Jan 1-27 24 out of the 36 successful car bombs used in Iraq were for tactical attacks by the Islamic State on pro-government forces. In recent months anywhere from 33-50% or more of VBIEDs are being directed to these types of operations instead of the regular terrorist ones against civilian targets. Analysis of this shift here.
Read more: http://www.longwarjournal.org/archiv...#ixzz3QFa5E3rGA video uploaded to YouTube appears to show a large Hezbollah Brigades convoy transporting weapons, troops, and armored vehicles to the front to fight the Islamic State.
A scrimmage in a Border Station
A canter down some dark defile
Two thousand pounds of education
Drops to a ten-rupee jezail
http://i.imgur.com/IPT1uLH.jpg
My latest article breaksdown the security situation in Diyala. That was one of the first places the insurgency began rebuilding itself in 2012. That quickly brought in militias, one of the first places they deployed outside of Baghdad in 2013. By 2014 militants were threatening eastern and northern Diyala and then seized dozens of villages in June during the summer offensive. Since then the security forces and militias have launched security operation after operation often in the same areas because it doesn't have the forces to hold any area. In January the govt and militias claimed that the entire province was free, but that was propaganda as insurgents are still strong in eastern Diyala. Province has also seen sectarian killings by militias just like what happened from 2005-2008. Read more here.
Latest article reviews security in Iraq in Jan 2015. Attacks were going down in the winter and started picking up again at the end of Dec into Jan. IS went on the offensive in Kirkuk and Ninewa in addition to continued operations in Anbar and Salahaddin. Led to a huge jump in attacks and casualties during the month. Read more here.
New article breaking down extrajudicial killings in Baghdad in January. During summer these incidents spiked but have since stabilized. Analysis here.
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