Thursday, December 3, 2015

Security In Iraq, Nov. 22-28, 2015


Violence took another dip in Iraq during the fourth week of November. This was despite heavy fighting in Anbar and another mass grave being found in Sinjar with victims of the Islamic State.

There were 107 reported attacks in Iraq from November 22-28, 2015. That was down from 140 the week before, and the second lowest number of incidents of the year. This was another sign that violence has leveled off in the country. Baghdad had the most attacks as usual with 52, followed by 17 in Anbar, 13 in Salahaddin, 12 in Ninewa, 6 in Diyala, 4 in Babil, 2 in Kirkuk, and 1 in Sulaymaniya.

Those led to 288 dead and 258 wounded. There were 2 Yazidi fighters, 4 Hashd al-Shaabi, 16 Peshmerga, 26 Iraqi Security Forces (ISF), and 240 civilians killed and 3 Yazidi fighters, 7 Hashd, 11 Peshmerga, 15 ISF, and 225 civilians injured. Ninewa led the country during the week with 165 fatalities due to a mass grave being discovered there. There were also 59 deaths in Baghdad, 37 in Anbar, 11 in Kirkuk and Salahaddin each, and 4 in Babil, and 1 in Diyala. The total number of casualties, 546, was down from the week before when there were 778, but was in line with previous weeks such as the 619 from November 8-14, and the 502 from November 1-7. The Interior and Peshmerga ministries also revealed 1,322 police and 124 Peshmerga that were injured over the last year that they did not mention before.

Violence In Iraq By Week 2015
Date
Incidents
Dead
Wounded
Jan 1-7
205
466
464
Jan 8-14
176
733
518
Jan 15-21
193
403
528
Jan 22-28
197
492
899
Jan 29-31
91
306
568
JAN
862
2,400
2,977
Feb 1-7
159
408
688
Feb 8-14
178
443
566
Feb 15-21
175
592
383
Feb 22-28
178
391
730
FEB
690
1,834
2,367
Mar 1-7
186
373
595
Mar 8-14
156
398
656
Mar 15-21
170
1,304
505
Mar 22-28
186
273
406
Mar 29-31
76
205
219
MAR
774
2,553 + 4
2,381 + 150
Apr 1-7
130
218
422
Apr 8-14
140
674
531
Apr 15-21
175
729
717
Apr 22-28
167
497
483
Apr 29-30
51
162 + 7
182 + 299
APR
663
2,280
2,335
May 1-7
159
627
450
May 8-14
161
420
549
May 15-21
128
963
387
May 22-28
115
341 + 1,499
348
May 29-31
38
66
164 + 646
MAY
601
2,417 + 1,499
1,898 + 646
Jun 1-7
133
431
476
Jun 8-14
126
522 + 405
394
Jun 15-21
141
365
373
Jun 22-28
162
306
474
Jun 29-30
61
122 + 58
189 + 106
JUN
623
1,804
2,012
Jul 1-7
161
435
719
Jul 8-14
140
384
570
Jul 15-21
109
359
597 + 4,024
Jul 22-28
145
527
590
Jul 29-31
53
193 + 260
203 + 400
JUL
608
2,158
3,079 + 4,024
Aug 1-7
154
650 + 760
298
Aug 8-14
133
756
640
Aug 15-21
135
345
354
Aug 22-28
136
342
296
Aug 29-31
59
112
169
AUG
617
2,205 + 760
1,757
Sep 1-7
139
285
352
Sep 8-14
144
368
394
Sep 15-21
123
323
488
Sep 22-28
128
190
258
Sep 29-30
39
106 + 19
147 + 8
SEP
573
1,291 + 314
1,647 + 3,003
Oct 1-7
105
291
398
Oct 8-14
144
254
389
Oct 15-21
142
208
279
Oct 22-28
129
216
366
Oct 29-31
49
110
116 + 1
OCT
569
1,079
1,549
Nov 1-7
125
186
316
Nov 8-14
120
265
354
Nov 15-21
140
358
420
Nov 22-28
107
288
258 + 124 + 1,322

Security by Province Nov 2015
Provinces
Nov 1-7
Nov 8-14
Anbar
26 Incidents
9 Killed: 2 Civilians, 7 ISF
45 Wounded: 1 Hashd, 10 Civilians, 34 ISF
11 Shootings
3 IEDs
2 Mortars
19 Suicide Bombers Killed
24 Suicide Car Bombs Destroyed
11 Incidents
1 Killed: 1 Sahwa
3 Shootings
12 Suicide Bombers Killed
17 Suicide Car Bombs Destroyed
Babil
4 Incidents
3 Killed: 3 Civilians
12 Wounded: 12 Civilians
4 IEDs
3 Incidents
2 Killed: 2 Civilians
2 Wounded: 2 Civilians
2 Shootings
1 IED
Baghdad
47 Incidents
58 Killed: 1 Sahwa, 3 ISF, 54 Civilians
156 Wounded: 1 ISF, 155 Civilians
14 Shootings
22 IEDs
3 Sticky Bombs
1 Suicide Car Bomb Destroyed
54 Incidents
94 Killed: 2 Hashd, 5 ISF, 87 Civilians
263 Wounded: 3 Hashd, 19 ISF, 241 Civilians
12 Shootings
28 IEDs
7 Sticky Bombs
4 Suicide Bombers
1 Suicide Car Bomb
Basra
-
3 Incidents
2 Killed: 2 Civilians
2 Shootings
1 Sound Bomb
Diyala
7 Incidents
8 Killed: 2 Hashd, 2 Civilians, 4 ISF
4 Wounded: 4 Civilians
3 Shootings
1 IED
6 Incidents
4 Killed: 1 ISF, 1 Hashd, 2 Civilians
3 Wounded: 3 ISF
2 Shootings
1 IED
1 Suicide Car Bomb Destroyed
Kirkuk
6 Incidents
9 Killed: 1 ISF, 3 Civilians, 5 Peshmerga
16 Wounded: 4 ISF, 12 Peshmerga
3 Shootings
4 Suicide Bombers
1 Car Bomb
3 Incidents
1 Killed: 1 Peshmerga
2 Wounded: 2 Civilians
1 Shooting
1 IED
1 Sticky Bomb
Ninewa
14 Incidents
70 Killed: 7 Peshmerga, 63 Civilians
30 Wounded: 4 Civilians, 26 Peshmerga
5 Shootings
1 IED
1 Car Bomb
2 Mortars
4 Suicide Bombers Killed
1 Suicide Car Bomb Destroyed
21 Incidents
120 Killed: 23 Civilians, 45 Peshmerga, 52 ISF
53 Wounded: 53 Peshmerga
7 Shootings
2 IEDs
8 Suicide Bombers
1 Suicide Car Bomb
1 Mortar
1 Rockets
22 Suicide Bombers Killed
9 Suicide Car Bombs Destroyed
Salahaddin
21 Incidents
29 Killed: 3 Civilians, 12 ISF, 14 Hashd
53 Wounded: 24 ISF, 29 Hashd
7 Shootings
53 IEDs
3 Suicide Bombers
1 Suicide Car Bomb
1 Mortar
14 Suicide Bombers Killed
22 Car Bombs Destroyed
19 Incidents
40 Killed: 6 ISF, 9 Hashd, 24 Civilians
31 Wounded: 2 Hashd, 10 ISF, 19 Civilians
11 Shootings
3 IEDs
10 Suicide Bombers Killed
2 Suicide Car Bombs Destroyed
1 Car Bomb Destroyed

Provinces
Nov 15-21
Nov 22-28
Anbar
27 Incidents
17 Killed: 2 Hashd, 4 Civilians, 11 ISF
45 Wounded: 1 Hashd, 2 ISF, 42 Civilians
8 Shootings
1 IED
5 Mortars
3 Suicide Bombers Killed
2 Suicide Motorcycle Bombs Destroyed
20 Suicide Car Bombs Destroyed
14 Car Bombs Destroyed
17 Incidents
37 Killed: 2 Hashd, 17 ISF, 18 Civilians
11 Wounded: 11 Civilians
3 Shootings
2 IEDs
1 Suicide Car Bomb
1 Mortar
1 Suicide Bomber Killed
5 Suicide Car Bombs Destroyed
9 Car Bombs Desroyed
Babil
7 Incidents
18 Killed: 4 ISF, 14 Civilians
35 Wounded: 1 Hashd, 4 ISF, 30 Civilians
2 Shootings
3 IEDs
1 Sticky Bomb
1 Suicide Bomber
4 Incidents
4 Killed: 2 Civilians, 2 Hashd
8 Wounded: 3 Hashd, 5 Civilians
1 Shooting
2 IEDs
1 Sticky Bomb
Baghdad
58 Incidents
62 Killed: 2 Hashd, 6 ISF, 54 Civilians
204 Wounded: 6 Hashd, 14 ISF, 184 Civilians
14 Shootings
37 IEDs
4 Sticky Bombs
1 Car Bomb Destroyed
52 Incidents
59 Killed: 3 ISF, 56 Civilians
172 Wounded: 6 ISF, 166 Civilians
8 Shootings
23 IEDs
9 Sticky Bombs
1 Mortar
1 Grenade
1 Motorcycle Bomb
1 Car Bomb
1 Car Bomb Destroyed
Diyala
3 Incidents
5 Killed: 5 Civilians
11 Wounded: 1 ISF, 10 Civilians
1 Shooting
1 IED
1 Motorcycle Bomb
6 Incidents
1 Killed: 1 ISF
16 Wounded: 3 ISF, 13 Civilians
2 Shootings
1 IED
1 Sticky Bobs
1 Mortar
Irbil
1 Incident
1 Shooting
-
Kirkuk
1 Incident
1 Shooting

Ninewa
23 Incidents
240 Killed: 1 PKK, 10 ISF, 27 Peshmerga, 202 Civilians
65 Wounded: 23 Peshmerga, 42 Civilians
20 Shootings
1 Car Bomb
1 Mortar
1 Rocket
1 Suicide Bomber Killed
8 Suicide Car Bombs Destroyed
12 Incidents
165 Killed: 2 Yazidi Fighters, 16 Peshmerga, 147 Civilians
13 Wounded: 3 Yazidi Fighters, 10 Peshmerga
5 Shootings
2 IEDs
2 Suicide Bombers Killed
Salahaddin
20 Incidents
16 Killed: 1 ISF, 8 Hashd, 7 Civilians
60 Wounded: 1 Asayesh, 9 Civilians, 19 ISF, 31 Hashd
18 Shootings
2 IEDs
2 Suicide Bombers Killed
3 Suicide Car Bombs Destroyed
4 Car Bombs Destroyed
13 Incidents
11 Killed: 5 ISF, 6 Civilians
40 Wounded: 6 ISF, 4 Hashd, 30 Civilians
10 Shootings
2 IEDs
1 Suicide Car Bomb
1 Suicide Car Bomb Destroyed
1 Car Bomb Destroyed
Sulaymaniya
-
1 Incident
1 Wounded: 1 Peshmerga
1 Sticky Bomb

The majority of Ramadi was declared freed of the Islamic State, but there was also some backtracking. On November 24, the authorities said that 22 of the city’s 39 neighborhoods were cleared. The joint forces also took the February 8 district, along with Rumaila and Hurriya outside of Ramadi. At the same time, they returned to 5 Kilo, Palestine Bridge, Husaiba, and Jubba during the week as well, all of which had been taken before, sometimes several times such as Husaiba. That’s been the nature of the fighting in that region with the government jumping the gun and calling places freed before they are, and IS re-infiltrating others leading them to be constantly changing hands.

There were also continued operations in the Haditha and Garma districts. Those have been going on for months. The latter has been especially frustrating because the center was surrounded during the summer and then stalled.

During the fourth week of November violence in the capital province shifted to the east. During the previous two weeks the south had the most security incidents, but from November 22-28 there were 19 in the east, 14 in the south, 12 in the north, 7 in the center, and 5 in the west. Eastern Baghdad is always a mix of IS attacks, criminal acts, vigilantes, and Hashd. For example, there were three kidnappings and five dead bodies dumped in the area during the week that were probably not the work of the militants.

Violence In Baghdad Nov 22-28, 2015
Center: 7 – 1 Robbery, 2 IEDs, 4 Sticky Bombs
East: 12 – 1 Stabbing, 1 Grenade, 3 Shootings, 3 Kidnappings, 4 IEDs
Outer East: 2 – 1 Shooting, 1 IED
North: 9 – 1 Stabbing, 2 Shootings, 3 IEDs, 3 Sticky Bombs
Outer North: 3 – 3 IEDs
South: 6 – 1 Shooting, 1 Sticky Bomb, 4 IEDs
Outer South: 8 – 1 Car Bomb, 1 Kidnapping, 1 Mortar, 5 IEDs
West: 5 – 1 Motorcycle Bomb, 1 Car Bomb Dismantled, 1 Shooting, 1 Sticky Bomb, 1 IED

In Ninewa, IS continued with its executions, a mass grave was discovered, while political disputes over the future of Sinjar exploded into gunfire. First, IS killed 24 people in Mosul including one former candidate, 11 provincial employees, and 12 college students. On November 28, the bodies of 123 Yazidis were discovered in the Sinjar district. Three days before that there was a shootout between Yazidi fighters and Peshmerga from the Kurdistan Democratic Party (KDP). The conflict started when the Peshmerga blocked the Yazidis from entering the town of Qabusiya. The Yazidis claimed that the Kurds were protecting people who had collaborated with the Islamic State because they had ties with the KDP. Tensions rose and two Yazidis were killed and three wounded, and five Peshmerga were injured. This was part of the larger struggle for control of the district. The KDP historically ran the area, but after they abandoned it in the face of IS several Yazidi groups have attempted to assert their independence from the party. The Kurdistan Workers Party (PKK) has also sent in fighters, which has caused more conflict. On November 25 for instance, the pro-KDP paper Bas News accused the PKK and a local Yazidi leader Haidar Sesho of trying to get Sinjar Yazidis to join a Hashd group that would be funded by Baghdad. These tensions will likely continue for the foreseeable future as all of these parties vie for influence.

IS launched a major counterattack north of Baiji during the week. On November 22, the group attacked and seized part of Siniya, the Baiji fertilizer plant, and sections of the Makhoul Mountains. It also attacked the Alas and Ajeel oil fields and another town on that same day. The joint forces are still mopping up the Baiji area and heavy fighting continues in the region. IS is trying to make a comeback there, and some areas are likely to remain contested, but IS has largely been defeated.

IS also launched a suicide car bombing in Tuz Kharmato on November 28 that killed 8 and wounded 22. The week before there were clashes between Peshmerga and the Hashd that raised ethnic tensions there. The Islamic State was obviously trying to exploit this situation by setting off a car bomb to increase the conflict.

Finally, IS’s car bomb campaign saw a major slowdown during the week. There were just 20 vehicle borne improvised explosive devices (VBIEDs) launched during the week, down from 51 the week before, 32 the week before that, and 56 in the first week of the month. Three car bombs hit their targets in Anbar, Baghdad, and Salahaddin. Another 17 were destroyed before reaching their targets. Anbar had the most with 15, followed by 3 in Salahddin and 2 in Baghdad.

Car Bombs In Iraq, November 2015
Date
Location
Dead
Wounded
Nov 1
Subhait, Anbar – 1 destroyed
Obied, Baghdad – 1 destroyed
Rabia, Ninewa – 1 destroyed


Nov 2
Balad, Salahaddin – 1 destroyed


Nov 3
Dibis, Kirkuk
West of Ramadi, Anbar – 5 destroyed
Leine, Salahaddin – 1 destroyed

3
Nov 4
Hardan, Ninewa
Adil & Rashad, Anbar – 9 destroyed
1
15
Nov 5
Zankura, Anbar – 1 destroyed
Siniya, Salahaddin – 7 destroyed


Nov 6
Baiji, Salahddin
Albu Faraj & Jeraishi, Anbar – 4 destroyed
Sukker, Salahaddin – 13 destroyed
7
20
Nov 7
Albu Hayat – 9 destroyed


Totals
3 – 53 Destroyed
8
38
Nov 8
Sadr City, Baghdad
Albu Hayat, Anbar – 1 destroyed
Mkeshivh, Salahaddin – 1 destroyed
6
21
Nov 9
Albu Faraj, Anbar – 1 destroyed
Samarra, Salahaddin – 2 destroyed


Nov 10



Nov 11



Nov 12
Fallujah, Anbar – 6 destroyed
Sinjar, Ninewa – 6 destroyed


Nov 13
Niamiya & Subhait, Anbar – 7 destroyed


Nov 14
Sinjar, Ninewa
Albu Faraj, Anbar – 2 destroyed
Mandali, Diyala – 1 destroyed
Harden, Ninewa – 3 destroyed
2
23
Totals
2 - 30 Destroyed
8
44
Nov 15
Albu Faraj & Jeraishi, Anbar – 4 destroyed


Nov 16
Haraym, Ninewa
5 Kilo, Albu Faraj, Zaytoun, ? – 10 destroyed
Haraym, Ninewa – 1 destroyed
12
20
Nov 17
5 Kilo & Jeraishi, Anbar – 9 destroyed
Raood Bridge, Bahgdad – 1 destroyed
Makhoul Mts, Salahaddin – 3 destroyed


Nov 18
Albu Faraj, Anbar – 4 destroyed
Bashiqa, Ninewa – 1 destroyed
Massoud & Mkeshivh, Salahaddin – 4 destroyed

12
Nov 19
Albu Faraj, Anbar – 2 destroyed


Nov 20
Albu Faraj, Anbar – 4 destroyed


Nov 21
Mosul Dam, Ninewa – 7 destroyed


Totals
1 – 50 Destroyed
12
32
Nov 22
Albu Faraj & Ramadi, Anbar – 2 destroyed


Nov 23
5 Kilo, Ramadi, Subhait, Anbar – 9 destroyed
Amiriya, Baghdad – 1 destroyed


Nov 24
Albu Dujail & north of Ramadi, Anbar – 2 destroyed


Nov 25
Madain, Baghdad
South of Baiji, Salahaddin – 1 destroyed
2
8
Nov 26
Haditha, Anbar – 1 destroyed
Salam, Salahaddin – 1 destroyed


Nov 27
Jubba, Anbar
17

Nov 28
Tuz Kharmato, Salahddin
8
22
Totals
3 – 17 Destroyed
27
30

SOURCES

Agence France Presse, "Bomb-rigged mass grave of IS's victims found in Iraq," 11/28/15

AIN, "terrorist car bombing resulted in the martyrdom and wounding of 10 civilians," 11/25/15

Buratha News, "Daash terrorists execute 12 university students in Mosul on charges of incitement," 11/22/15
- "Eight Daash killed and a truck bomb destroyed west Ramadi," 11/22/15

ezidiPress, “Background story of clashes between Yezidi and Muslim Peshmerga in Shingal,” 11/26/15

Al Forat, "Killing and wounding 85 Daash in various operations," 11/23/15

Iraq Times, "30 martyrs and wounded toll of Tuz bombing in Salahuddin," 11/28/15

Lambert, Fred, "Islamic State militants counter-attack in Iraq's Saladin province," UPI, 11/22/15

Al Mada, "Freed last neighborhood of Five Kilometers area west of Ramadi," 11/23/15,
Al Mada, "Island Operations: The killing of seven Daash and detonation of a bomb west Anbar," 11/26/15
- "Joint forces repel a Daash suicide  car bomb attack south of Baiji," 11/2/15
- "Start of a military operation to clear the eastern axis of Ramadi," 11/28/15,
- "Three car bombs destroyed by bombing east of Fallujah," 11/23/15

Mamoun, Abdelhak, "Anti-Terrorism announces liberation of 22 neighborhoods out of 39 in Ramadi," Iraqi News, 11/24/15,

Al Masalah, "Destruction of a suicide car bomb in Ramadi," 11/24/15
- "War media declares victories of joint forces, "11/24/15

New Sabah, "Offensive operationsa re ongoing and security forces keep the Daash danger away from Khalidiya after the liberation of Rumaila," 11/27/15
- "Security forces thwart 7 attacks by Daash on Ramadi," 11/23/15

NINA, "Daash executed 11 employees in Mosul and detained 20 others," 11/24/15
- "Daash executed a candidate for parliament, south of Mosul," 11/26/15
- “Five elements of the Peshmerga injured in an armed clash with the Yazidi forces in Sinjar,” 11/25/15
- "Security Forces Liberate (8 February Area) In Ramadi, Kill Dozens Terrorists," 11/23/15,

Salih, Hemin, “PKK Offshoot Behind Attempts to Establish Hashd al-Shaabi Unit in Sinjar,” Bas News, 11/25/15

Shafaq News, "Anbar operations forces make a Convergence between the two axes of Ramadi and raise the Iraqi flag over a bridge," 11/25/15,
- "Joint Iraqi forces announce the outcomes of their battles with Daash for Thursday," 11/26/15

Sotaliraq, "Dismantling of a car bomb west Baghdad," 11/23/15

Xinhua, "23 killed in suicide bomber, air strike in Iraq," 11/27/15

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