Iraq weekly security weekly report

Last week a total of 24 bomb attacks left 27 people dead and 79 injured. Small arms attacks left 31 people dead and nine injured, including members of the security forces shot during clashes with militants. Indirect fire incidents (rockets, mortars and military artillery shelling) left 34 people dead and 74 injured.

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. They managed to gain several new towns over the weekend to the north and west of the city of Mosul.

Elsewhere violence remains particularly concentrated in urban parts of Anbar, Salah ad-Din, western Diyala, south-western Ta'mim and northern Babil provinces. Terrorist attacks also continue to take place throughout Baghdad.

Air strikes also continue to target militant positions in sparsely populated areas in the west of Anbar and Ninawa provinces near the border with Syria.

Last week saw a handful of attacks in the south of the country. The region remains comparatively much quieter than the central and northern provinces. To reflect this AKE created a new separate security risk rating for the region last week.

The new internal region is rated at AKE30 (Grave Security Concerns) and encompasses the provinces of Basrah, Maysan, Muthanna, Dhi Qar and Qadissiyah. The predominantly Shi'ah region contains the "super giant” oilfields of Rumaila, West Qurna, Majnoon and Halfaya which are arguably the most strategic assets in the country.

AKE maintains a unique 1-100 security risk rating system which expresses how hazardous a country or sub-national region is from a security perspective. A rating of 1 denotes that conditions are safe and stable, whereas a rating of 100 denotes widespread and terminal threat to life.  The ratings are updated in real-time by the AKE intelligence department. Unlike many existing risk rating scales, it does not state that a country is too dangerous to work in. Instead, it expresses in detail how hazardous an operating environment is, allowing a traveller or organisation to judge themselves whether or not they want to do business there.

The Iraq countrywide security risk rating was recently affirmed at 45 (Highly Dangerous Business Environment). KRG territory is rated at 19 (Elevated Risk). As a comparison, the United Kingdom is rated at 7 (Stable) and Iraq's neighbour Syria is rated at 56 (Extreme Security Risks).

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Source: AKE

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.

Violence remains particularly concentrated in urban parts of Anbar, Salah ad-Din, Ninawa, western Diyala, south-western Ta'mim and northern Babil provinces. Terrorist attacks also continue to take place throughout Baghdad.

Air strikes continue to target militant positions in sparsely populated areas in the west of Anbar and Ninawa provinces near the border with Syria.

Last week saw a handful of attacks in the south of the country, including what appears to have been sectarian killings at a Sunni mosque in Basrah, as well as two small bombings in the city of Najaf, a major centre for the Shi'ah community. IS militants continue to try and provoke a backlash from the Shi'ah community by attacking religious interests.

A total of 34 non-suicide bomb attacks left 30 people dead and 111 injured countrywide. As Ramadan drew to a close three additional suicide bombings left 101 people dead and 53 injured.

Small arms attacks left eight people dead and eight injured, although it is likely that many more members of the security forces were shot during clashes with militants. The reporting climate is very poor amid the violence which makes it difficult to cross reference and verify all reports.

Indirect fire incidents (rockets, mortars and military artillery shelling) left 46 people dead and 67 injured.

At least eight people were reportedly abducted. Some are likely to be murdered rather than held for a ransom. At least 41 bodies were also recovered by the authorities in different parts of the central region.

As the fighting rages on, the heavily divided parliament managed to appoint a new president. The Kurd Fouad Massoum faces a very difficult challenge in trying to help form a unity government in Baghdad. With Nuri al-Maliki intent on retaining his position as prime minister, with numerous Sunni and Kurdish politicians staunchly opposed to his candidacy, the government-formation process will remain very slow, which will hinder any efforts at resolving the current violence in the country.

Amid the protracted fighting AKE affirmed the security risk rating for Iraq last week at 45 (Highly Dangerous Business Environment). AKE also affirmed the security risk rating for KRG territory at 19 (Elevated Risk). 

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Source: AKE GROUP.

Iraq remains in Crisis, New 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.

A total of 48 non-suicide bomb attacks left 53 people dead and 220 injured last week - an increase from recent weeks.

Three additional suicide bombings left seven people dead and 15 injured.

Small arms attacks left 14 people dead and 118 injured, including members of the security forces shot during clashes with militants.

Indirect fire incidents (rockets, mortars and military artillery shelling) left 46 people dead and 142 injured.

The bodies of at least 26 people were also recovered abandoned in various parts of the central region.

Last week's summary:

• Total number of violent incidents: 625 (slight rise from previous week)
• Total fatalities (not including militants): 146 (decrease from previous week)
• Total injured (not including militants): 495
• Average weekly number of violent incidents: 57 (2012) and 98 (2013)
• Average weekly fatalities: 60 (2012) and 140 (2013)

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Source: AKE GROUP.

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.

The Iraqi government warned the UN that the militants had seized a chemical weapons facility north-west of Baghdad as well as nuclear material in Mosul, although various commentators reported that the militants would be unable to weaponise the material to any major extent and that it did not pose a major concern – at least not in comparison to the overall capabilities and threat posed by the IS in its existing form.

Amid the ongoing crisis the Iraqi parliament convened on 13 July but failed to appoint key members of government and subsequently adjourned within minutes of meeting. The next session will take place on 15 July.

The scope for cross-party agreement will remain low, with sharply deteriorating relations between Nuri al-Maliki and his allies and the Kurdish regional authorities in the north. Last week Nuri al-Maliki accused Erbil of harbouring terrorists while the Kurdish authorities seized control of two major oilfields near Kirkuk. While they aim to protect the assets the move is nonetheless provocative and will harm relations with the federal authorities.

With political relations so frayed the authorities will continue to seek a military solution to the insurgency in the central and northern provinces but without extensive negotiations, inclusion of key community figures and meaningful efforts to form an inclusive government the military solution will not pacify or stabilise the country.

As the fighting continues concerns have been raised over the stability of routes connecting Baghdad with the south of the country via Babil province. Roads around Jurf as-Sakhr are likely to be a significant battleground, the outcome of which will affect various aspects of life in the capital – including any evacuation plans which organisations in the city currently have in place.

Last week a total of 36 non-suicide bomb attacks left 12 people dead and 41 injured. Three additional suicide bombings left 36 people dead and 38 injured.

Small arms attacks left 38 people dead and 44 injured, including members of the security forces shot during clashes with militants. Indirect fire incidents (rockets, mortars and military artillery shelling) left 33 people dead and 87 injured.

At least 66 people were reportedly murdered, with their bodies found abandoned. Thirteen people were also reportedly abducted in the centre of the country.

Source:AKE

##Iraq remains in crisis, Another weekly roundup with analysis

Islamist fighters, such as those from the Islamic State (IS), continue to battle with the federal and Kurdish security forces in several parts of the central and northern region.

Clashes between the different sides accounted for the bulk of violence. Otherwise a total of 19 non-suicide bomb attacks left 10 people dead and 48 injured. Four additional suicide bombings left 24 people dead and 57 injured. Small arms attacks left seven people dead and six injured, including members of the security forces shot during clashes with militants. Indirect fire incidents (rockets, mortars and military artillery shelling) left 49 people dead and 50 injured.

Militants continue to abduct large numbers of people in territory they control, although they may not be held for a ransom. They may simply be executed instead; Islamist militants are rumoured to be killing opponents and ethnic minorities in areas under their control. Otherwise, a number of Turkish hostages were released from captivity but several more Turkish nationals seized from the consulate in Mosul remain in captivity.

The Islamists continue to try and blow up Shi'ah religious buildings, with several destroyed in the Mosul area last week. The militants are also still highly intent on attacking the four revered Shi'ah shrines (in Karbala, Samarra, Najaf and Kadhimiyah) with mortars landing dangerously close to the Askari mosque in Samarra last week. A suicide attack also reportedly hit the Kadhimiyah area earlier on 7 July. A direct hit on one of these shrines would likely prompt a major backlash from the Shi'ah community, potentially sparking a resurgence in sectarian bloodshed. Already conditions have worsened significantly. The UN announced last week that 2,417 people were killed in June, making it one of the bloodiest months since the 2006-2007 period.

In the south of the country followers of radical Shi'ah cleric Mahmoud al-Hassan al-Sharki (who oppose the government and the legitimacy of revered Shi'ah leader Ayotollah Ali al-Sistani) engaged in clashes with the security forces around Karbala and Qadissiyah.

In the north of the country the Kurdish regional authorities also called for a referendum on whether or not the area should become an independent state. For now the area is in a position of relatively strength in comparison to the rest of Iraq but an independent Iraqi Kurdistan will face a geopolitical minefield in what remains a notorious volatile near-neighbourhood.

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Source: AKE

Iraq in Crisis, Iraq Security weekly report

Total number of violent incidents recorded last week: 557 (slight decrease from previous week) Average weekly number of violent incidents during previous years: 98 (2013) and 57 (2012) Total fatalities last week (not including militants): approx. 314 (increase from previous week) Average weekly fatalities during previous years: 140 (2013 and 60 (2012) Total injured last week (not including militants): 352 Violence remains concentrated in urban parts of Anbar, Salah ad-Din, Diyala, Ninawa, Babil and Ta'mim province, as well as along the Syrian border. Baghdad and Kirkuk also continue to suffer sporadic terrorist attacks as the terrorists will want to maintain pressure on the federal and Kurdish authorities. The southern region and northern Kurdish Regional Government (KRG) territory remain relatively quiet but they are nonetheless still at risk of terrorist violence. With support, now from Israel, for an independent Kurdish state, the borders of Iraq appear increasingly fragile, but any re-drawing of the map is unlikely to be easy, straightforward or peaceful. Last week a total of 21 non-suicide bomb attacks left 10 people dead and 21 injured countrywide. Four additional suicide bombings left 40 people dead and 116 injured, a rise from recent weeks. Suicide bombings may become particularly common for the duration of Ramadan due to last until around 28 July. Small arms attacks left 42 people dead and 57 injured, including members of the security forces shot during clashes with militants. Indirect fire incidents (rockets, mortars and military artillery shelling) left 58 people dead and 158 injured (a notable rise). Militants appear to be using the tactic to target military facilities and intimidate populations in settlements which have not fallen under their control. --------------- Source: AKE

#Iraq Security weekly roundup

Levels of violence rose in Iraq last week as the country took part in national elections. However, the deterioration in conditions was not as bad as other spikes which have taken place in recent months.

AKE documented a 450 per cent rise in the weekly number of attacks in the run-up to the 30 April elections when compared to the comparative period in the run-up to the polls in 2010. Nonetheless, election day itself saw fewer attacks and a lower number of casualties than the 2010 polling day.

Over the course of the week at least 162 people were killed and 369 injured in nationwide incidents, which is very high for Iraq, but not as high as some of the more bloody weeks seen in recent months.

A total of 63 non-suicide bomb attacks left 40 people dead and 154 injured. At least 15 additional suicide bombings (the highest number documented by AKE since the company began recording such attacks in 2007) also took place, leaving 57 people dead and 117 injured.

Small arms attacks left 25 people dead and 28 injured. Indirect fire attacks (rockets and mortars) left 22 people dead and 64 injured.

Violence was concentrated in eastern Anbar province, Salah ad-Din province, Ninawa province, Diyala province, Ta'mim province and Baghdad, with a cluster of violence in northern Babil province.

There was also a scattering of incidents in Kurdish Regional Government (KRG) territory in the north, as well as in the predominantly Shi'ah and comparatively stable south.

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Source: AKE GROUP

#Iraq #Security weekly roundup

Levels of violence fell in Iraq last week but conditions remain highly hostile nonetheless. At least 118 people were killed and 345 injured in nationwide incidents.

A total of 59 bomb attacks, including two suicide bombings, left 58 people dead and 188 injured. Small arms attacks left 35 people dead and 72 injured.

Indirect fire attacks (rockets and mortars) left 19 people dead and 85 injured. The security forces also continue to clash with Islamist militants, mainly around urban parts of Anbar province, the border with Syria and sporadically in parts of Babil, Diyala, Ninawa, Salah ad-Din and Ta'mim provinces.

The oil-rich south of the country was quiet last week although the security forces remain on alert for potential attacks. Militants are reportedly intent on infiltrating the area from Anbar province via the desert.

The Kurdish governed autonomous territory in the north of the country was also quiet last week although militant attacks on interests, particularly the Kurdish security forces, remain a possibility.

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Source: AKE

Iraq Weekly Roundup

There was a fall in the total number of violent incidents reported in Iraq last week but conditions remain bad nonetheless. At least 150 people were killed and 382 injured in nationwide incidents. In 2012, the average weekly fatality range was 20-80. A total of 70 non-suicide bomb attacks left 67 people dead and 234 injured last week. Six additional suicide bombings left 31 more people dead and 130 injured. Small arms attacks left 49 people dead and 18 injured. Violence was concentrated in the cities of Baghdad and Mosul. Incidents also occurred along a belt of Anbar province stretching from Anah to Abu Ghraib, and along a belt in Diyala province from Ba'qubah to Khanaqin.  Additional clusters of attacks were reported in Shirqat (Salah ad-Din province) and Qa'im (Anbar province), while the northern city of Kirkuk also saw several incidents, including a complex mass-casualty attack on a police building and shopping centre. The south of the country was relatively quiet although a bomb targeted the convoy of a security company in Basrah province. Kurdish Regional Government (KRG) territory also saw a handful of rare incidents, all of which occurred in the city of Sulaymaniyah. Source: AKE

#Iraq weekly roundup. Last week is the worst week since 2007 !

 According to AKE figures last week was one of Iraq's most violent since 2007. At least 259 people were killed and 399 injured in nationwide incidents.

In 2012 the average weekly number of fatalities was 60. Last week's total number of deaths was over four times this.

At least 73 non-suicide bomb attacks left 98 people dead and 266 injured countrywide. Thirteen additional suicide bombings (a very high figure) left 53 people dead and 115 injured.

Small arms attacks left 55 people dead and 13 injured. Indirect fire attacks (rockets and mortars) left three people dead and five injured.

However, perhaps most concerning was the abduction and murder of several dozen people in Baghdad and the central region. Most of the victims were bound, blindfolded and tortured before being executed, usually by being shot in the head.

The abduction and murder of civilians on account of their community background was once common in Iraq but this latest spate has involved more killings than in any week since 2008.

The re-emerging trend marked the end of a particularly bloody November. According to AFP the United Nations Assistance Mission for Iraq (UNAMI) recorded 659 deaths over the course of the month, while the Health, Interior and Defence Ministries of Iraq recorded nearly 950 deaths. AFP's own tally recorded 692 fatalities.

Most of last week's incidents took place in the capital, as well as the city of Mosul and throughout the provinces of Anbar, Babil, Salah ad-Din, Ta'mim and western Diyala. These have been the usual flashpoints in the country for the past few months.

There was a scattering of incidents in the south of the country.

While there were no incidents recorded in Kurdish Regional Government (KRG) territory last week, a double bombing was reported in Sulaymaniyah earlier on 2 December.

Source: AKE 

#Iraq #Security weekly roundup

Levels of violence rose in Iraq last week. At least 144 people were killed and 360 injured in nationwide incidents. A higher than normal number of small arms attacks left 28 people dead and 34 injured. A total of 108 non-suicide bomb attacks left 85 people dead and 270 injured. Five additional suicide bombings left 30 more people dead and 55 injured. Attacks were concentrated in the cities of Mosul, Kirkuk and Baghdad, as well as throughout the settlements roughly located between them. Incidents were concentrated throughout Salah ad-Din province (with a spike in the Tuz Khurmatu area), with further clusters around Fallujah and Hit (Anbar province), Mada'in (Babil province) and Ba'qubah (Diyala province). A spate of attacks targeted Shi'ah religious worshippers gathering to mark Ashura. Further attacks on the community are to be expected. The next major religious event in the Shi'ah religious calendar is Arba'een, due around 23 December. In the south of the country two altercations around Rumailah oilfield prompted a large number of foreign personnel to leave the country, with at least one service company declaring force majeure on its operations. While levels of violence in the central region were bad, this energy-related development may be much more concerning for foreign investors. ____________________ Source: AKE

#Iraq #security #weekly roundup, week 45

- Levels of violence rose slightly in Iraq last week. At least 136 people were killed and 317 injured in nationwide incidents.

A total of 69 non-suicide bomb attacks left 76 people dead and 262 injured. Small arms attacks left 30 people dead and 18 injured.

Seven additional suicide bombings left 29 people dead and 37 injured. The figure would have been higher but the security forces were able to shoot dead several would-be bombers before they were able to detonate their explosives.

Violence was concentrated in Baghdad and the districts surrounding it in Anbar, Babil and Diyala provinces, as well as in Mosul and scattered throughout Salah ad-Din province. There was also a rise in violence around Kirkuk.

The south of the country was quiet, except for a rare shooting in Basrah city. The Kurdish region in the north of the country was also quiet although the security forces reportedly foiled an attempted terrorist attack in Dahuk province.

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Source: AKE

#Iraq #Security #Weekly roundup , week #43

 There was a fall in the number of attacks taking place in Iraq last week, but several of those which did take place involved large numbers of casualties.

As such, the total number of fatalities remained high. At least 163 people were killed and 371 injured in nationwide incidents.

A total of 47 non-suicide bomb attacks left 82 people dead and 230 injured. While this is a high number it is still a lower figure than that recorded in recent weeks.

Four additional suicide bombings left at least 67 people dead and 137 injured. One targeted a predominantly Shabak village near Mosul, highlighting the ongoing risk posed to minority communities in the country. Another suicide bombing targeted a busy café in Baghdad. The other two targeted civilians and government interests in the central provinces.

A lower than normal number of small arms attacks left 11 people dead and four injured. There were also several indirect fire attacks (rockets and mortars) reported, mainly in Anbar province, although they caused no casualties.

Anbar was the most violent province but there were other clusters of militant attacks in Baghdad, Mosul, Kirkuk and southern Salah ad-Din province.

The south of the country saw no major incidents of violence at all, while Kurdish Regional Government (KRG) territory was also quiet.

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Source: AKE Group

Iraq Security Weekly Roundup week #29

There was a fall in the number of attacks reported in Iraq last week. At least 130 people were killed and 402 injured in nationwide incidents.

However, while this is a reduction from the previous week, overall levels of violence remain very high in the country. Last week's fatality figure is well above average.

Violence was concentrated around Mosul, Kirkuk and the wider area surrounding Baghdad (especially in Fallujah, Ba'qubah and Muqdadiyah districts).

There were additional incidents reported around Basrah in the south, while clusters were also reported around Tuz Khurmatu and Shirqat in the north.

A total of 57 non-suicide bomb attacks left 58 people dead and 205 injured, a high figure for the country.

At least 10 additional suicide bombings left 29 more people dead and 155 injured. This is also a very high number, possibly linked to the belief amongst some radical Islamists that the holy month of Ramadan is ideally suited to martyrdom.

Small arms attacks left 30 people dead and 18 injured. A rise in indirect fire attacks (rockets and mortars) also left eight people dead and 24 injured.

On 21 July militants also conducted two complex attacks against prisons in Abu Ghraib and Taji, both in the outskirts of Baghdad, in an attempt to free prisoners held at the institutions. Reports differ as to the number of inmates released during the deadly attacks but several suspected members of al-Qaeda-affiliated organisations could be among the escapees.


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Source: AKE Group

#Iraq violence escalates

Levels of violence have risen consistently in Iraq over recent months. AKE documented at least 1,090 separate violent incidents between April and June, averaging at around 12 per day.

This is an increase from the first quarter of the year (January-March), which saw at least 879 separate attacks. What is particularly noteworthy, however, is that both the first and second quarters of this year saw more violent incidents than any quarter in 2012.

According to AKE's Iraq specialist John Drake the intensification of attacks over the last six months is very worrying.

"This is a very sustained deterioration, which is more concerning than some of the spikes in violence we have seen over recent years.”

AKE believes that levels of violence have risen because of social tensions on the ground.

"There is rising animosity amongst the Sunni community towards the predominantly Shi'ah government, while radical Islamist terrorists have increased the pace of their attacks, in part to try and capitalise on the public mood and to gain support from the Sunni population.”

AKE raised the risk rating for Iraq in May after a deterioration in security conditions, particularly in the central provinces. This came after the security forces stormed an anti-government protest camp in Ta'mim province in April. The incident left several people dead and provoked a violent backlash by armed residents of the central region. 


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Source: AKE

Iraq Weekly Roundup, Week #25

Levels of violence rose considerably in Iraq last week. In total, at least 103 people were killed and 334 injured in nationwide incidents, a very high figure for the country

Incidents were concentrated in Ninawa province and the central region but a series of attacks also took place around the south of the country on 16 June, leaving dozens of casualties.

A total of 51 non-suicide bomb attacks left 70 people dead and 274 injured. This is a very high figure on its own, but there were also four additional suicide bombings, which left four people dead and 31 injured. Terrorists have evidently increased the pace of their attacks.

Small arms attacks left 22 people dead and 18 injured, a more standard figure for the country.

Security is likely to be heightened in Anbar and Ninawa provinces over the coming days ahead of delayed provincial elections but this may not deter militants who may attempt to conduct further political assassinations and terrorist attacks aimed at intimidating would-be voters who might otherwise go to the polls.

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Source: AKE Group

Iraq weekly roundup, week #24

Levels of violence rose considerably in Iraq last week. In total, at least 103 people were killed and 334 injured in nationwide incidents, a very high figure for the country

Incidents were concentrated in Ninawa province and the central region but a series of attacks also took place around the south of the country on 16 June, leaving dozens of casualties.

A total of 51 non-suicide bomb attacks left 70 people dead and 274 injured. This is a very high figure on its own, but there were also four additional suicide bombings, which left four people dead and 31 injured. Terrorists have evidently increased the pace of their attacks.

Small arms attacks left 22 people dead and 18 injured, a more standard figure for the country.

Security is likely to be heightened in Anbar and Ninawa provinces over the coming days ahead of delayed provincial elections but this may not deter militants who may attempt to conduct further political assassinations and terrorist attacks aimed at intimidating would-be voters who might otherwise go to the polls.

Yesterday many southern cities been hit by car bombs in Basra, Nasiriyah and Baghdad left more than 100 causalities. 

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Source: AKE & National news. 

Iraq Weekly Roundup Week# 23

Levels of violence fell in Iraq last week but conditions remain tense and the situation could escalate quickly once again. The coming week could see a rise in violence, particularly in the centre of the country.

Sectarian tensions, anti-government protests, terrorist attacks and divisions between the Kurdish and federal authorities remain intense.

Last week violent incidents were concentrated around Anbar, Baghdad and Diyala provinces, as well as through Salah ad-Din province and in the city of Mosul further north. These areas will likely remain the main flashpoint over the coming weeks and months. Conditions were quiet in the south although notable incidents relating to violence and crime took place in the region nonetheless.

At least 76 people were killed and 220 injured in nationwide incidents, which is a fall from recent weeks, but still a relatively high figure when compared to recent years.

A total of 36 bomb attacks left 30 people dead and 130 injured. Three additional suicide bombings left 19 people dead and 84 injured.

Although there was a decline in the number of small arms attacks they still left 26 people dead and six injured.

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Source: AKE Group. 

Iraq Review

The UN Assistance Mission in Iraq (UNAMI) reports that more than 1,000 people were killed in Iraq
in May, making it the deadliest month since the widespread sectarian violence of 2006-2007, reports
BBC. The vast majority of deaths were civilian. Baghdad was the worst-hit region of the country. The
increase in attacks has been accompanied by rumours of sectarian militias roaming Baghdad seeking
revenge-killings. UN Special Representative in Iraq Martin Kobler warned, “[s]ystematic violence is
ready to explode at any moment if all Iraqi leaders do not engage immediately to pull the country out
of this mayhem”, reports United Press International (UPI). Later, Kobler reported that a weekend
meeting with political leaders included the Prime Minister, religious leaders and key administrative
officials addressing the uptick in violence, reports UPI.

Deputy Prime Minister for Energy Affairs Hussein al Shahristani warned Israel on 03 June that
Baghdad would respond to any attempts to use Iraqi airspace for a strike against Iran’s controversial
nuclear energy programme, according to Agence France-Presse (AFP). Iraq’s defence ministry reports
it interrupted an al Qaeda cell operating in Baghdad, working to produce poisonous gas for terrorist
attacks, according to Al Jazeera. The five-man cell used instructions obtained from another al Qaeda
group to build two facilities for production of sarin and mustard gas. The cell intended to launch
domestic attacks, as well as attacks in Europe, Canada and the United States. An al Qaeda plot to pack
tanker trucks with explosives and attack a key Baghdad oil facility was thwarted by Iraqi security,
reports Al Jazeera.

Russian oil company Lukoil Vice President Andrei Kuzyaev stated that his company will invest USD 4 billion in West Qurna, the oil complex near the Iraqi port city of Basra, one of the largest undeveloped oil fields in the world, according to UPI. Lukoil predicts the first oil from the West Qurna-2 oil field will flow within six months. The New York Times (NYT) reports that China is now Iraq’s largest oil customer, purchasing nearly 1.5 billion barrels per day (bpd). China continues to move aggressively towards expanding its role in Iraq’s petroleum industry, as the Iraqi government is increasingly at odds with some foreign oil companies that previously cut deals with the semi-autonomous region of Kurdistan.

One of the world’s most famous wetlands is enjoying a major restoration, after being drained and destroyed under Saddam Hussein in the 1980s, reports BBC. Some regard the lush Iraqi marshes as the original Biblical Garden of Eden. Also, BBC reports that although the Kurdish region of Iraq has progressed economically and socially, the northern region continues to be a very patriarchal and conservative society where women continue to experience domestic violence, social injustice and discrimination. As a result, doctors report that each month they see “hundreds of cases of self-immolation”.

• Daily Star Reports: on 28-May; 28 people were killed during an attacks in Baghdad and villages north of capital.
• Aljazeera reports on 29-May; a weeding party in southern Jihad district of baghdad was attacked. Resulting 16 deaths and 42 wounded.
• CNN reported on 29-May; In the Abu Graib district, 20 people were killed when a roudside bomb and a subsequent car bomb exploded near market. In Musol an anti-government sunni activist assassinated, he was one of ten people found dead from act violence on 29-May.
• AP reports on 30-May; string of bombings at north of Mosul killed at least 30 people. 
• Same day Daily Star reports; at least 26 people were killed in baghdad.
• Aljazeera Reports: on 2-June; 6 people were killed and five kidnapped in series attacks in Anbar province.
• Routers Reports: on 3-June; PKK militants fired  on Turkish troops in south east Turkey, the first such accident since announcements of the PKK withdrawal from Turkey.

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Resources: CimicWeb, NATO, CNN, Aljazeera, Daily Star, AFP, AP, NYT.

as it by: Linda Lavender. 

Iraq "In Focus"

Initial results of the 20 April provincial elections show Iraqi Prime Minister Nouri al Maliki’s State of
Law coalition leading in eight of the twelve provinces holding elections, reports Reuters. With 87 per
cent of the ballots tabulated, the coalition’s strong showing consolidates Maliki’s position ahead of
2014 parliamentary elections.
Prime Minister Maliki appeared to blame the Syrian civil war for Iraq’s growing sectarian violence,
according to Al Jazeera. Maliki stated, “[s]trife is knocking on the doors of everyone, and no one will
survive if it enters, because there is a wind behind it, and money, and plans”. Iraq’s most recent wave
of violence began on 23 April when government security forces moved against anti-government
protesters, primarily Sunni, in the town of Hawijad sparking
clashes that left 53 people dead, according to Radio Free
Europe/Radio Liberty (RFE/RL). Following five days of bloody
violence in Iraq, Australian Associated Press (AAP) reports
more than 215 people killed in sectarian attacks. UN Special
Envoy to Iraq Martin Kobler urged political, tribal and religious
leaders “not to let anger win over peace”, warning that the
country was “at a crossroads”, reports BBC. In an effort to quell
violence in the country, Iraqi authorities suspended the licenses
of ten television satellite stations on 28 April. Iraqi authorities
accused the stations of inciting sectarian violence, according to
BBC. Iraq’s Communications and Media Commission stated that
stations such as pro-Sunni Al Jazeera encouraged revenge
against security forces after the raiding of a Sunni protest camp
on 22 April that sparked country-wide violence.


Meanwhile, as fighting raged in the northern city of Fallujah and villages surrounding Baquba there were signs that Maliki’s military was “fracturing along sectarian lines”, reports New York Times (NYT). An influential Sunni cleric, Sheik Abdul Malik al-Saadi, has urged members of Iraq’s security forces to abandon their posts and join the opposition. The Iraqi army is already facing Sunni attrition within its ranks. Also, AAP reports that Sunni Minister of Education Mohammed Ali Tamimand Minister of Science and Technology Abdulkarim al Samarraie resigned from their Cabinet posts after the 22 April incident.
A number of other security-related events were reported this past week. A group of unidentified gunmen seized the government offices of the Sunni town Sulaiman Bek on 25 April, according to Middle East Online. Soon after, Iraqi forces used helicopter gunships to fire at militants hiding in the village which was eventually retaken on 26 April, reports NYT. On 26 April, three Sunni mosque bombings in Baghdad and an additional bombing north of the country’s capital left four dead and fifty wounded, reports AAP. In Sunni-majority Anbar province, militants shot and killed five Iraqi soldiers on 27 April, reports Reuters. As a result, a curfew was imposed throughout Anbar province, according to RFE/RL. On the same day, Reuters reports that Sunni tribes from Anbar province announced the formation of the Army of Pride and Dignity, “meant to protect Anbar province”, according to Sheikh Saeed Al Lafi. Also, Kurdish security forces deployed beyond the formal boundary of their autonomous region on 27 April, a move they said was to protect civilians in the oil-rich territory over which both the Kurds and Baghdad claim jurisdiction, according to Reuters. On 29 April, five car bombs struck predominately Shi’ite cities and districts across Iraq, killing 36 people and wounding scores more, reports Associated Press (AP).
Murat Karayilan, military head of the Kurdistan Workers’ Party (PKK1) told Voice of America (VOA) that an estimated 2,000 PKK fighters would commence their withdrawal from Turkey in early May 2013 and expect completion within several months. The announcement is the first major step forward in the peace process between the Turkish government and PKK rebels. Additionally, PKK members will receive political training in the Kandil Mountains of northern Iraq, according to UPI. After training is completed, the PKK will launch a democratization campaign in Iraq.
In economic news, Russian oil company Lukoil expects to produce 150,000 crude barrels per day from the West Qurna-2 field by January 2014, reports UPI. The West Qurna complex is near the Iraqi port city of Basra and is estimated to contain as many as 14 billion barrels of crude.
Thanks & Regards,
Mohamedridha Alaskari.

____________________________________________
As it of: CimicWeb. Landa Lavender, resources: AP, AAP, NYT, RFE/RL, BBC, VOA,

Iraq Weekly Security Roundup, week 16

Levels of violence rose considerably in Iraq last week. At least 231 people were killed and dozens, possibly hundreds more were injured in nationwide incidents.

The security forces opened fire on protesters at a camp in the northern town of Hawijah on 23 April, killing a reported 28 people. This prompted a major backlash by predominantly Sunni anti-government individuals, many of whom took up arms and attacked the police and military.

The violence was most concentrated in the northern province of Ninawa, although there was also a significant escalation in Salah ad-Din province as well as in the east of Anbar province. Ta'mim and Diyala provinces also saw several attacks.

The previous week saw a large number of bombings around the country, which may have prompted the security forces to take a harder line on the protest movement. Last week, however, saw a fall in the number of bombings, with only 24 blasts reported, killing 27 people and injuring 140 (a relatively low figure for Iraq). There were no suicide bombings.

Small arms fire was far more prevalent, with AKE documenting at least 71 fatalities directly attributed to shooting incidents. This is evidently the preferred tactic of individuals taking part in the clashes.

Also, 3 Iraqi Army soldiers been killed by extremist nearby the protests camp in Alanbar city.


The true casualty figure is also likely to be much higher with reporting conditions extremely poor in areas caught up in the violence.


__________________________________________
Source: AKE

Raises security risk rating for Iraq

 The country is now rated at 38 (Grave Security Concerns), up one point from 37 as a result of a recent increase in violence in the country.

The Iraqi security forces are reported to have killed several people when they opened fire on demonstrators at an anti-government protest in the northern town of Hawijah earlier on 23 April.

This will likely prompt an intensification of anti-government sentiments elsewhere in the country and could lead to more sporadic violence at protests in towns such as Mosul and Fallujah.

Terrorist organisations may also increase their bombing campaigns against government and security force targets in an attempt to win sympathy from the demonstrators.

Bombings should also be expected over the coming few days as the results of the recent provincial elections are due to be announced.

Levels of violence are currently higher than normal in Iraq. At least 108 people were killed and 309 injured in nationwide incidents last week. It saw more attacks than any other week so far this year.

_________________________________________
Source: AKE Group

Iraq Security weekly roundup week # 15

Levels of violence fell in Iraq last week. At least 55 people were killed and 82 injured in nationwide incidents. However, a series of blasts took place around the country earlier on 15 April and next week's total is likely to be higher.

Last week a total of 25 bomb attacks left 34 people dead and 72 injured. Small arms attacks left 17 people dead and 10 injured. There were no suicide bombings or indirect fire attacks (rockets and mortars) reported.

Incidents were concentrated in the provinces of Anbar and Ninawa, particularly around the cities of Fallujah and Mosul. Diyala and Salah ad-Din provinces also saw several attacks. The Kurdish region in the north and the southern provinces all remained quiet.

AKE has also released figures outlining levels of violence in the country between January and March. Levels of violence rose over the period, with at least 1059 people killed. Ninawa was the most hostile province, experiencing an average of two attacks per day. The oil-rich south and Kurdish-governed provinces saw significantly lower levels of violence.

______________________________
Source: AKE 

Iraq Security Weekly Roundup, week #12

Levels of violence rose considerably in Iraq last week, making it the second-worst week for violence so far this year.

At least 125 people were killed and 302 injured in nationwide incidents, the worst casualty figures since a spate of co-ordinated terrorist attacks in September.

At least 49 non-suicide bomb attacks left 82 people dead and 253 injured – a very high figure for the country.

Three additional suicide bombings left 11 people dead and 33 injured. There has been a rise in suicide attacks over recent weeks although most appear to have inflicted a relatively small number of casualties.

Small arms attacks left 32 people dead and 14 injured, a relatively high figure. Many took place in the capital where militants appear to have resumed targeted assassinations against civic employees and senior members of the security forces. Officials associated with the April provincial elections have also been singled out countrywide.

Otherwise, indirect fire attacks (rockets and mortars) left three people injured. Two people were also found stabbed to death in Anbar and Wassit provinces.

Violence was concentrated in Baghdad, which experienced more attacks than any other week since the end of 2011. Mosul was also violent, but more customarily so. Otherwise incidents were concentrated in the central region, predominantly in districts adjacent to the capital.

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________________________
Source: IraqJobSeekers

Iraq 'in focus' after the tenth anniversary of Iraq invasion

According to the Iraq Body Count, an Iraqi casualty database, bloodshed and death rates in Iraq have increased since the departure of US troops in December 2011, reports The Telegraph. In 2012, 4,570 civilians were killed compared to 4,147 in 2011. The increase is attributed to the resurgence of al Qaeda in Iraq (AQI). According to estimates by Iraqi officials, AQI’s membership has increased from 700 in 2011 to 2,500 today. The US Central Intelligence Agency (CIA) ramped up its collaboration with Iraq’s Counterterrorism Service (CTS) in order to better fight al Qaeda affiliates along the shared Iraqi-Syrian border, according to The Wall Street Journal. The move comes as Syrian violence is increasingly spilling into Iraq. Most recently, an estimated fifty Assad soldiers were ambushed and 
killed in Iraqi territory after seeking safety from rebel fighters. Iraqi officials say that the attack bore the hallmarks of AQI. Shortly after, on 12 March, the Associated Press (AP) reports AQI claimed responsibility for the ambush along the shared border. 



In Ramadi, protests continue as thousands of Sunni Iraqis line the highway standing in “long neat lines praying on coloured prayer mats” in an effort to block the main highway linking Iraq to Jordan and Syria, reports The Guardian. Tent cities have sprung up in major Sunni-dominated cities such as Ramadi, Mosul and Fallujah. The tents provide support and shelter for protesters. Sustained protests have facilitated reconciliation among Sunni insurgent groups and tribal leaders who have “put aside their differences to mount a common front against Baghdad”. One Sunni insurgent, Abu Saleh, states that a truce with the tribal sheikhs, other factions and even moderate elements in al Qaeda, “has united 
Sunnis like never before”. Saleh added, “The politicians have joined us and we have the legitimacy of the street”. On 15 March, hundreds of Sunni protesters clashed with Iraqi police attempting to prevent demonstrators from reaching Abu Hanifa, the most venerated Sunni-mosque in Baghdad, and the location of weekly protests against the Shi’ite led government, according to The Daily Star. Witnesses at the scene reported that Iraqi riot police used batons and water cannons to stop worshippers from assembling at the Sunni mosque. Also, in western Anbar province, masked men arrived at the scene of demonstrations in Fallujah, raising the Syrian Rebel flag and a black banner that mimicked the AQI banner. Trend reports that tens of thousands of Shi’ite protesters in southern Iraqi took to the streets on 16 March to protest the sectarian violence in the country. Led by Shi’ite cleric Muqtada al Sadr, the protest also marked the 
tenth anniversary of the US-led invasion of Iraq.


A series of coordinated attacks rocked Baghdad on 14 March killing an estimated 24 people and wounding dozens of others, according to Voice of America (VOA). The attacks concentrated in the Allawi district, which hosts several government ministry offices. AQI later claimed responsibility for the attacks, reports Reuters. On 15 March, militants gunned down eight Iraqi soldiers reporting for work in a town north of Baghdad, according to Daily Star. On the same day, gunmen in the city of Baquba forced their way into the house of a local Sahwa1 anti-al Qaeda leader, killing him and his three sons. On 18 March, a car bomb killed ten people on the outskirts of the southern Iraqi city of Basra while earlier that morning, another bomb detonated in the city centre, reports Agence France-Presse (AFP). On the same day, a suicide bomber driving an explosive-rigged truck wounded three police officers near Baiji in northern Iraq. 
Finally,on 18 March, Iraqi officials report that two bombs, including a sticky bomb, attached to the undercarriage of a bus, killed four people in a western Baghdad suburb, according to AP.


On 13 March, Kurdish militants released eight Turkish captives who had been held since 2011 and 2012, reports The New York Times (NYT). The former captives met their families at a Turkish-Iraqi border crossing. The release is the latest sign that peace talks between Turkey and Kurdish rebels are gaining momentum. Kurdistan Workers’ Party (PKK2) leader Abdullah Ocalan, imprisoned in Turkey 
since 1999, is in discussions with Turkey. The release of the captives “[is] the first tangible result of the talks, and paves the way for more success”, said Umit Firat, a prominent Kurdish intellectual.


Iran and Iraq signed an agreement that expands cooperation between the naval forces, reports Trend. The agreement will include mutual exchanges and joint drills in the Persian Gulf. Also, Iraq’s Oil Ministry announced that seven international oil companies qualify to bid for developing the 4.4 billion-barrel Nasiriyah field and constructing 300,000 barrels per day (BPD) refinery nearby, according to AP. The field is located in Thi Qar province, approximately two hundred miles south of Baghdad.


The Kurdish Genocide International Conference began in Erbil, Kurdistan on 14 March, according to Gulf News. The three day conference seeks to raise international awareness about the massacres carried out by Saddam Hussein’s forces against the ethnic Kurds in northern Iraq. On 16 March, Kurds commemorated the 25th anniversary of the Halabja massacre, in which an estimated 5,000 died in a chemical attack on the northern city, reports VOA. The massacre was part of a broader genocide campaign called the “Anfal”; 
some 182,000 Kurds were killed at the hands of the Iraqi government.

__________________________________
Sources: NATO, CFC, VOA, AP, AFP, NYT, The Telegraph. 

Iraq Weekly Roundup week # 11

As Iraq prepares to mark the ten-year anniversary of the multinational invasion, security conditions remain poor in the country.

The overall number of attacks remained relatively unchanged last week when compared to weeks earlier in the year, although there was a fall in the number of fatalities.

At least 78 people were killed and 185 injured in nationwide incidents, which is relatively standard.

The previous week had seen an unusually high death toll, partly because of an attack on Syrian soldiers in Anbar province which left dozens dead.

Last week saw at least 40 non-suicide explosive attacks, which is higher than normal, but the majority of devices used were relatively small or low-yielding in terms of casualties inflicted. They left 16 people dead and 84 injured.

Three additional suicide explosive attacks left 23 people dead and 86 injured, including several in an attack against the Ministry of Justice in central Baghdad.

There was a fall in the number of shooting attacks, which left 37 people dead and 15 injured, but there was nonetheless a rise in the use of the tactic against election officials and ministry employees, especially in Baghdad.

Violence was concentrated in the usual hotspots of Baghdad (which saw more fatalities than anywhere else in the country) Mosul and Kirkuk, with clusters in Fallujah, Ba'qubah, Tikrit, Riyadh and Bayji.

The southern city of Basrah was also hit by a rare double bombing over the weekend left around 35 causalities. 

____________________________
Source: AKE  

Iraq Weekly Security weekly roundup week #7

While Baghdad saw a spate of attacks on 17 February, the overall number of countrywide incidents neither increased nor decreased last week.

The number of fatalities was actually lower than the previous week.

At least 65 people were killed and 145 injured in nationwide incidents, most of which took place in the capital and predominantly Sunni areas in the central and northern provinces.

The south of the country saw several police operations and arrests but no major outbreaks of violence.

A total of 29 bomb attacks left 24 people dead and 125 injured countrywide. Two additional suicide bombings in Ninawa province left eight people dead and four injured.

A higher than normal number of small arms fire attacks left 30 people dead and 16 injured.

There were also two indirect fire attacks (rockets and mortars) recorded but they did not cause any casualties.

Discontent continues to simmer in majority Sunni parts of the country, particularly the east of Anbar province.

However, the government managed to prevent demonstrations from reaching the capital by clamping down on traffic in and out of the city.

This is likely to infuriate the Sunni community further, while it will also have a major impact on travel plans in and around the capital.


________________________________________________
Source: AKE

UNDERSTANDING ACCESS ATTACK TYPES

It is very important for the growing up employees as an administrator, you’ve no doubt heard countless horror stories of data being accessed
as a result of stupidity. Users write their passwords on scraps of paper and tape them to the
monitor because the length/complexity requirements have made the passwords too difficult
to remember. Other users go home without logging out and never return; the terminal stays
logged in indefinitely, allowing an attacker to sit at it and copy key files. These stories may
sound too unrealistic to believe, but there is some truth to them.


For this scenario, you’ll need to put yourself in the position of an outsider wanting to find
any sliver of data that can be used to allow you to gain access to a network. That sliver of
data could be a user’s password, the name and location of a data file, or anything else of
a sensitive nature. From that perspective, see if you can answer these questions:

• How often do users change their passwords, and how d NN o they go about memorizing their new ones for the first few days? Do they write them down and carry them in their belongings? Do they stick a piece of paper in a drawer (and if so, is it locked)?

• What happens to sensitive information that’s printed? Is it shredded or just tossed in the wastebasket? Who collects the trash—a contracted service provider or the city?

•  Crucial data, such as backup sets, are stored off-site. Where are they stored? Would it be easier to break in and get that data than to break into the network? How many people know where the backup sets are?

These are a few of the questions you must ask as an administrator in order to keep your
data safe. Your answers can help you determine whether you need to make the workplace
more secure. 


- Security+

Iraq Security Weekly Roundup Week #5

 Levels of violence fell in Iraq last week. At least 54 people were killed and 141 injured in nationwide incidents.

A total of 19 bomb attacks left five people dead and 28 injured. An additional suicide bombing in Kirkuk left at least 33 people dead and over 100 injured.

Small arms fire attacks left 16 people dead and seven injured. Indirect fire attacks (rockets and mortars) left one person injured. There were no abductions reported.

Levels of violence rose in Ta'mim province. Otherwise they were concentrated in and around Baghdad and the northern city of Mosul. The central province saw a fall in the total number of attacks compared to recent weeks.

Kurdish Regional Government (KRG) territory and the south of the country saw no attacks at all.

____________________________
Source: AKE Group, MOI officilas.