Tuesday, January 5, 2016

Security In Iraq, Dec 22-28, 2015


Iraq ended 2015 on a good note taking central Ramadi after a five month siege. There were still parts of the city to clear and most it was destroyed leaving a huge reconstruction project for the future. Violence in the rest of the country continued on the same pace as the last quarter of the year.

From December 22-28, 2015 there were 127 reported attacks in Iraq. Baghdad was the most violent as usual with 59 incidents, along with 24 in Ninewa, 21 in Anbar, 9 in Salahaddin, 7 in Diyala, 4 in Babil, 2 in Kirkuk, and 1 in Basra. There are always more attacks then what gets in the media.

Ninewa led the way with the most deaths during the week with 119 due to a combination of executions and attacks upon the Peshmerga. After that there were 91 dead in Anbar, 58 in Baghdad, 10 in Diyala, 7 in Babil, 5 Salahaddin, and 2 in Kirkuk. That broke down further as 3 Hashd al-Shaabi, 13 Volunteers at the Bashiqa camp in Ninewa, 17 Sahwa, 21 Peshmerga, 22 members of the Iraqi Security Forces (ISF), and 216 civilians fatalities and 5 Hashd, 7 Peshmerga, 8 Turkish soldier trainers, 12 ISF, 16 Bashiqa camp volunteers, and 298 civilians injured. In total there were 292 reported killed and 346 wounded, but the real numbers are always higher.

The biggest news was obviously the storming of central Ramadi. On December 22 the attack began from two different directions. The next day the ISF were said to be 1 kilometer from the government center in downtown (1), before finally taking it on December 27, and then the city was declared liberated on the 28th. Depending upon the source 25-30% of Ramadi is still under IS control especially in the north and east. The same is true of many of the surrounding towns and suburbs. Albu Diab and Jeraishi for example were declared freed on December 22, but fighting continued there. If these areas are not cleared out IS will be able to re-infiltrate into other places and continue to threaten the city. There’s also the huge task of rebuilding Ramadi, which one member of the Anbar provincial council said could take up to 10 years. Overall, re-taking of Ramadi was a huge victory for the Iraqi government and its security forces. They were able to show that they could seize a large city without the help of the Hashd who were largely excluded from the offensive. It also revealed that the Islamic State couldn’t hold any large urban area in the country against a determined assault. It simply lacks the manpower to do so.

As IS has shifted to the defensive it has picked up its terrorist attacks on Baghdad. For a second week the eastern district had the most incidents at 18 with 17 more in the south, 9 in the north, 7 in the center and 6 in the west. Not all the security events in the east were due to the insurgents such as two robberies, a stabbing and a kidnapping. The 6 IEDs there however was the work of IS. As usual the main form of violence in the province were bombs with 45 total.

Security Incidents In Baghdad, Dec 22-28, 2015
Center: 7 – 1 Kidnapping, 1 Sticky Bomb, 5 IEDs
East: 13 – 1 Stabbing, 1 Kidnapping, 1 Robbery/Stabbing, 1 Robbery/Shooting, 1 Sticky Bomb,
2 Shootings, 6 IEDs
Outer East: 5 – 1 Grenade, 4 IEDs
North: 6 – 1 Shooting, 2 Sticky Bombs, 3 IEDs
Outer North: 3 – 1 Shooting, 2 IEDs
South: 12 – 1 Robbery, 2 Kidnappings, 9 IEDs
Outer South: 5 – 5 IEDs
West: 5 – 1 Sticky Bomb, 4 IEDs
Outer West: 1 – 1 IED
Unknown: 1 – 1 IED

Diyala was hit by two car bombs during the week. On December 23 two detonated in Khalis. Diyala was a regular target of such attacks during the fall, but they are now rare since IS ended its car bomb campaign with the last vehicle borne improvised explosive device (VBIED) occurring a month ago. IS also fired mortars onto three towns, which has been happening off and on for the last several weeks. Despite these incidents the province is relatively quiet as IS is mostly using it as launching pad for operations in other parts of the country.

Ninewa led the country in deaths during the week because of a combination of IS executions and a new winter offensive by the group. 74 people were killed by IS from December 22-28 in Mosul, Badush, Qayara and Hadbaa including 3 police, 6 teachers, and 8 sheikhs. IS also continued with its attacks upon the Peshmerga and the Bashiqa camp. On December 22 mortars were fired on Tal Reem killing 7 Peshmerga and wounding 2. December 24 12 suicide bombers led an assault upon Khaza that was turned back with the help of U.S. air strikes. December 26 two more suicide bombers were used in the Sinjar district killing 9 Peshmerga and injuring 5. December 27 Wanke was attacked, and then Makhmour with 3 suicide bombers the next day, along with mortar fire on three towns. IS also attacked the Bashiqa camp for the third time with mortars killing 13 volunteers, wounding 16 others along with 8 Turkish trainers. IS initiated a similar offensive against the Kurds in the north during last winter. The group was hoping that the bad weather would allow it to launch surprise attacks upon the Kurdish positions and give them cover from coalition air strikes. Like the last time, that didn’t work. The militants also attacked the Bashiqa camp since it has been in the news so much lately because of a Baghdad-Ankara dispute over Turkish troops stationed there.

Tuz Kharmato in Salahaddin had another flare up. On December 26 two people were kidnapped, and there was a drive by shooting that killed a Peshmerga. Then the next day there was a gunfight between Turkmen Hashd and the Federal Police. The district was cleared in October 2014, but has seen constant flare ups since then as the Hashd and Peshmerga both want control over it, and there are also local disputes between residents all leading to constant tensions.

Finally, there were 13 VBIEDs during the week. That was the fewest car bombs in a week since the middle of June. Three reached their targets in Albu Diab, Anbar and two in Diyala killing 38 and wounding 18. The other 11 were destroyed. All of those occurred in Anbar and Diyala. Before IS was in the midst of its latest car bomb campaign with around 50 such attacks per week. That has now ended.

Violence In Iraq By Week 2015
Date
Incidents
Dead
Wounded
Jan 1-7
226
540
525
Jan 8-14
187
776
514
Jan 15-21
197
438
528
Jan 22-28
207
573
898 + 150
Jan 29-31
94
329
567
JAN
911
2,656
3,032 + 150
Feb 1-7
168
572
689
Feb 8-14
183
462
572
Feb 15-21
177
697
383
Feb 22-28
202
614
722
FEB
730
2,345
2,366
Mar 1-7
196
408
595
Mar 8-14
164
419
655
Mar 15-21
178
1,312
505
Mar 22-28
201
310
406
Mar 29-31
81
212 + 4
218 + 150
MAR
820
2,665
2,529
Apr 1-7
153
276
422
Apr 8-14
165
864
525
Apr 15-21
190
880
714
Apr 22-28
187
564
479
Apr 29-30
56
169
182 + 299
APR
751
2,753
2,621
May 1-7
176
652
449
May 8-14
162
441
542
May 15-21
128
963
390
May 22-28
115
342 + 1,499
348
May 29-31
39
66
164 + 646
MAY
620
2,4165 + 1,499
1,893 + 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 + 405
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
120
337
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
584
1,124
1,549
Nov 1-7
125
186
316
Nov 8-14
121
265
354
Nov 15-21
140
358
420
Nov 22-28
107
289
261 + 124 + 1,322
Nov 29-30
37
52 + 24
103 + 1
NOV
530
1,174
1,455 + 124 + 1,322
Dec 1-7
118
158
249
Dec 8-14
128
246
248
Dec 15-21
140
242
326 + 5,920
Dec 22-28
127
292
346

Security By Province Dec 2015
Province
Dec 22-28
Anbar
21 Incidents
91 Killed: 15 ISF, 17 Sahwa, 59 Civilians
12 Wounded: 12 Civilians
4 Shootings
5 Suicide Bombers
1 Suicide Car Bomb
2 Mortars
18 Suicide Bombers Killed
8 Suicide Car Bombs Destroyed
3 Car Bombs Destroyed
Babil
4 Incidents
7 Killed: 1 ISF, 2 Hashd, 4 Civilians
20 Wounded: 4 Hashd, 16 Civilians
4 IEDs
Baghdad
59 Incidents
58 Killed: 58 Civilians
239 Wounded: 8 ISF, 231 Civilians
5 Shootings
39 IEDs
6 Sticky Bombs
1 Grenade
Basra
1 Incident
1 Shooting
Diyala
7 Incidents
10 Killed: 1 Hashd, 2 ISF, 7 Civilians
22 Wounded: 4 ISF, 18 Civilians
1 Shooting
2 Car Bombs
2 Mortars
Kirkuk
2 Incidents
2 Killed: 2 Civilians
1 Shooting
Ninewa
24 Incidents
119 Killed: 3 ISF, 13 Volunteers, 20 Peshmerga, 83 Civilians
42 Wounded: 7 Peshmerga, 8 Turkish Soldiers, 16 Volunteers, 11 Civilians
10 Shootings
16 IEDs
2 Suicide Bombers
4 Mortars
15 Suicide Bombers Killed
Salahaddin
9 Incidents
5 Killed: 1 ISF, 1 Peshmerga, 3 Civilians
11 Wounded: 1 Hashd, 10 Civilians
5 Shootings
2 IEDs
1 Suicide Bomber Killed

Car Bombs In Iraq, December 2015
Date
Location
Dead
Wounded
Dec 1



Dec 2
Baghdadi & Ramadi, Anbar – 2 destroyed


Dec 3
Albu Aetha & Hamidiya, Anbar – 5 destroyed


Dec 4
110 Kilo, Albu Faraj & Jeraishi, Anbar – 6 destroyed


Dec 5
35 Kilo, Albu Faraj, Baghdadi, Ramadi, Anbar – 19 destroyed


Dec 6



Dec 7
Samarra Island, Salahaddin – 4 destroyed


Totals
0 – 36 Destroyed


Dec 8
Ajeel & Alas oil fields, Salahaddin – 1 destroyed


Dec 9
Albu Faraj & Warrar Bridge, Anbar – 4 destroyed
Shirqat, Salahaddin – 3 destroyed


Dec 10
Albu Diab, Albu Faraj, Albu Taiban, Anbar – 7 destroyed


Dec 11
Baghdadi & Kubaisa, Anbar – 2 destroyed


Dec 12
Nukhaib & Ramadi x3, Anbar
Aski, Ninewa
Albu Jassim & East Husaiba, Anbar – 3 destroyed
43
39
Dec 13
Kazak, Ninewa – 3 destroyed


Dec 14
Albu Faraj  x5 & Ramadi, Anbar
Central Baghdad, Baghdad – 1 destroyed
Sinjar, Ninewa – 2 destroyed
35
2
Totals
11 – 26 Destroyed
78
41
Dec 15
Tal al-Mushahid & Palestine Bridge, Anbar – 18 destroyed
2
6
Dec 16
Kaske x2 & Nawaran x9, Ninewa
Husaiba & Palestine Bridge, Anbar – 7 destroyed
Domuz Military Base & Baira, Ninewa – 4 destroyed
7
6
Dec 17
Hiyakil, Anbar
Hiyakil, Anbar – 3 destroyed
West of Samarra, Salahaddin – 4 destroyed
3
5
Dec 18



Dec 19



Dec 20
Baiji, Salahaddin – 1 destroyed


Dec 21



Totals
12 – 37 Destroyed
12
17
Dec 22
Albu Diab, Anbar
South of Ramadi, Anbar – 1 destroyed
31

Dec 23
Khalis x2, Diyala
Ramadi, Anbar – 4 destroyed
7
18
Dec 24
Jeraishi & Ramadi, Anbar – 2 destroyed


Dec 25
160 Kilo, Anbar – 1 destroyed


Dec 26
South of Ramadi, Anbar – 1 destroyed


Dec 27
Ramadi, Anbar – 2 destroyed


Dec 28



Totals
3 – 11 Destroyed
38
18

FOOTNOTES

1. Al Mada, "1 km separates troops from liberating government complex in Ramadi," 12/23/15,

SOURCES

BBC, "Iraq declares Ramadi liberated from Islamic State," 12/28/15

Buratha News, "Destruction of a car bomb before it could target a military convoy in Ramadi," 12/25/15

Al-Jawoshy, Omar and Chan, Sewell, "Iraqi Forces Fighting for Ramadi Make Their Way Toward City Center," New York Times, 12/22/15

Al Mada, "Anbar's tribes: The security forces just 500 meters from storming the government complex and clear it in center of Ramadi," 12/25/15

NINA, "3 Police Killed, 3 Wounded In Armed Attack In Diyala Province," 12/27/15
- "9 Peshmerga Killed And Wounded, Daash Executes 3 Police Officers In Mosul," 12/22/15
- "/14/ elements of the Peshmerga killed and wounded northwest of Mosul in a suicide attack, and the killing of /12/ elements of Daash in aerial bombardment," 12/26/15
- "Breaking News..dozens of elements of the national crowd and Turkish forces killed and wounded in bombing by Daash on Zlican camp north of Mosul," 12/28/15
- "Daash executed two women teachers in Mosul for refusing to teach their program," 12/28/15
- "Peshmerga Repulse Deadliest Attack For Daash In Khazar East Of Mosul," 12/24/15
- "Security forces continue military operations for the Liberation of Ramadi and other areas," 12/24/15

Al Rayy, "Four car bombs driven by suicide bombers thwarted in attacking Ramadi," 12/23/15

Salaheddin, Sinan, "Wave of attacks kills at least 15 civilians across Iraq," Associated Press, 12/23/15

Salim, Mustafa and Morris, Loveday, "Iraqi forces storm downtown Ramadi in bid to oust Islamic State occupiers," Washington Post, 12/22/15

Sarhan, Amre, "Iraqi army kills 8 ISIS elements, dismantles 260 IEDs north of Ramadi," Iraqi News, 12/27/15

Shafaq News, "Clashes between security forces and Turkmen popular crowd in Tuz," 12/27/15
- "ISIS fails to reach Peshmerga sites and resort to old tactics," 12/28/15
- "Suicide attack by ISIS boys foiled southwest of Mosul," 12/28/15

Sotaliraq, "Car bomb driven by a suicide bomber destroyed south of Ramadi," 12/26/15
- "Gunmen kidnap two civilians amid Tuz area," 12/26/15
- "One Peshmerga member killed in an armed attack in the Tuz area," 12/26/15
- "A security source: foiled a suicide car bomb attack in a military vehicle south of Ramadi," 12/22/15

VICE News and Reuters, "Iraq Declares Victory Over Islamic State in Ramadi," 12/27/15

Waarmedia, "Wanke: scores of IS terrorists killed," 12/27/15

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