RPS consultant in Iraq reports on the current situation

RPS's consultant on the ground in Northern Iraq paints a picture of the security issues around the country.

North of Iraq

Diyala witnessed an airstrike against a house taken over by IS on the outskirts of the Sinsil Basin area, north of Muqdadiyah, reportedly killed three snipers, whilst ISF military operations continued in the run up to a reported major offensive in the Muqdadiyah area.

The commander of Baghdad Operations, Staff Lieutenant-General 'Abd al-Amir al-Shammari, presented a summary of the operation which was carried out between 12-19 Jan in the al-Niba'i, al-Kasarat and al-Halabsah al-Shamaliyah areas on the border between Baghdad and Salah al-Din provinces - the operation was supported by Iraqi fixed wing and rotary aircraft, coalition aircraft and militia volunteers - he said 238 insurgents were killed with 22 injured while three were arrested - 18 "technicals", 13 vehicles laden with ammunition and carrying insurgents, 20 insurgent hideouts and four artillery pieces were destroyed; 49 explosive-rigged houses, 178 IEDs, one explosive vest and one booby-trapped motorcycle were defused; three vehicles, a factory to manufacturebooby-traps, four caches and 32 x 20Lt plastic cans filled with explosives were seized – he completed his statement when he claimed the al-Niba'i area had been cleared.

Further north IS continued to detain and execute people with 15 people arrested and a further 6 executed for refusing to swear allegiance to the IS.

In the northern most province of Ninevah Al-Jihaish tribesmen clashed with IS in the al-Shorah area, south of Mosul, after insurgents arrested 20 youths of the tribe the night before – IS cordoned the area and then executed "dozens" of tribesmen while 50 women and youths were also arrested. Coalition aircraft targeted the car of a Syrian IS leader, nicknamed as Abu Muthanna al-Tahhan, to the west of Mosul, killing him in the attack whilst Peshmerga troops fought off an IS attack against al-Salhiyah village, north of Tall 'Afar, reportedly killing 10 insurgents and destroying three IA Humvees that had been commandeered by IS. Peshmerga troops, supported by coalition aircraft, carried out a major operation along three axes; Wanah, Tall Isquf and al-Kisk – four villages to the east of Mosul Dam were claimed cleared which included Tall al-Thahab, Kifrij, Hasan Jala and Sheikhah – 28 insurgents were reportedly killed while Kurdish troops have attempted to surround the retreating insurgents in the area of the Mosul Free Trade Zone, north of Mosul.

Baghdad

Normal activity in Baghdad and its surrounding environs with low level IEDs and murders being reported. ISF operations continued with EOD personnel defusing three IEDs emplaced near the 'Omar Ibn al-Khattab Mosque in Hayy al-I'lam, West Rashid. North of the city IA helicopters targeted IS positions in an undisclosed area to the north of Baghdad, reportedly killing seven insurgents and destroying a vehicle and a hideout – coalition aircraft also carried out an airstrike in the same area and claimed 18 insurgents killed and others wounded – a cache was also found in the area that contained mortar rounds, rockets and an explosive vest.
                
Al Anbar

A relatively quiet day in Anbar with reports of a a suicide fuel tanker-based VBIED detonating against a CLC HQ in the Albu Ghanem area, northeast of Ramadi, killing three CLC members and wounding 18 others, including policemen whilst this morning ISF fought off a four pronged IS attack against Ramadi – the attack was carried out from Hayy al-Tamim in the west, al-Jazirah in the north, Albu 'Ali al-Jassim to the northwest and al-Houz in the city centre – 39 insurgents were reportedly killed while IS used a variety of weapons and munitions in the assault – five members of ISF were killed and nine others injured while ISF interdicted three suicide VBIEDs, one in al-Sajariyah al-Janoubiyah in the east, on 17th Street in the city centre and near to the Albu Farraj Bridge in the north - all of the drivers were killed before they could reach their intended targets.

South of Iraq

Another quiet period in the Southern Province with Dhi Qar IPS making two terrorist-related arrests on the outskirts of Nasiriyah.  Najaf IPS freed a kidnap victim and arrested his abductors in an undisclosed area in the province whilst ISF in Babel province arrested 10 individuals, some of whom have been displaced from Diyala, who are believed to have been involved in the planning of terrorist attacks in the province and having commited sectarian crimes in northern Babel and Diyala provinces – four of those arrested were also wanted on criminal charges.

Basra

In Basra a locally-manufactured IED, probably a "sound bomb", detonated outside an SOC employees home in Hayy al-Intisar, Zubayr district – some slight damage was caused but no casualties were reported. Basra IPS made 15 criminal-related arrests across the province – a 120mm mortar round, believed to be ERW, was found in Hayy al-Zahra and finally in the northern parts of the province as many as 500 people demonstrated on the West Qurnah oilfield at DGS 8 to the south of al-Madinah which then extended to include DGS 6 with a smaller protest under the bridge at the eastern access point to the field on Highway 6 (Route Topeka) where a single IPS vehicle was stationed - many members of the al-Halaf tribe have either been sacked or not had their contracts renewed and their positions filled by workers from Nasiriyah.

For more information on Iraq please contact us on [email protected]

Photo; with thanks to www.defense.gov