Iraq weekly security report, week 12

The security forces continue to tackle Islamic State (ISIS) militants in operations focused in Anbar, Salah ad-Din, Ta'mim and Ninawa provinces. While the fighting is concentrated in these areas, terrorist attacks have decreased elsewhere in the country.

However, the security forces are stretched and anecdotal evidence suggests that there has been a rise in crime in many urban areas, including the capital and even normally more quiet areas in the south of the country.

Last week a total of 10 explosive attacks left 15 people dead and 13 injured. Indirect fire incidents (rockets, mortars and military artillery shelling) left two people dead and five injured. At least 52 people were publicly executed by militants or murdered only to have their bodies later recovered by the authorities.

Small arms attacks left five people dead and 12 injured, including members of the security forces shot during clashes with militants. However, the total number of shooting casualties from ongoing counter-insurgency operations may be much higher. Incidents and fatalities may be going unreported from the front line.

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Source: AKE

Iraq Security weekly report, week #9

Counter-insurgency operations targeting the Islamic State (IS) organisation intensified around Tikrit last week, while the group continued to conduct attacks in the wider central-northern region.

Otherwise, countrywide a total of 16 non-suicide bomb attacks left 24 people dead and 78 injured. Two additional suicide bombings left five people dead and 24 injured.

Small arms attacks left 20 people dead and 14 injured, including members of the security forces shot during clashes with militants.

Indirect fire incidents (rockets, mortars and military artillery shelling) left four people dead and 16 injured.

At least 136 people were publicly executed by militants or murdered only to have their bodies later recovered by the authorities.

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Source: AKE GROUP

Iraq Security weekly roundup, week 4

 Islamic State (IS) militants continue to fight the federal and Kurdish security forces in several parts of the central and northern region.

Last week saw a notable rise in violence in Ta'mim province and a concurrent decline in violence in the neighbouring province of Salah ad-Din, with IS militants evidently turning their attention towards the Kurdish forces protecting the oil-rich and culturally sensitive city of Kirkuk.

Anbar province also saw very heavy fighting, as did the outskirts of Mosul, Baghdad and even western Diyala province, despite recent military gains reported from the area.

The southern region was relatively quiet.

Countrywide a total of 24 non-suicide bomb attacks left 69 people dead and 42 injured. Six additional suicide bombings left 24 people dead and 41 injured. This constitutes a rise in bomb-related casualties over the past week.

Indirect fire incidents (rockets, mortars and military artillery shelling) left 47 people dead and 93 injured – a very high figure.

Small arms attacks left 19 people dead and 41 injured, including members of the security forces shot during clashes with militants.

At least 193 people were publicly executed by militants or murdered only to have their bodies later recovered by the authorities – an extremely high figure.

*The poor reporting climate makes it very difficult to verify the full extent of current casualties and violence.

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Source: AKE