Weekly Security Update 05 - 12 Dec 2013

What is becoming clearer is that Sunni insurgent groups are becoming more adept and have more desire to launch close quarter aggressive attacks to achieve their intent.  It is not suggested that we are witnessing the demise of the classic stand off high impact attack, these still abound on an almost daily basis in Iraq, yet we are seeing more and more attacks comprising a devastating break-in bomb attack, invariably a suicide bomber, followed by ground assault from insurgent shock troops.

Further evidence of this was seen Wednesday last week when a group launched a phased attack assaulting a police intelligence HQ and shopping mall in Kirkuk killing 11 people.  The attack was initiated by a suicide bomber breaching the compound and was followed by a foot assault that lasted the best part of 2 hours as the ISF and gunmen dueled for control of the compound. Later two suicide bombers armed with sniper rifles entered the shopping complex in Kirkuk, took control of it and captured around 15 shoppers as hostages.  After a gun battle, one suicide bomber blew himself up and the other was shot dead by Kurdish security forces that took over the operation from local police, confirming what many feel about the superior capability and capacity of the Kurdish SF.

During the latter stages of the reporting period Baghdad and surrounding areas became the focal point for insurgent violence.  After a week of well-coordinated combined attacks we have seen a drift back towards the simpler high impact stand off delivery that has been so common.  In total over 50 people were killed from Sunday through Wednesday as insurgents targeted public areas and Shia districts in the capital.