The following article was published by Reidar Visser, an historian of Iraq educated at the University of Oxford and currently based at the Norwegian Institute of International Affairs. It is reproduced here with the author’s permission. The opinions expressed are those of the author, and do not necessarily reflect the views of Iraq Business News. […]
Two more security firms have won contracts worth hundreds of millions of dollars to build the State Department a private army in Iraq, according to a report from Wired's 'Danger Room'. Contractors Triple Canopy and newcomer Global Strategies Group will contribute to the State Department’s planned protection force of 5,500 contractors. In September, the State […]
Overview While many have been concerned at the impact of Osama bin Laden’s death on the security situation in Iraq, conditions have not changed significantly in recent days. Levels of violence actually fell last week, although conditions are still worse than normal. The majority of attacks continue to take place in Baghdad, although last week […]
After many years of searching, American forces have finally managed to track down and eliminate Osama Bin Laden. The news has reverberated around the world, and it has implications for all countries in the region, not least Iraq. Our security expert John Drake has been analysing the possible effects of this latest news for Iraq, […]
Security measures have been heightened in Iraq following the killing of Osama bin Laden. The authorities are expecting the possibility of a retaliatory attack by radical jihadists in response to the news of his death. However, the impact of the killing may be relatively limited. Weakened Organisation Al-Qaeda is neither the powerful organisation it […]
Overview Levels of violence rose in Iraq last week to the highest level seen this year. The graph below indicates that there were over 70 major attacks recorded countrywide, the majority of which took place in Baghdad. There were several incidents also recorded in eastern Anbar province, a slight fall in the number of attacks […]
Overview Levels of violence rose in Iraq last week, with a particular increase in the number of attacks targeting civic employees in Baghdad. There were also clusters of violence in the cities of Fallujah, Ramadi, Mosuk and Kirkuk, as well as in the north of Babil province. The south was relatively quiet, as was most […]
The Czech Republic is planning to offer Iraq a number of light attack aircraft and help Baghdad to modernize its helicopter fleet, Czech Foreign Minister Karel Schwarzenberg said, according to a report from the Russian news agency RIA Novosti. Czech Prime Minister Petr Necas will visit Iraq on May 23-24 to promote closer economic cooperation […]
Iraq has seen a rise in the number of sticky bomb attacks over the last week. This is a worrying trend, particularly for the state employees and security force personnel who are being singled out for these attacks. The Tactic Sticky bombs are also known as Under Vehicle Improvised Explosive Devices (UVIEDs). They are […]
Overview There was a fall in the number of violent incidents taking place in Iraq last week, although there was a spate of attacks around the centre of the country on Monday, leaving a number of people dead. In general, violence remains concentrated in Baghdad, the dstricts immediately surrounding it, and the northern city of […]
MAG (pronounced “Mag”) – Mines Advisory Group – is a neutral and impartial humanitarian organisation that clears the remnants of conflict for the benefit of communities worldwide. MAG is creating a more secure environment in Iraq, enabling development and helping people to return home safely. Internal conflicts, the 1980-88 war with Iran, the 1991 Gulf […]
Overview The past week has seen a slight drop in the number of violent attacks taking place in Iraq. Incidents were concentrated in Baghdad and in the districts west of the capital in Anbar province. Mosul also experienced a significant proportion of attacks, while even Sulaymaniyah in Kurdistan saw incidents of unrest and reported cross-border […]
