battle. 4 civilians were wounded as a result. This was the first incident involving the insurgency since September 22. That was also the last time the militants launched an actual attack. October has been the first month since 2003 that there has been no real operations by the insurgency.

 

Instead pro-Iran groups are dominating all the security news. October 22 rockets were fired at the Al-Assad airbase in Anbar where American troops are based. October 24 that was repeated but this time four US soldiers were injured. October 26 two drones were shot down over Al-Harir airbase in Irbil. Finally on October 27 there was a drone strike on Al-Assad as well. These were all meant for show and to not do any real damage. If these factions really wanted to attack the U.S. they could launch dozens of drones and rockets.

 

These assaults have caused quite a controversy amongst the Shiite ruling parties. They were quick to talk about retaliating against Washington for its support for Israel but then when Hashd factions actually started doing so politicians took a step back. The government is worried about the impact this will have on Iraq’s business and foreign relations as the Americans have started pulling their personnel out of its embassy and other Western countries might do the same. Ironically the groups responsible are part of the government but do not follow the prime minister.

 

Security Incidents In Iraq By Province

Province	Oct 1-7	Oct 8-14	Oct 15-21	Oct 22-28
Anbar	-	-	3 Pro-Iran	3 Pro-Iran
Irbil	-	-	2 Pro-Iran	1 Pro-Iran
Salahaddin	-	-	-	1
TOTAL	-	-	5 Pro-Iran	5/4 Pro-Iran

 

Casualties In Iraq By Province

Province	Oct 1-7	Oct 8-14	Oct 15-21	Oct 22-28
Anbar	-	-	-	4
Salahaddin	-	-	-	4
TOTAL	-	-	-	8

 

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
Sep 1-7	1	-	1
Sep 8-14	1	1	-
Sep 15-21	2	-	4
Sep 22-28	1	1	1
Sep 29-30	-	-	-
SEP	5	2	6
Oct 1-7	-	-	-
Oct 8-14	-	-	-
Oct 15-21	5 Pro-Iran	-	-
Oct 22-28	5/4 Pro-Iran	-	8

 

SOURCES

 

Dri, Karwan Faidhi, "Iraqi militia group hits US troops in Erbil with drones," Rudaw, 10/26/23

 

Al Mada, “Collapse of negotiations with the attackers of the camps and Al-Sudani: There is no complacency in protecting the international coalition,” 10/25/23

 

Shafaq News, "A boy was killed and his father was injured in an explosive device explosion in Diyala," 9/22/23

- "A missile bombardment targets Ain al-Assad base in Anbar," 10/24/23

- "With a drone … the armed factions announce a new attack on the Ain al-Assad base in Anbar," 10/27/23

 

Al Sumaria, "Four citizens were injured by gunfire south of Salahaddin," 10/22/23

 

Xinhua, "Rockets hit Iraqi base housing U.S. forces in W. Iraq," 10/22/23