Southern Iraq (South Central and South East Regions)
The South Central Region reported 12 incidents during the period, slightly above the 2012 weekly average of nine. Reporting in the region was focused in the northern half of Babil, with over half of all the reported incidents occurring there. These included three small arms fire (SAF) attacks (two on ISF and one an Awakening member); a under-vehicle bomb attack (UVIED) which killed the Jabala Chief of Police; and two attacks involving explosive devices on civilians. While Babil has frequently seen a reduction in general activity levels in recent months, it appears that violence may now be again escalating. This week also saw two serious incidents in the South Central Region as part of the attack-series on 30 September. The first was a SVBIED detonation near the Gharraf Damn (at the western entrance to Kut); the second was the ISF interception of two VBIEDs at the eastern entrance to Diwaniyah (on the road leading from Afak).
The South East Region reported ten incidents during the period, slightly above the 2012 weekly average of seven. Once again the majority of incidents were focused in Basra Province, where reporting included the high profile assassination of former Basra Governor Mohammed Waili who was shot and killed by unknown assailants; two grenades attacks, an improvised explosive device (IED) attack and two UVIEDs. Outside Basra Province, two youths were killed in an IED attack in Fajr; a town in northern Dhi Qar thought to be heavily influenced by the Jaish al-Mahdi (JAM). The assassination of Mohammed Waili as well as other threat reporting led to an emergency security meeting at the Basra Operations Command (BaOC) on 30 September, which resulted in a subsequent increase in ISF security posture in Basra City and the surrounding areas.
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