Southern Iraq (South Central and South East Regions)
The South Central Region reported 14 incidents during the period, an increase on last week’s figure of ten, and still above the 2012 weekly average. ISF operations in the northern areas of Babil and Wasit provinces do not appear to have affected insurgent operations. Most incidents in the South Central Region were concentrated in the northern areas of Babil Province, with the majority attacks occurring in Iskandariya. Apart from an IED inside a residence on 10 December, three IEDs were emplaced to be indiscriminate (on 11 December there was an IED detonation outside a billiard hall, and an IED find near a vegetable market, and on 16 December a VBIED was disarmed). On 10 December there was an armed attack against an Awakening checkpoint in Iskandariya, and another in Mussayib against four Awakening members.
The South East Region reported six incidents this week, a decrease on last week’s figure of seven and slightly less than the 2012 weekly average. As per the norm for the South East Region, all but one reported incident occurred in Basra Province. Incidents were predominantly SAF and related to disputes of a familial, tribal or criminal nature. The most notable incident occurred on 15 December, when an off duty border guard was shot in the head as he opened the front door of his house in Zubayr. There have been several other close quarter attack incidents reported throughout the year in the province; however shooting incidents have mostly been bursts of gunfire at residences or as a result of an argument. This attack appeared to have been conducted by a professional gunman, and was possibly linked to a criminal disagreement. Additionally, four ‘sound-bombs’ were found and disarmed in the north of Basra City.
The next Security Update will be in the New Year.
Comments are closed.