Southern Iraq (South Central and South East Regions)
The South Central Region reported a total of six incidents during the period, a slight increase on last weeks figure, but still below the 2012 weekly average of eight. All violent incidents this week were concentrated in northern Babil and Wasit Provinces, with Najaf, Qadisiya and Karbala recording no incidents. In Wasit a member of the Provincial Council PSD team was wounded by small arms fire, an inmate on death row escaped prison and a woman attempted to kidnap a child in Kut. In Babil there were small arms fire attacks against both civilians and ISF, a Jurf al-Sakhr district council member and chief of the Tribal Support Council was killed when an IED targeted his vehicle as he returned home from a reconciliation conference in Jabala. This is a high-profile attack and possibly reflects the efforts of insurgent groups to undermine prominent community members who represent a challenge to their own agenda. This week also saw the draining of lakes used for farming carp in the volatile Lakes Area of Iskandariya, purportedly for security reasons as the reed forests are used for concealment by insurgent groups. Such actions have the potential to degrade relations with the local community and bolster insurgent support in the area.
The South East Region reported four incidents during the period, a reduction on last weeks figure and below the 2012 weekly average of seven. Of the four, only a single incident occurred in Basra Province(one murder), which represents an exceptionally subdued week even by the standards of the south east. It can be expected that incident levels will rise again in the coming weeks. In Muthana a hand-grenade was found and cleared from a civilian’s home. While Muthana rarely features in reporting this incident is not serious and does not reflect a change in the normally stable nature of the province. In Maysan there was a demonstration against poor services in Salam, which ISF dispersed with small arms fire, and an IED outside the home of an assistant of the warden of Amarah Prison, injuring a family member. The general security picture across the south east remains calm.
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