Iraq Weekly Roundup WEEK # 32

Levels of violence fell in Iraq last week, but conditions are still relatively worse than normal, particularly in the central region. At least 100 people were killed and 148 injured in nationwide incidents.

A total of 31 bomb attacks left 52 people dead and 112 injured, a fall from the previous week. There was a rise in the number of small arms fire attacks, which left 43 people dead and 36 injured.

The main hubs of violence were Fallujah, Ba'qubah, Tikrit, Baghdad, Kirkuk and Mosul. The south of the country saw no major incidents. Aside from a small demonstration in Sulaymaniyah and ongoing Turkish military operations on the border, Kurdish Regional Government (KRG) territory was also quiet.

A spate of attacks targeted the security forces in the central provinces on 2 August while several planned breakouts and attacks on prisons took place. An Iraqi journalist was also shot dead in Mosul on 31 July.

Tensions continue to rise between the Kurdish and Federal authorities, with a non-violent but potentially explosive standoff occurring between the Peshmerga and Iraqi army in a disputed area of Ninawa province over the course of the week. The federal troops have since withdrawn but the situation may escalate once again along the disputed belt of Ninawa, Diyala and Ta'mim provinces.

Note that the government has implemented a ruling granting a public day off on every Thursday during Ramadan.

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Source: AKE

Iraq Weekly Roundup WEEK # 31

Levels of violence rose considerably in Iraq last week, and it was the worst recorded so far this year in terms of casualties.

At least 150 people were killed and 386 injured in nationwide incidents, many of which took place on 23 July as mass-casualty attacks swept the country.

A total of 70 bomb attacks left 97 people dead and 357 injured. There were two additional suicide bombings but for a change they failed to cause any casualties.

Small arms fire attacks left 49 people dead and 29 injured.

The most violent province was Salah ad-Din, a former hotspot of al-Qaeda activity. It would seem that al-Qaeda and its affiliates are trying to re-establish a presence in the area.

Ta'mim in the north of the country also saw several attacks, overshadowing the normally more hazardous province of Ninawa. Diyala province also saw several attacks.

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Source: AKE

Iraq Weekly Roundup, 19 December 2011

Summary

Levels of violence fell in Iraq over the past week, with at least 33 people killed and 84 injured. Attacks were concentrated in Mosul, Baghdad and Kirkuk, with a scattering of incidents through the central provinces and a notable bombing attack on oil and gas infrastructure in Basrah province.

Tactics

At least 26 bomb attacks left 15 people dead and 77 injured, a decline from the previous week, while a consistent number of small arms fire attacks left 15 people dead and seven injured. There was only one indirect fire (rocket or mortar) attack reported but it caused no casualties or damage. There were no suicide attacks recorded over the course of the week, and the country should now be considered statistically overdue.

Abductions

Three people were kidnapped in separate incidents, including a mayor in Babil province who was later found shot dead. Three ministry employees abducted last week were also found shot dead in Salah ad-Din province. A rare abduction was also recorded in Kurdistan, although the victim was freed very quickly by a security force operation.

The Withdrawal

Meanwhile AKE issued a risk advisory for Iraq on Global Intake following the withdrawal of US forces from the country which concluded on 17 December. Counter-insurgency operations on the ground will no longer take place while training of the Iraqi security forces has also been significantly scaled back. The country now faces a security gap, which various threat groups, both domestic and external may attempt to capitalise on. Violence may therefore rise over the course of 2012, not least as the political environment appears to growing more competitive and 

confrontational

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Source: AKE

Iraq's Cabinet Approves Delayed Draft Oil Law

Iraq's cabinet has approved a long-awaited draft oil law and sent it to parliament for final passage, a measure seen as key for foreign investors seeking more solid legal guarantees, according to media reports on Sunday. The new hydrocarbons law has been in the making for years but has faced opposition over who controls the world's fourth largest oil reserves, mainly from semi-autonomous Kurdistan in the north of Iraq.

Iraq's parliament last month warned the government it would force through a new draft of the law if the cabinet continued to hold up the original legislation, regarded by investors to be a crucial mark of stability in the OPEC country. "Any other previous drafts should be considered void and should be withdrawn. This draft is the only one presented to parliament," the statement said.

Investors have been waiting for the law's approval to assure a more stable legal framework for exploration. The law is also seen as pivotal to reconciling Iraq's factions -- especially Iraqi Arabs and Kurds -- as the country rebuilds after years of war.

Even without the law, Iraq is already developing oil-fields, signing billions of dollars in contracts with international companies under legislation dating back to before 2003 when a U.S. invasion ousted Saddam Hussein.

The draft oil law was approved by cabinet in 2007 but faced opposition in parliament and was sent back to the government for amendments. In June, Iraq made some changes to the law, which were being reviewed by the cabinet's energy committee.