Iraq Security Weekly roundup

- Islamist militants led by the Islamic State (IS) continue to battle with the federal and Kurdish security forces in several parts of the central and northern region, especially to the north and west of Mosul, the belt of Anbar province stretching from Baghdad to the Syrian border as well as around Salah ad-Din and Diyala provinces (particularly around Amerli and the Hamrin Mountains). Fighting also continues in places such as Babil province and south-west of Kirkuk. Last week a total of 31 non-suicide bomb attacks left 30 people dead and 92 injured. Two additional suicide bombings left 12 people dead and 44 injured. Indirect fire incidents (rockets, mortars and military artillery shelling) left 29 people dead and 35 injured.  Small arms attacks left six people dead and nine injured, including members of the security forces shot during clashes with militants. This is a relatively low figure and it is likely that many more shootings (including executions in areas under IS control) are likely to have gone unreported. At least 59 people were reportedly abducted in several incidents, although at least 20 have reportedly been released at the time of writing. Several abductees over recent months have not been so lucky. Up to 94 bodies were reportedly recovered by the authorities or sent to morgues in different parts of the country last week.

_______________ AKE