The North Central Region saw a continuation in the high tempo of ISF operations noted in the previous reporting period, with significant activity occurring in Salah al-Din, Kirkuk and Diyala. These operations were accompanied by announcements outlining security plans for the month of Ramadan for all three provinces. According to ISF communiqués these plans involve the intensification of security at sensitive locations such as markets and mosques and a general elevation in the security posture for mobile and static checkpoints. In Diyala there were also announcements of a conference to bring together tribal and community leaders to discuss the shortcomings in security, the reestablishment of an Awakening-style intelligence network and a concerted campaign against IED networks. Within this context open sources reported that more than two hundred Saddam-era military officers in Kirkuk and Diyala had responded to the call for their return as part of the programme to reintegrate officers from the former army of the rank lieutenant colonel and below. In addition to political considerations this programme is likely designed both to improve ISF capabilities and to weaken the support networks available to Sunni insurgents.
These concerted efforts to reverse the recent insurgent gains in the north-central region initially appeared to meet with some success over the course of the week, with large scale arrests in Salah al-Din and Kirkuk and few reported incidents of note; a VBIED in Balad on 16 July 2012 and a number of IEDs across Salah al-Din and Diyala. However, the 23 July attacks underlined the continuing potency of Sunni insurgent groups operating in the region. Detected incidents this week also included seven shooting incidents, ten IEDs, one UVIED and one VBIED.
Kurdistan Regional Government (KRG) – No significant incident were reported this week within the three provinces which comprise the KRG (Dahuk, Erbil and Sulaymaniyah).
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