Northern Iraq (North and North Central Regions – including the KRG)
The Northern Region reported 33 incidents during the period; down on last week’s figure of 36, but still above the 2012 weekly average of 25. Since August, there has been a noticeable cyclical pattern of two weeks of increased insurgent activity, followed by a week where activity subsides. As is usual, all of this week’s reported incidents occurred in Ninawa province, mainly concentrated in Mosul, with the exception of small clusters of activity in the Tigris River Valley, and to the west along the smuggling corridor to Syria. There were a greater proportion of IED attacks this week compared to the previous reporting period, with almost seventy per cent of incidents involving IEDs. Mosul continues to be the centre of the insurgency in Ninawa and with the exception of two grenade attacks, all incidents in Mosul this week were IED related, with a broad geographical spread across the city. The convoy of a Kurdish official was targeted during the coordinated attacks on 14 November, undoubtedly intended to stir-up Arab-Kurd tensions. The facilitation routes between Mosul and Syria remain highly active, with three incidents involving altercations between ISF and smugglers in the areas of Ba’aj and Rabia. The Turkmen town of Tal Afar also reported three IEDs and a small arms fire (SAF) incident this week.
The North Central Region reported 35 incidents during the period; on par with last week’s figure of 36 and the 2012 weekly average figure. Diyala witnessed a large increase in insurgent activity, (predominantly along the Diyala River Valley), while incident levels in Kirkuk and Salah al-Din were reduced on last weeks activity. The North Central Region witnessed the highest number of VBIEDs during this reporting period, with four VBIEDs in Kirkuk province (three in Kirkuk city and one in Hawija), and a VBIED on the road between Baquba and Balad Ruz in Diyala; all connected with the 14 November coordinated attack series. A VBIED attack on 17 November at a rest-stop on Highway 1 near Balad killed 30 Iranian and Pakistani pilgrims and a VBIED in Khalis the following day at a popular market were more obviously conducted to increase Sunni/Shia tensions. The establishment of the Tigris Operations Command (TOC) continues to be a point of significant Arab-Kurd tension, which was manifested on 16 November in Tuz Khormato when a protracted SAF engagement took place between a Federal Police checkpoint, and the security detail of a Kurdish official. On 17 November, Kurdish Peshmerga forces redeployed from Sulaymaniyah to the northeast of Tuz Khormato district. Both Kurdish and Arab officials have made attempts to reduce tensions by publicly calling on each other to show caution and restraint.
Kurdistan Regional Government (KRG) – No significant incidents were reported during the period in the provinces of Dahuk or Erbil. Three incidents were reported in Sulaymaniyah province, likely related to criminal or personal disputes, rather than insurgent activity.
Comments are closed.