Northern Iraq (North and North Central Regions – including the KRG)
The Northern Region reported 27 incidents during the period, similar to last week’s figure of 30, and on par with the 2012 weekly average of 25. As is the established norm, all of this weeks reported activity occurred in Ninawa province. Mosul remains the focus of attacks in the North Region, however the towns of Hammam al Alil and Qayyara on the Tigris River Valley, also featured in reporting. Activity levels from the border areas of Ninawa province were much more subdued than has been experienced over the past six months, with just a single altercation reported in the border town of Rabia. Despite a slight reduction in incidents this week, there was an increase in their ferocity, with five VBIEDs (two disarmed) in Mosul, the first VBIEDs in the city since late September. On 27 November, three VBIEDs detonated within city, with secondary devices to target first responders. Security forces and civilians at market locations were the targets of the devices. On 29 November a VBIED detonated against an Iraqi Security Forces (ISF) patrol, and another disarmed in eastern Mosul, as part of the second wave of coordinated attacks.
The North Central Region reported a total of 43 incidents during the period, an increase on last week’s figure of 36 and above the 2012 weekly average. There was an even geographical spread of insurgent activity between the region’s provinces, after a number of weeks where figures have fluctuated between provinces. Activity levels in Kirkuk were the same as last week’s figure of fourteen, with Salah al-Din recording a decrease and a sharp increase reported in Diyala. The number of large scale attacks throughout the North Central Region was particularly high this week, with six VBIED/SVBIEDs reported. Kirkuk suffered three VBIED attacks on 27 November which heavily targeted the Kurdish community in the city. Salah al-Din and Diyala both experienced heightened IED activity along both the Tigris and Diyala River Valleys, in areas of regular insurgent activity. There were IEDs in Hawija, Baquba and Tuz Khormato; Tikrit was fortunate that two VBIEDs in the city were disarmed.
Kurdistan Regional Government (KRG) – No significant insurgent related incidents were reported in the three provinces that comprise the KRG (Dahuk, Erbil and Sulaymaniyah) during the period. However, on 27 November, three people were reported injured in a shooting incident in Sulaymaniyah.
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