A new thread prepared for 2018. The existing thread, largely due to Joel Wing's regular postings has 365 posts and 194.7k views. See:Iraq in 2017
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A new thread prepared for 2018. The existing thread, largely due to Joel Wing's regular postings has 365 posts and 194.7k views. See:Iraq in 2017
Security report for Dec 2017 in Iraq. Attacks and casualties all down.
Complete review of security in Iraq in 2017. Defeat of IS on the battlefield and group's withdrawal led to the lowest violence since 2003.
The quotation is from Tacitus, a Roman Senator and appears in a short article by Professor Paul Rogers - who asks will ISIS reappear as Iraq struggles to rebuild cities like Mosul and have enough force to counter a guerilla campaign.
Link:https://www.opendemocracy.net/paul-r...isis-comeback?
From The Daily Beast a short article of note:In part based on interviews with ISIS prisoners in Iraqi custody and concludes:Quote:
Wanted Dead or Alive: The Frustrating, Failing Hunt for ISIS Leader Baghdadi; Americans and Russians have converged on the Euphrates valley where the ISIS "caliphate" is making a last stand. They "think" Baghdadi's alive there. But he could be long gone.
Link:https://www.thedailybeast.com/the-fr...ptured-or-die?Quote:
Clearly no government or intelligence service has enough information to kill al Baghdadi.
Iraq security report 1st wk of Jan 2018.
http://www.foxnews.com/world/2018/01...d-himself.htmlQuote:
A white-bearded ISIS militant who presided over the killings of dozens of gay men and others who ran afoul of the so-called "caliphate" was captured in the Iraqi city of Mosul last week, according to reports.
Abu Omer was arrested after locals in Mosul tipped security forces off to his hideout in the city, the Iran-based AhlulBayt News Agency (ANBA) reported, citing Iraqi media outlets.
http://www.newsweek.com/who-abu-omer...ys-fall-769370
Internal splits within IS could point to groups break up or demise. Here's a link.
The full title and sub-title is:The HVT hunt aside there are comments on the leadership and the future.Quote:
'We will get him': the long hunt for Isis leader Abu Bakr al-Baghdad; The world’s most wanted man remains at large, but as his ‘caliphate’ has crumbled so has the discipline of his leadership
Link:https://www.theguardian.com/world/20...kr-al-baghdadi
Security report for 2nd wk of Jan in Iraq.
Iraq security report for 3rd week of January. 2nd wk in a row Baghdad hit by suicide bombers.
Still pulling bodies out of the rubble of west Mosul.
Security report for 4th week in Iraq.
Chatham House report IS's finances alive and well.
Violence was up in Iraq from Dec to Jan. Here's monthly security report.
http://www.kurdistan24.net/en/news/d...7-3f3021db71e2Quote:
ERBIL, Kurdistan Region (Kurdistan 24) – Nine Abrams tanks the United States had provided to Iraqi forces for the battle against the Islamic State (IS) are now in the hands of the Iranian-backed Hashd al-Shaabi militias, a US military audit confirmed.
A quarterly inspector general report for the US mission in Iraq and Syria, released on Feb. 2, confirms that M1 Abrams battle tanks and other lethal equipment provided to the Iraqi government by Washington have ended up with the Hashd al-Shaabi, also known as the Popular Mobilization Forces (PMF).
Doesn't someone need a few flight hours honing their J-DAM delivery techniques?
Asking for a friend.
Weekly security report for 1st wk of Feb in Iraq.
Pentagon finally realized that some of the Abrams tanks it sold to Ira ended up with Pro-Iran Hashd groups. Some even ended up in Syria. This was widely known within Iraq for several years. Here's a link.
Little history article on how Iran was playing both sides in the 2004 Battle of Najaf.
Security report for 2nd week of Feb in Iraq
Pro-Iran Hashd units have 9 Abrams tanks. Some were captured from IS but others were given to them by Iraqi army. Here's a link to article.
Security report for 3rd wk of Feb in Iraq.
Trump admin says can keep US forces in Iraq and Syria indefinitely. Link to article.
Economist IS stashed away millions of dollars before it was forced out of Iraq and major areas of Syria.
Monthly security report for Iraq for Feb. Security has remained steady since Oct 2017 which was before victory against IS was declared. Here's a link.
War On The Rocks article on trends in Islamic State media operations. Here's a link.
Security report 2nd wk of March. Security incidents remain steady. Casualties slightly down. IS becoming bolder in attacks however.
Just published an interview with Daniel Green co-author of Fallujah Redux. Green worked with the tribes around Fallujah to get them in the fight against the insurgency and helped the local officials govern the city during the Surge. Here's a link to the interview.
Iraq Security Report Mar 15-21. 5th month of rebuilding as an insurgency and IS is becoming bolder with its attacks. Here's a link to the report.
Niqash article which reports what I have been warning about, IS is regrouping in Iraq. Here's a link.
AP article on IS kidnapping and execution of police in northern Iraq.
Security report for the 4th week of March in Iraq. This month marks IS return as an insurgent force.
After 5 months of rebuilding the IS insurgency is finally back. Read the article.
Iraq facing fewest security incidents since 2003 here's link
Security report for 1st week of April in Iraq. Here's a link.
Compiled some of the interviews I've done about the 2003 invasion of Iraq and its aftermath as yesterday Apr 9 was the 15 yr anniversary of the fall of Baghdad. Here's a link.
Security report for 2nd week of April in Iraq. Here's a link.
Security report for 3rd week of April in Iraq.
Security report for last week of April in Iraq.
April saw a decided drop in incidents vs the last 6 months. Types of attacks IS launching still showing group is regrouping and now openly challenging govt. Here's a link.
Security report for 1st week of May in Iraq.
Example of forced displacement in west Ninewa. One of the lasting legacies of the war vs IS. Here's a link.
Security report 2nd wk of May in Iraq
An ICSR commentary. It opens with:Link:http://icsr.info/2018/05/icsr-insigh...-brand-reform/Quote:
Earlier this week, Iraq held its first elections since formally declaring victory over Islamic State. Muqtada al-Sadr claimed a surprise victory, in an election that saw an unusually low turnout. Thus, while Sadr was able to consolidate a support base that remained largely unchanged, more prominent parties failed to mobilise their constituencies to participate in the election. Described by many as an anti-Western ‘firebrand’, Sadr’s platform is indeed distinctly populist and nationalist.
Security report for 3rd wk of May in Iraq
Interview with PhD student Benedict Robin on Sadr's Sairoon alliance with the Communists and its victory in the May elections
Security report for 4th week of May in Iraq.
A report by ICSR that aims to explore the institutionalisation and organisational structure of the PMU before delving into their election maneouvring.
The Executive Summary is linked below.
The conclusions:Link:http://icsr.info/2018/05/battlefield...isation-units/Quote:
Ambiguities within the existing legislation meant to strengthen the state-actor character of the PMU have left a loophole, allowing the PMU to take on multiple roles, benefiting equally from the established operational legality, and acclaimed ideological legitimacy.
• The lines are blurred and the allegiances – at least those that have been verbally professed thus far – are prone to shift according to the target audience and the immediate operational advantages pursued by the groups’ cannier political forerunners.
• Regardless of any potential electoral gains PMU-affiliated leaders have been able to achieve to this point within and outside the established Fatah alliance, the PMU as an umbrella organisation requires the firm institutional embrace of the Iraqi authorities.
• With Islamic State regrouping slowly in the background, the Hashd needs to gradually develop into a disciplined and agile state organisation.
• This transformation process, alongside continued security sector reforms in a fragile yet hopeful democracy, will take time. It will also require a high level of manoeuvrability on behalf of Iraq’s future government, its frequently competing neighbours, and its foreign allies.
Security report Violence largely unchanged April to May 2018 in Iraq.
Interview with former US Anti-Graft official Vincent Foulk on Iraq's problem with corruption