May 2024

Iraq Security Situation

Country of Origin Information

Iraq - Security Situation
Country of Origin Information Report

May 2024

Manuscript completed in May 2024
Neither the European Union Agency for Asylum (EUAA) nor any person acting on behalf of the
EUAA is responsible for the use that might be made of the information contained within thispublication.
Luxembourg: Publications Office of the European Union, 2024
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ISBN 978-92-9410-071-9 doi: 10.2847/61474

BZ-09-24-246-EN-N© European Union Agency for Asylum (EUAA), 2024
Cover photo: Erbil, Erbil Governorate, Kurdistan Region of Iraq : Citadel of Erbil, claimed to be theoldest continuously inhabited urban area in the world, Luis Dafos , © Gettyimages, 2018, url
Reproduction is authorised provided the source is acknowledged. For any use or reproductionof photos or other material that is not under the EUAA copyright, permission must be sought
directly from the copyright holders.

SUDAN COUNTRY FOCUS – APRIL 2024

Acknowledgements
This report was jointly drafted by the EUAA COI Sector together with:•

Austrian Centre for Country of Origin and Asylum Research and Documentation(ACCORD).

The following departments and organisations reviewed this report:•

Czech Republic, Department for Asylum and Migration Policy•

Greece, Greek Asylum Service (GAS), General Secretariat for Migration Policy•

Sweden, Swedish Migration Agency, Section for Information Analysis

The review carried out by the mentioned departments, experts or organisations contributes tothe overall quality of the report, but it does not necessarily imply their formal endorsement of
the final report, which is the full responsibility of EUAA.

3

EUROPEAN UNION AGENCY FOR ASYLUMContents
Acknowledgements........................................................................................................................ 3Contents .......................................................................................................................................... 4
Disclaimer ...................................................................................................................................... 10
Glossary and abbreviations .......................................................................................................... 11
Introduction ....................................................................................................................................14
Methodology ........................................................................................................................................14
Defining the terms of reference ..................................................................................14
Collecting information ....................................................................................................14
Quality control ................................................................................................................. 15
Sources ................................................................................................................................................. 15
Sources on security incidents ..................................................................................... 15
Sources on civilian casualties ...................................................................................... 17
Structure and use of the report ...................................................................................................... 18
Maps ...............................................................................................................................................19
1.

General description of the security situation ................................................................ 20
1.1. Overview of recent security trends ..................................................................................... 20
February to October 2023 .......................................................................................... 21
Post-October 2023: US-Iran tensions ...................................................................... 21
Conflict with ISIL ............................................................................................................ 23
Tensions within the Iraqi security apparatus/within the PMF............................ 24
1.2. Political developments ............................................................................................................ 25
National political developments................................................................................ 25
The political situation in the Kurdistan Region ...................................................... 25
Relations between Baghdad and Erbil .................................................................... 26
1.3. International involvement ........................................................................................................27
Türkiye ..............................................................................................................................27
Iran…………………….... ........................................................................................................ 28
USA…………… .................................................................................................................... 29
1.4. Armed Actors ...............................................................................................................................31
Islamic State in Iraq and Levant (ISIL) ........................................................................31

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Iraqi Security Forces (ISF) ........................................................................................... 32
Popular Mobilisation Forces (PMF) ............................................................................33
Peshmerga ...................................................................................................................... 35
Kurdistan Workers’ Party (PKK).................................................................................. 36
1.5. Impact of the security situation on civilian population .................................................... 37
Security incidents .......................................................................................................... 39
Civilian casualties .......................................................................................................... 42
Conflict-related infrastructure damage and explosive remnants of war ........ 48
Conflict-induced displacement and return .............................................................. 51
2.

Security situation and conflict impact on civilians by governorates .......................... 54
2.1. Anbar ........................................................................................................................................... 54
General description of governorate ......................................................................... 54
Armed actors’ presence and control ....................................................................... 55
Recent security trends ................................................................................................. 56
Security incidents ...........................................................................................................57
Civilian casualties .......................................................................................................... 59
Conflict-related infrastructure damage and explosive remnants of war ........ 59
Conflict-induced displacement and return ............................................................. 60
2.2. Babil .............................................................................................................................................. 61
General description of governorate .......................................................................... 61
Armed actors’ presence and control ....................................................................... 62
Recent security trends ................................................................................................. 62
Security incidents .......................................................................................................... 63
Civilian casualties .......................................................................................................... 64
Conflict-related infrastructure damage and explosive remnants of war ........ 64
Conflict-induced displacement and return ............................................................. 65
2.3. Baghdad...................................................................................................................................... 66
General description of governorate ......................................................................... 66
Armed actors’ presence and control ........................................................................67
Recent security trends ..................................................................................................70
Security incidents ........................................................................................................... 73
Civilian casualties ........................................................................................................... 74
Conflict-related infrastructure damage and explosive remnants of war ......... 74

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EUROPEAN UNION AGENCY FOR ASYLUM

Conflict-induced displacement and return .............................................................. 74
2.4. Diyala ............................................................................................................................................75
General description of governorate ..........................................................................75
Armed actors’ presence and control ........................................................................76
Recent security trends .................................................................................................. 77
Security incidents ...........................................................................................................79
Civilian casualties .......................................................................................................... 80
Conflict-related infrastructure damage and explosive remnants of war ......... 81
Conflict-induced displacement and return ............................................................. 82
2.5. Kirkuk ........................................................................................................................................... 82
General description of governorate ......................................................................... 83
Armed actors’ presence and control ....................................................................... 83
Recent security trends ................................................................................................. 84
Security incidents .......................................................................................................... 86
Civilian casualties ........................................................................................................... 87
Conflict-related infrastructure damage and explosive remnants of war ........ 88
Conflict-induced displacement and return ............................................................. 88
2.6. Ninewa ........................................................................................................................................ 89
General description of governorate ......................................................................... 89
Armed actors’ presence and control ....................................................................... 90
Recent security trends ................................................................................................. 92
Security incidents .......................................................................................................... 93
Civilian casualties .......................................................................................................... 94
Conflict-related infrastructure damage and explosive remnants of war ........ 94
Conflict-induced displacement and return ............................................................. 95
2.7. Salah Al-Din................................................................................................................................ 96
General description of governorate ......................................................................... 96
Armed actors’ presence and control ........................................................................97
Recent security trends ................................................................................................. 98
Security incidents .......................................................................................................... 99
Civilian casualties .........................................................................................................100
Conflict-related infrastructure damage and explosive remnants of war ........ 101
Conflict-induced displacement and return ............................................................. 101

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IRAQ – SECURITY SITUATION

2.8. Dohuk ......................................................................................................................................... 102
General description of governorate ........................................................................ 102
Armed actors’ presence and control ...................................................................... 103
Recent security trends ................................................................................................ 104
Security incidents ......................................................................................................... 105
Civilian casualties ......................................................................................................... 106
Conflict-related infrastructure damage and explosive remnants of war ....... 107
Conflict-induced displacement and return ............................................................ 107
2.9. Erbil.............................................................................................................................................. 108
General description of governorate ........................................................................ 109
Armed actors’ presence and control ...................................................................... 109
Recent security trends ................................................................................................. 110
Security incidents ........................................................................................................... 111
Civilian casualties .......................................................................................................... 112
Conflict-related infrastructure damage and explosive remnants of war ........ 113
Conflict-induced displacement and return ............................................................. 114
2.10. Sulaymaniyah ......................................................................................................................... 114
General description of governorate ......................................................................... 115
Armed actors’ presence and control ....................................................................... 115
Recent security trends ................................................................................................. 116
Security incidents .......................................................................................................... 117
Civilian casualties .......................................................................................................... 118
Conflict-related infrastructure damage and explosive remnants of war ........ 119
Conflict-induced displacement and return ............................................................ 120
2.11. Basrah ...................................................................................................................................... 120
General description of governorate ........................................................................ 120
Armed actors’ presence and control ....................................................................... 121
Recent security trends ................................................................................................ 122
Security incidents ......................................................................................................... 124
Civilian casualties ......................................................................................................... 125
Conflict-related infrastructure damage and explosive remnants of war ....... 125
Conflict-induced displacement and return ............................................................ 126
2.12. Karbala .................................................................................................................................... 126

7

EUROPEAN UNION AGENCY FOR ASYLUMGeneral description of governorate ........................................................................ 127
Armed actors’ presence and control ...................................................................... 127
Recent security trends ................................................................................................ 128
Security incidents ......................................................................................................... 128
Civilian casualties ......................................................................................................... 129
Conflict-related infrastructure damage and explosive remnants of war ....... 129
Conflict-induced displacement and return ............................................................ 129
2.13. Missan ..................................................................................................................................... 130
General description of governorate ........................................................................ 130
Armed actors’ presence and control ....................................................................... 131
Recent security trends ................................................................................................. 131
Security incidents ......................................................................................................... 133
Civilian casualties ......................................................................................................... 134
Conflict-related infrastructure damage and explosive remnants of war ....... 134
Conflict-induced displacement and return ............................................................ 134
2.14. Muthanna ............................................................................................................................... 135
General description of governorate ........................................................................ 135
Armed actors’ presence and control ...................................................................... 136
Recent security trends ................................................................................................ 136
Security incidents ......................................................................................................... 137
Civilian casualties ......................................................................................................... 138
Conflict-related infrastructure damage and explosive remnants of war ....... 139
Conflict-induced displacement and return ............................................................ 139
2.15. Najaf ........................................................................................................................................ 140
General description of governorate ........................................................................ 140
Armed actors’ presence and control ....................................................................... 141
Recent security trends ................................................................................................. 141
Security incidents ......................................................................................................... 142
Civilian casualties ......................................................................................................... 143
Conflict-related infrastructure damage and explosive remnants of war ....... 144
Conflict-induced displacement and return ............................................................ 144
2.16. Qadissiya ................................................................................................................................ 145
General description of governorate ........................................................................ 145

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Armed actors’ presence and control ...................................................................... 146
Recent security trends ................................................................................................ 147
Security incidents ......................................................................................................... 147
Civilian casualties ......................................................................................................... 148
Conflict-related infrastructure damage and explosive remnants of war ....... 148
Conflict-induced displacement and return ............................................................ 149
2.17. Thi-Qar .................................................................................................................................... 149
General description of governorate ........................................................................ 149
Armed actors’ presence and control ...................................................................... 150
Recent security trends ................................................................................................. 151
Security incidents ......................................................................................................... 154
Civilian casualties ......................................................................................................... 155
Conflict-related infrastructure damage and explosive remnants of war ....... 155
Conflict-induced displacement and return ............................................................ 156
2.18. Wassit ...................................................................................................................................... 157
General description of governorate ........................................................................ 157
Armed actors’ presence and control ...................................................................... 158
Recent security trends ................................................................................................ 158
Security incidents ......................................................................................................... 159
Civilian casualties ......................................................................................................... 160
Conflict-related infrastructure damage and explosive remnants of war ....... 160
Conflict-induced displacement and return ............................................................. 161
Annex 1: Bibliography ................................................................................................................ 162
Public sources................................................................................................................................... 162
Annex 2: Terms of Reference .................................................................................................... 233

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Disclaimer
This report was written according to the EUAA COI Report Methodology (2023). The report isbased on carefully selected sources of information. All sources used are referenced.
The information contained in this report has been researched, evaluated and analysed withutmost care within a limited timeframe. However, this document does not claim to be
exhaustive. If a particular event, person or organisation is not mentioned in the report, thisdoes not mean that the event has not taken place or that the person or organisation does notexist. Any event taking place after the finalisation of this report is not included. Moreinformation on the reference period for this report can be found in the introduction.
Furthermore, this report is not conclusive as to the determination or merit of any particularapplication for international protection. Terminology used should not be regarded asindicative of a particular legal position.
‘Refugee’, ‘risk’ and similar terminology are used as generic terminology and not in the legal
sense as applied in the EU Asylum Acquis, the 1951 Refugee Convention and the 1967
Protocol relating to the Status of Refugees.
Neither EUAA nor any person acting on its behalf may be held responsible for the use which
may be made of the information contained in this report.
On 19 January 2022, the European Asylum Support Office (EASO) became the European
Union Agency for Asylum (EUAA). All references to EASO, EASO products and bodies should
be understood as references to the EUAA.
The drafting of this report was finalised on 15 May 2024. Any event taking place after this dateis not included in this report. More information on the reference period for this report can befound in the methodology section of the Introduction.

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Glossary and abbreviations

Term

Definition

AAH

Asa’ib Ahl Al-Haq (The League of the Righteous). AAH wasdesignated by the US as a terrorist organisation on 3 January
2020

ACLED

Armed Conflict Location and Event Data Project

AsayishInternal security and intelligence services of the Kurdistan Regionof Iraq

Badr Organisation

Iranian-backed Shia militia that is part of the PMF

CHA

Confirmed Hazardous Areas (Term used by Landmine & Cluster
Munition Monitor)

CSO

Central Statistical Organization

CTS

Counter Terrorism Services

DTM

IOM’s Displacement Tracking Matrix

ERW

Explosive Remnants of War

FP

Federal Police

Al-Hashd Al-Shaabi

Arabic term for Popular Mobilization Forces (PMF) or Popular
Mobilization Units (PMU). Sometimes only referred to as Hashd.

HAN

Harakat Al-Nujab (Movement of the Party of God’s Noble Ones).
HaN was designated by the US as a terrorist organisation on 5
March 2019

IED

Improvised Explosive Device

11EUROPEAN UNION AGENCY FOR ASYLUM

TermDefinition

IRGC

Islamic Revolutionary Guards Corps

IRGC – QF

Quds Forces of the Islamic Revolutionary Guards Corps of Iran

ISF

Iraqi Security Forces

ISIL

Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant; also known as Islamic State of
Iraq and Syria (ISIS), the Islamic State (IS), or Daesh

ISW

Institute for the Study of War

JOC

Joint Operations Command

KDP

Kurdistan Democratic Party

KDPI

Kurdish Democratic Party of Iran, also known as PDKI –Democratic Party of Iranian Kurdistan, an Iranian Kurdish
opposition group operating from Iraq

KH

Kata’ib Hezbollah (Battalions of the Party of God); Iranian-backed
Shia militia that is part of the Popular Mobilisation Units. KH wasdesignated by the US as a terrorist organisation on 2 July 2009.

KRG

Kurdistan Regional Government

KRI

Kurdistan Region of Iraq

KSS

Kata’ib Sayyid Al-Shuhada

MoI

Ministry of Interior

MOPA

Ministry of Peshmerga Affairs

MukhtarLocal community leader

Peshmerga

Military forces of the Kurdistan Region of Iraq Kurdistan

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Term

Definition

PKK

Kurdistan Workers’ Party. The PKK is on the European Union’s listof designated groups which have been involved in terrorism, as
well as being listed as a terrorist organisation by Türkiye, theUnited States, and Australia.

PMF

Popular Mobilization Forces or Popular Mobilization Units (PMU),
also called Al-Hashd Al-Shaabi in Arabic

PUK

Patriotic Union of Kurdistan

USDOD

US Department of Defense

USDOS

US Department of State

UXO

Unexploded Ordnance

YBS

Sinjar Resistance Units

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EUROPEAN UNION AGENCY FOR ASYLUM

Introduction
The purpose of this report is to provide relevant information for the assessment of applications
for international protection, including refugee status and subsidiary protection, and inparticular for use in updating EUAA’s country guidance document on Iraq.
In order to support the assessment of the application of Article 15(c) of the Qualification
Directive on the existence of a serious and individual threat to a civilian’s life or person byreason of indiscriminate violence in situations of international or internal armed conflict, thesecurity situation report examines the type of armed conflicts taking place in the territory, thenature of the violence and presence of armed actors in different areas, and the impact on
civilians, for example in terms of casualties/fatalities and conflict-linked displacement.
The report covers the period February 2023 – March 2024, and provides an update of the
EUAA COI report: Iraq - Security situation (January 2022). The report should be read in
conjunction with the EUAA COI report: Iraq - Country focus (May 2024).

Methodology
This report was jointly drafted by EUAA and ACCORD and reviewed by EUAA and national
COI departments in EU+ countries,1 as mentioned in the Acknowledgements section.
This report is produced in line with the EUAA COI Report Methodology (2023) )2 and the EUAA
COI Writing and Referencing Style Guide (2023).3 It is based on carefully selected sources of
information. All sources used are referenced.

Defining the terms of reference
The terms of reference (ToR) of this report were defined by EUAA based on discussions held
and input received from COI experts in the EUAA COI specialist network on Iraq and frompolicy experts in EU+ countries appointed to EUAA Country Guidance network. The ToR alsobuilds on previous EUAA COI reports on Iraq covering the same topics. The Terms ofReference for this report can be found in Annex 2: Terms of Reference of this report.

Collecting information
The information gathered is a result of research using public, specialised paper-based andelectronic sources until 24 April 2024. Some limited additional information was added during
the finalisation of this report in response to feedback received during the quality control
process, until 15 May 2024.

EU Member States plus Norway and Switzerland.
EUAA, EUAA Country of Origin Information (COI) Report Methodology, February 2023, url
3
EUAA, Writing and Referencing Guide for EUAA Country of Origin Information (COI) Reports, February 2023, url
1

2

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Quality control
To ensure that the authors respected the EUAA COI Report Methodology and that the Termsof Reference were comprehensively addressed, a review was carried out by COI specialists
from the countries and organisations listed as reviewers in the Acknowledgements section. Allcomments made by the reviewers were taken into consideration and most of them were
implemented in the final draft of this report, which was finalised on 15 May 2024. EUAA also
performed the final quality review and editing of the text.

Sources
In accordance with EUAA COI methodology, a range of different published documentarysources have been consulted on relevant topics for this report. These include: COI reports bygovernments, information from civil society, advocacy groups, humanitarian organisations andNGOs, international and NGO human rights reports, reports produced by various bodies of theUnited Nations, Iraqi and regionally-based media, academic publications and think tankreports, and specialised sources covering Iraq.

Sources on security incidents
For data on violent incidents, publicly available curated datasets from the organisation Armed
Conflict Location and Event Data Project (ACLED) have been used. ACLED is a project
collecting, analysing and mapping information on crisis and conflict in Africa, South and Southeast Asia and Middle East and provides datasets on conflict incidents. It collects data on
violent incidents in Iraq, coding each incident with the time and place, type of violent incident,
the parties involved and the number of fatalities. The information is collected in a databasethat is openly accessible, searchable and kept continuously up to date. The data primarily
come from secondary sources such as traditional media reports, but also from reports byinternational institutions and non-governmental organisations, targeted new media platforms,
and data provided by local partners of ACLED.4 On Iraq, ACLED incorporates data from anumber of partners, including Aid Worker Security Database, Airwars, Front Line Defenders,
Liveuamap, and the Center for Civilians in Conflict.5
ACLED codes security incidents as follows:
•

•

4
5

Battles: violent clashes between at least two armed groups. Battles can occur between
armed and organised state, non-state, and external groups, and in any combination
therein. The following sub-event types fall under the ‘Battles’ event category and areclassified based on whether or not the battle results in a territorial exchange: ‘armed clash’,‘government regains territory’, and ‘non-state actor overtakes territory’.
Violence against civilians: violent events where an organised armed group deliberately
inflicts violence upon unarmed non-combatants. It includes violent attacks on unarmed
civilians such as sexual violence, attacks, abduction/forced disappearance.

ACLED, Methodology, April 2019, url ACLED, FAQs: ACLED Sourcing Methodology, March 2023, url
ACLED, Research & Local Data Collection Partners, nd., url

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EUROPEAN UNION AGENCY FOR ASYLUM•

Explosions/remote violence: events where an explosion, bomb or other explosive device
were used to engage in conflict. They include one-sided violent events in which the toolfor engaging in conflict creates asymmetry by taking away the ability of the targets toengage or defend themselves and their location. They include air/drone strikes, suicidebombs, shelling/artillery/missile attacks, remote explosive/landmine/IEDs, grenades,chemical weapons.
Riots: are a violent demonstration, often involving a spontaneous action by unorganised,unaffiliated members of society. They include violent demonstrations and mob violence.
Protests: public demonstration in which the participants do not engage in violence, thoughviolence may be used against them. They include peaceful protests, protests withintervention, excessive force against protesters.
Strategic developments: information regarding the activities of violent groups that is notitself recorded as political violence, yet may trigger future events or contribute to political
dynamics within and across states. It includes agreements, change to group/activity, nonviolent transfer of territory, arrests.6•••

For the purpose of this report only the following type of events were included in the analysis:
battles, explosions/remote violence and violence against civilians. Security incidents numbers
and associated graphs/maps at country and governorate level are based on a publicly
available ACLED dataset for Middle East.7
Additionally, ACLED codes actors involved in security incidents as follows: Actor1 is the‘named actor involved in the event’ and Actor2 is the ‘named actor involved in the event’,
while “[i]n most cases, an event requires two actors, noted in columns ‘ACTOR1’ and‘ACTOR2’”. However, event types ‘Explosions/Remote violence’, ‘Riots’, ‘Protests’, and‘Strategic developments’ can include ‘one-sided events’.8 The ACLED coding of Actor1 andActor2 does not necessarily indicate that one is the aggressor (e.g. Actor1) and the other one(e.g. Actor2) the target or victim.9 When focusing on the involvement of specific actors withincertain regions, the drafters based their analysis on all those incidents, where ACLED coded
the relevant actor either as ‘Actor1’ or as ‘Actor2’. This approach aims to illustrate the generallevel of involvement of the respective actors in the conflict without distinguishing between
Actor1 and Actor2, as these categories, according to ACLED's methodology, do not indicate
any differentiation in terms of content/semantics.
Potential limits for COI use of ACLED data include:•

Data primarily come from secondary sources such as media reports. Secondary
sources used by ACLED are of variable quality, may be politically biased, and may lackcomprehensiveness.

•

Certain secondary sources might be overrepresented in ACLED datasets covering
security incidents in a specific country/province.

•

Lack of reporting or underreporting for specific countries/provinces can occur.

ACLED, Armed Conflict Location & Event Data Project (ACLED) Codebook, 2023, url, pp. 10-20
ACLED, Data Export Tool, Middle East (29 March 2024), url
8
ACLED, Armed Conflict Location & Event Data Project (ACLED) Codebook, 2023, url, p. 22
9ACLED, Armed Conflict Location & Event Data Project (ACLED) Codebook, 2023, url, p. 4
6
7

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IRAQ – SECURITY SITUATION•

Geographical precision of security incidents is variable: the provincial capital will
represent the region if no further precisions are available and may be overrepresented.

To mitigate these challenges and limitations, ACLED data on security incidents has been
corroborated/contrasted with information from other sources which were available over thereference period.

Sources on civilian casualties
The main source on civilian casualties and civilians killed in Iraq used in this report is the UN
Assistance Mission for Iraq (UNAMI). UNAMI figures/data on casualties (killed and injured)
were received from UNAMI-HRO (Human rights Office) upon request. UNAMI no longer
provides publicly available casualty figures for Iraq. The number of incidents provided by
UNAMI-HRO were only those armed conflict-related incidents, which had directly impacted on
civilians (causing civilian casualties) and on the civilian nature of property and protected areas(such as civilian houses, cropland, schools, health facilities and mosque).10 UNAMI-HRO
verifies every single incident with at least three independent sources of information. Thesesources include victims, family members of victims, witnesses, local tribal elders and Sheikhs,
local journalists, local civilian authorities (including mayors and district administrators), local
health facilities and health professionals and security officials (primarily local police) who
witnessed or have knowledge of the incident.11
Additionally, data on civilian deaths collected by the Uppsala Conflict Data Program (UCDP)
has been also included. The UCDP is a ‘data collection project for civil war’.12 The UCDP
provided EUAA with a Georeferenced Event Dataset (GED) covering the reference period of
the report. The UCDP’s methodology is explained on its website as well as its GED
Codebook.13 The unit of analysis of the UCDP is the ‘event’14 which is defined as ‘[a]n incident
where armed force was used by an organised actor against another organised actor, or
against civilians, resulting in at least 1 direct death at a specific location and a specific date.’ 15
This leads, among other things, to ‘seemingly low estimates’ because ‘a number of factors canpreclude a potential conflict event from inclusion in the UCDP GED’, for example, unclear
actors or uncertainty about whether fatalities occurred.16 The UCDP provides three estimatesfor fatalities for each event – a low estimate, a best estimate, and a high estimate. In addition,
the UCDP provides an estimate of the number of civilian deaths.17 According to the UCDP, ‘it isquite likely that there are more fatalities than given in the best estimate, but it is very unlikelythat there are fewer’.18

UNAMI, email to EASO, 11 November 2021
UNAMI, email to EASO, 11 November 2021
12
UCDP, About UCDP, n.d., url
13
UCDP, UCDP Methodology, n.d., url; UCDP, UCDP Georeferenced Event Dataset Codebook (Version 21.1), 2021,
url, p. 4
14
UCDP, UCDP Methodology, n.d., url
15
UCDP, UCDP Georeferenced Event Dataset Codebook (Version 21.1), 2021, url, p. 4
16
UCDP, UCDP Methodology, n.d., url
17
UCDP, UCDP Georeferenced Event Dataset Codebook (Version 21.1), 2021, url, pp. 5, 11, 24
18
UCDP, UCDP Methodology, n.d., url
10
11

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EUROPEAN UNION AGENCY FOR ASYLUM

The stricter definition of an event of the UCDP excludes violent incidents that are recorded by
ACLED. This definition includes ACLED’s option to assign violent events to ‘unidentified armed
groups’. The difference in definitions is one explanatory factor of why the number of events
recorded by ACLED can be significantly higher than the number recorded by the UCDP.19 In
this report, the UCDP data has been used to contrast ACLED data and to provide figures on
civilian deaths. To reflect the security dynamic in Iraq, where the actor behind many security
incidents is unknown, EUAA not only includes events that meet all the UCDP’s set criteria(codified as ‘clear’ events in the UCDP dataset), but also include events codified as ‘unclear’and ‘not applicable’.

Structure and use of the report
The report is divided into two chapters. The first chapter focuses on the general security
situation in Iraq by providing a general background of recent conflicts in the country, thecurrent political situation, and information on the main armed actors in Iraq and Kurdistan
Region of Iraq and their territorial presence and role. It is followed by a general overview of
the current security situation in the reference period, as it relates to the nature of the violence
and impact on civilians.
The second chapter provides a governorate-level description of the security situation. Eachgovernorate chapter includes a brief description of the governorate, actors involved in theconflict, recent security trends, including information on civilian casualties, civilian
infrastructure impacted and the existence of unexploded ordnances UXO and Explosive
Remnants of War ERW, as well as information on displacement and return.
For organisational purposes only, the governorates are clustered in geographic order and aregrouped as follows:
•
•
•

19

the northwestern and central governorates (Anbar, Babil, Baghdad, Diyala, Kirkuk,
Ninewa, Salah al-Din);
Kurdistan Region of Iraq (Dohuk, Erbil and Sulaymaniyah);the southern governorates (Basrah, Karbala, Missan, Muthanna, Najaf, Qadissiya, ThiQar and Wassit).

ACLED, Comparing Conflict Data, Similarities and Differences Across Conflict Datasets, August 2019, url, pp. 5–7

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IRAQ – SECURITY SITUATION

Maps

Map 1. Iraq 20

Map 1: UN, Iraq - Map No. 3835 Rev.6, July 201420

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1. General description of the security
situation
1.1. Overview of recent security trends
Throughout the reference period, Iraq continued to be affected by various conflicts: with thesupport of the United States-led international coalition, the Iraqi government continued its
battle against the Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant (ISIL).21 According to the United Nations
Secretary-General (UNSG) reports covering the period from 25 January 2023 to 25 January2024, the number of asymmetric attacks by ISIL declined but persisted, especially in Anbar,
Baghdad, Diyala, Kirkuk, Ninewa, and Salah Al-Din governorates. These attacks mainly
targeted Iraqi security forces, who 'continued counter-terrorism operations in response.22
Moreover, northern Iraq continued to face Turkish ground- and airstrikes23 due to the conflict
between Türkiye and the Kurdistan Worker’s Party (PKK),24 ‘an EU-listed terrorist group that
Turkey believes Iraq cannot or will not suppress’.25 In August 2023, Kirkuk witnessed ‘days ofdeadly ethnic clashes’26 when security forces opened fire on Kurdish protesters disputing thehandover of a building to the Kurdish Democratic Party (KDP),27 leading the Iraqi Supreme
Court to halt the handover in September.28 For further information on international
involvement in Iraq, please see section 1.3. International involvement or more detailed
information on the security situation in Kirkuk governorate, please see section 2.5. Kirkuk.
Domestically, the Iraqi government reportedly continued to struggle to reintegrate ‘liberatedSunni communities into the political system’ and had difficulties demobilising powerful Shia
militias that had emerged from the fight against ISIL and integrating them into the Iraqi
Security Forces (ISF).29 For further information on political developments within the reference
period of this report, please see section 1.2. Political developments.
Furthermore, the resurgence of the Israel-Hamas conflict following the October 2023 events
led to a renewed rise in tensions between Iranian-backed Popular Mobilisation Forces (PMF)

RULAC, Non-international armed conflicts in Iraq, last updated 18 May 2023, url
UNSG, Implementation of resolution 2682 (2023), S/2024/96, 25 January 2024, url, para. 19; UNSG,
Implementation of resolution 2682 (2023), S/2023/700, 26 September 2023, url, para. 24; UNSG, Implementationof resolution 2631 (2022), S/2023/340, 11 May 2023, url, para. 16
23
UNSG, Implementation of resolution 2682 (2023), S/2024/96, 25 January 2024, url, para. 32; UNSG,
Implementation of resolution 2682 (2023), S/2023/700, 26 September 2023, url, para. 26; UNSG, Implementationof resolution 2631 (2022), S/2023/340, 11 May 2023, url, para. 18
24
CFR, Instability in Iraq, last updated 13 February 2024, url; International Crisis Group, Crisis Watch – Iraq:
February 2023 – March 2024, n.d., url; RULAC, Non-international armed conflicts in Iraq, last updated 18 May 2023,
url
25
Hadad, H., From shock and awe to stability and flaws: Iraq’s post-invasion journey, ECFR, 25 May 2023, url, p. 15
26
CFR, Instability in Iraq, last updated 13 February 2024, url
27
HRW, Iraq: Security Forces Open Fire on Kirkuk Protesters, 8 September 2023, url; CFR, Instability in Iraq, last
updated 13 February 2024, url
28
CFR, Instability in Iraq, last updated 13 February 2024, url
29
CFR, Instability in Iraq, last updated 13 February 2024, url
21

22

20

IRAQ – SECURITY SITUATION

and US forces on Iraqi territory.30 According to the UNSG, attacks on supply convoys
contracted by the US-led international coalition against ISIL resumed for the first time sinceAugust 2022 in the first quarter of 2023.31 The UNSG reported a total of 14 such attacks
between 12 January 2023 and 25 January 2024.32

February to October 2023
At the outset of the reference period, Iraq reportedly experienced a phase of relative calm andstability, the most stable since the years prior to the 2003 US-led invasion.33 Iraq expert
Michael Knights34 stated in June 2023 that the country had reached a level of stability with afunctioning government and a decline in the level of terrorist violence since 2003.35
However, as highlighted by the Stockholm International Peace Research Institute (SIPRI) in
March 2023, armed violence still continued in a ‘sporadic, fragmented and localised’ form in
the country, which ‘remain[ed] fragile and deeply divided’.36 Peace and stability prospects
were reportedly further hampered by weak security conditions37, governance issues, climate
and demographic pressures.38 As of April 2023, Iraq’s security situation was described ascomplex and challenging, characterised by foreign as well as domestic violent threats. 39

Post-October 2023: US-Iran tensions
While the International Crisis Group reported the situationto to be ‘unchanged’ between
February and October 2023, following the resurgence of the conflict between Israel andHamas, the situation in Iraq was described as ‘deteriorating’in November 2023 and again in
January 2024.40 Prior to the October 2023 events in Gaza, there had been a period of calm in
attacks by Iranian-backed militias on US diplomatic and military facilities in Iraq,41 but thisperiod ended due to the resurgence of the Israel-Hamas conflict42 and several Iran-backed
militias ‘intention “to engage in operations in support of the Hamas-led resistance operations
in Gaza”’.43 Iraq, though as of the beginning of 2024 not directly impacted by the recent IsraelHamas conflict, was already experiencing the conflict’s indirect effects due to rising US-Iran

Security Council Report, February 2024 Monthly Forecast, 31 January 2024, url
UNSG, Implementation of resolution 2631 (2022), S/2023/340, 11 May 2023, url, para. 17
32
UNSG, Implementation of resolution 2682 (2023), S/2024/96, 25 January 2024, url, para. 20; UNSG,
Implementation of resolution 2682 (2023), S/2023/700, 26 September 2023, url, para. 25; UNSG, Implementationof resolution 2631 (2022), S/2023/340, 11 May 2023, url, para. 17
33
HRW, World Report 2024 – Iraq, 11 January 2024, url; SIPRI, Iraq in 2023: Challenges and prospects for peaceand human security, 17 March 2023, url
34
Dr Michael Knights is a Fellow at the Washington Institute for Near East Policy and a specialist on military andsecurity affairs in Iraq, Iran and the Gulf region. He has travelled extensively in Iraq and has gained wide experiencein working with regional security and military organisations. TWI, Experts: Michael Knights, n.d., url
35
Knights, M., Iraq Is Quietly Falling Apart, Foreign Affairs, 5 June 2023, url
36
SIPRI, Iraq in 2023: Challenges and prospects for peace and human security, 17 March 2023, url
37
Sabri, B., Iraqi Officials Eye a Path for Chinese-Iraqi Development, TWI, 28 September 2023, url
38
PMD and DPPA, The interlinkages between climate, peace and security in Iraq, April 2023, url, p. 3
39
Al-Sheikh Hussein, S., Iraq’s security sector: Twenty years of dashed hopes, Chatham House, 17 April 2023, url
40International Crisis Group, Crisis Watch – Iraq: February 2023 – March 2024, n.d., url
41
Knights, M., Iraq Is Quietly Falling Apart, Foreign Affairs, 5 June 2023, url; Brookings, How Iraq is managing theIsrael-Gaza crisis [Alshamary, M.], 21 December 2023, url
42
Brookings, How Iraq is managing the Israel-Gaza crisis [Alshamary, M.], 21 December 2023, url
43
UNSG, Implementation of resolution 2682 (2023), S/2024/96, 25 January 2024, url, para. 22
30
31

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EUROPEAN UNION AGENCY FOR ASYLUM

tensions, with Iran-backed militias targeting US personnel and local political adversaries,44 andUS forces responding with reprisals.45
In October 2023, self-proclaimed armed groups known as ‘Islamic Resistance in Iraq’46
targeted facilities hosting US military personell, as well as members of the international
coalition against ISIL,47 mainly in Anbar and Erbil governorates.48 For more detailed informationon the Islamic Resistance, please see section USA of this report. Further attacks werelaunched in November 2023 in Babil, Kirkuk, Wassit49 and Anbar governorates,50 as well as
Baghdad.51 In December 2023 the US embassy in Baghdad was reportedly hit.52
After retaliatory US airstrikes on 25 December 2023, the Iraqi government condemned the US
strikes and reported that one Iraqi service member was killed and 18 other people were
injured, including civilians.53 Airwars54 listed the 25 December airstrike as (for the reference
period) one of two US airstrikes characterised as ‘incidents with civilian harm allegations’ with
reportedly two female civilians injured. In February 2024, a US airstrike in Anbar governorate
allegedly resulted in the death of three civilians, according to Airwars.55
Relations between the Kurdistan Region of Iraq (KRI) and Iran have also been strained since
the October 2023 events in Gaza: on 15 January 2024, Iranian ballistic missiles targeted a sitein Erbil, the capital of the KRI, killing at least four civilians. Iran’s Revolutionary Guard Corps(IRGC) alleged that the attack was aimed at an Israeli ‘spy’ site.56
The situation in Iraq had become increasingly volatile amid the Israel-Hamas’ conflict, as Iraqi
militia groups stepped up their attacks on US targets.57 Moreover, the ongoing retaliatory
escalation, if not contained, could reportedly threaten the future of the international coalition’s
mission of countering ISIL in Iraq.58
For more detailed information on the Iranian and US involvement in Iraq, please see section
1.3.
International involvement of this report; for further information on the Iran-US-tensions

Goudsouzian, T., Iraq can't hold off Gaza's spillover much longer, The New Arab, 2 January 2024, url
Security Council Report, February 2024 Monthly Forecast, 31 January 2024, url; Brookings, How Iraq is managing
the Israel-Gaza crisis [Alshamary, M.], 21 December 2023, url
46
The so-called Islamic Resistance emerged as an umbrella term in October 2023 in the context of the IsraelHamas conflict, with the aim of demonstrating unity among Iran-affiliated armed groups; TWI, Profile: The Islamic
Resistance in Iraq, last updated 30 October 2023, url
47
UNSG, Implementation of resolution 2682 (2023), S/2024/96, 25 January 2024, url, para. 21-22
48
UNSG, Implementation of resolution 2682 (2023), S/2024/96, 25 January 2024, url, para. 22
49
UNSG, Implementation of resolution 2682 (2023), S/2024/96, 25 January 2024, url, para. 25, 27, 30
50
TWI, Leaving Iraq May Be Washington’s Wisest Choice, 26 February 2024, url
51
TWI, Leaving Iraq May Be Washington’s Wisest Choice, 26 February 2024, url; Security Council Report, February
2024 Monthly Forecast, 31 January 2024, url
52
UNSG, Implementation of resolution 2682 (2023), S/2024/96, 25 January 2024, url, para. 28
53
UNSG, Implementation of resolution 2682 (2023), S/2024/96, 25 January 2024, url, para. 30-31
54‘Airwars is a not-for-profit transparency watchdog which tracks, assesses, archives and investigates civilian harm
claims in conflict-affected nations.’ Airwars, Who we are, n.d., url
55
Airwars, US-led coalition in Iraq & Syria [filter: US forces, US-led coalition; incidents with civilian harm allegations],
as of 11 March 2024, url
56
Security Council Report, February 2024 Monthly Forecast, 31 January 2024, url
57
Security Council Report, February 2024 Monthly Forecast, 31 January 2024, url
58
Brookings, How Iraq is managing the Israel-Gaza crisis [Alshamary, M.], 21 December 2023, url
44

45

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IRAQ – SECURITY SITUATION

in Iraq prior to February 2023, please refer to section 1.1.1 of the previous EUAA COI report:
Iraq Security Situation (January 2022).

Conflict with ISIL
Throughout the reporting period, the UNSG cited ISIL strongholds in the outskirts of Baghdad(Tarmiyah)59 and Salah-Al-Din, Diyala, Kirkuk and Ninewa60 governorates.61 ISIL operations
were reportedly mainly limited to rural areas, with attacks in urban areas becoming lessprevalent.62 Attacks primarily targeted ‘government and security officials, community leaders,
civilians and military facilities’.63
Following the official declaration of ISIL’s defeat in Iraq in December 2017,64 as of March 2023
ISIL, with an estimated 500 active fighters in the country, is no longer considered to be able torecruit new members in Iraq. As a result, large-scale military operations against the group
have ceased.65
In July 2023, the United Nations Secretary-General (UNSG) reported that the ongoing counterterrorism initiatives by the Iraqi Security Forces were effective in reducing the activities of ISIL.
Despite these efforts, ISIL was able to maintain a ‘low-grade insurgency’66 by exploiting
security gaps between federally controlled Iraq and Iraqi Kurdistan.67 This allowed them tolaunch attacks and resupply their cells in the desert and mountain areas.68 In January 2024,
UNSG, Seventeenth report of the Secretary-General on the threat posed by ISIL (Da’esh) to international peaceand security and the range of United Nations efforts in support of Member States in countering the threat,
S/2023/568, 31 July 2023, url, para. 32
60
UNSG, Eighteenth report of the Secretary-General on the threat posed by ISIL (Da’esh) to international peace andsecurity and the range of United Nations efforts in support of Member States in countering the threat, S/2024/117,
31 January 2024, url, para. 35
61
UNSG, Eighteenth report of the Secretary-General on the threat posed by ISIL (Da’esh) to international peace andsecurity and the range of United Nations efforts in support of Member States in countering the threat, S/2024/117,
31 January 2024, url, para. 35; UNSG, Seventeenth report of the Secretary-General on the threat posed by ISIL
(Da’esh) to international peace and security and the range of United Nations efforts in support of Member States incountering the threat, S/2023/568, 31 July 2023, url, para. 32
62
UNSG, Seventeenth report of the Secretary-General on the threat posed by ISIL (Da’esh) to international peaceand security and the range of United Nations efforts in support of Member States in countering the threat,
S/2023/568, 31 July 2023, url, para. 32
63
UNSG, Eighteenth report of the Secretary-General on the threat posed by ISIL (Da’esh) to international peace andsecurity and the range of United Nations efforts in support of Member States in countering the threat, S/2024/117,
31 January 2024, url, para. 35
64Ali, O.O. and Mohammed, N.A., The Islamic State is Defeated in Iraq, but its Legacy Lives on, LSE Blog,
8 December 2023, url; Hadad, H., From shock and awe to stability and flaws: Iraq’s post-invasion journey, ECFR,
25 May 2023, url, p. 13
65
SIPRI, Iraq in 2023: Challenges and prospects for peace and human security, 17 March 2023, url
66
UNSG, Seventeenth report of the Secretary-General on the threat posed by ISIL (Da’esh) to international peaceand security and the range of United Nations efforts in support of Member States in countering the threat,
S/2023/568, 31 July 2023, url, para. 32
67
Hadad, H., From shock and awe to stability and flaws: Iraq’s post-invasion journey, ECFR, 25 May 2023, url,
pp. 13-14; UNSG, Seventeenth report of the Secretary-General on the threat posed by ISIL (Da’esh) to international
peace and security and the range of United Nations efforts in support of Member States in countering the threat,
S/2023/568, 31 July 2023, url, para. 32; UNSG, Eighteenth report of the Secretary-General on the threat posed by
ISIL (Da’esh) to international peace and security and the range of United Nations efforts in support of Member
States in countering the threat, S/2024/117, 31 January 2024, url, para. 35
68
UNSG, Seventeenth report of the Secretary-General on the threat posed by ISIL (Da’esh) to international peaceand security and the range of United Nations efforts in support of Member States in countering the threat,
S/2023/568, 31 July 2023, url, para. 32
59

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EUROPEAN UNION AGENCY FOR ASYLUM

the UNSG noted that ISIL’s operations remained ‘largely constrained’ due to the effective
targeting of its members and the disruption of their sleeper cells and networks. Nonetheless,
ISIL managed to carry out ‘periodic attacks’.69
For more detailed information on ISIL’s capacities, presence and activities in Iraq, please referto section 0 of this report, for further information on the conflict with ISIL prior to February
2023, please refer to section 1.1.1 of the previous EUAA COI report: Iraq Security Situation(January 2022).

Tensions within the Iraqi security apparatus/within the PMF
The lack of cohesion between various security groups constitutes a persistent problem for the
Iraqi government.70 According to Hamzeh Hadad,71 the existence of numerous security
organisations with different affiliations and objectives, including traditional units such as the
Iraqi army and police as well as non-traditional ones such as the Popular Mobilisation Forces(PMF) and the Kurdish Peshmerga, exacerbates the risk posed by terrorism, which has
declined in recent years but remains a latent problem. Although the PMF are now officially partof the Iraqi security apparatus,72 the integration process has been slow,73 giving the Iraqi
military limited control over the groups.74 In the referencing period, clashes between different
PMF factions75 as well as between PMF forces and regular Iraqi security forces werereported.76 According to a May 2023 article published by the Washington Institute for Near
East Policy (TWI), Iraqi militias have increased their terrirtorial presence and have become
more assertive in their ability to challenge the Iraqi Counter Terrorism Service (CTS), the Iraqi
army, and the federal police.77 For further information on the Coordination Framework, pleasesee section National political developments for more detailed information on the PMF, pleasesee section Popular Mobilisation Forces (PMF).

UNSG, Eighteenth report of the Secretary-General on the threat posed by ISIL (Da’esh) to international peace andsecurity and the range of United Nations efforts in support of Member States in countering the threat, S/2024/117,
31 January 2024, url, para. 34
70
Hadad, H., From shock and awe to stability and flaws: Iraq’s post-invasion journey, ECFR, 25 May 2023, url, p. 14
71
Hamzeh Hadad is a Baghdad-based political analyst and researcher focusing on democratisation and federalism
in Iraq. ECFR, Experts & Staff: Hamzeh Hadad, n.d., url
72
Security Council Report, February 2024 Monthly Forecast, 31 January 2024, url
73
SIPRI, Iraq in 2023: Challenges and prospects for peace and human security, 17 March 2023, url
74
Security Council Report, February 2024 Monthly Forecast, 31 January 2024, url
75
TWI, Infighting Between Northern Hashd Units Requires IRGC-QF Mediation, 6 July 2023, url
76
Al-Kaabi, A. and Knights, M., Kataib Hezbollah’s Escalating Feud with the Iraqi Security Forces, TWI, 19 May 2023,
url
77
Al-Kaabi, A. and Knights, M., Kataib Hezbollah’s Escalating Feud with the Iraqi Security Forces, TWI, 19 May 2023,
url
69

24

IRAQ – SECURITY SITUATION

1.2. Political developments
National political developments
On 4 February 2023, the Government of Iraq, led by Prime Minister Mohammed Shia‘ AlSudani, reached its first 100 days in office.78 The Coordination Framework, a coalition ofpolitical parties backed by Iran,79 continued to dominate Iraq’s parliament as its biggestalignment.80 The alliance includes the Fatah Alliance headed by Hadi Al-Amiri of the Badr
Organization, the Hikma bloc led by Ammar Al-Hakim, former Prime Minister Haider Al-Abadi’sNasr coalition and former Prime Minister Nouri Al-Maliki’s State of Law coalition, as well as thePatriotic Union of Kurdistan (PUK).81 The Sadrist Movement, which was initially the main winner
in the 2021 parliamentary elections, remained withdrawn from parliament.82

The political situation in the Kurdistan Region
The political landscape in the Kurdistan Region of Iraq has witnessed long-standing rivalries
between the dominant parties, the KDP and the PUK.83 In May 2023, the PUK agreed to return
to meetings of the Kurdistan Regional government (KRG) cabinet after a six-month boycott.84
Initially scheduled for 1st October 2022, parliamentary elections were postponed due todisagreements over electoral procedures.85 The Kurdistan Parliament extended its term until
the end of 2023, but this move was ruled unconstitutional by Iraq's Federal Supreme Court on
30 May 2023,86 resulting in the dissolution of the parliament.87 The ruling further ordered the
Iraqi Independent High Electoral Commission to supervise elections in the region.88
Subsequent attempts to hold elections in November 202389, at the end of February 2024 and,lastly, in June 2024,90 were met with delays. Within the reporting period, no parliamentaryelections took place in the Kurdistan Region.91

UNSG, Implementation of resolution 2631 (2022), S/2023/340, 11 May 2023, url, para. 2
Al Jazeera, Iraqi parliament passes controversial vote law amendments, 27 March 2023, url
80
Reuters, Iraq's Shi'ite ruling alliance wins more than 100 local council seats, 20 December 2023, url
81
Global Security, Coordination Framework, 16 January 2024, url
82
Rudaw, Sadr calls on supporters not to disturb local elections, 13 December 2023, url
83
VOA, Iraqi Court’s Decision Threatens to Undermine Kurdish Autonomy, 22 February 2024, url
84
Al Jazeera, PUK returns to Kurdish Regional Government meetings after boycott, 14 May 2023, url; Aydoğan, B.,
Iraqi Kurds Face Legitimacy Issues Amid Election Deadlock and Internal Division, TWI, 7 August 2023, url
7879Aydoğan, B., Iraqi Kurds Face Legitimacy Issues Amid Election Deadlock and Internal Division, TWI, 7 August
2023, url

85

Reuters, Iraqi Kurdistan 2022 parliament extension unconstitutional, supreme court rules, 30 May 2023, url;
UNSG, Implementation of resolution 2682 (2023), S/2023/700, 26 September 2023, url, para. 6; Aydoğan, B., Iraqi
Kurds Face Legitimacy Issues Amid Election Deadlock and Internal Division, TWI, 7 August 2023, url
86

Rudaw, Kurdish parliament’s fifth term officially dissolves after Iraqi top court ruling, 2 July 2023, url
New Arab (The), Iraqi Kurdistan's parliamentary elections will not be held in February, Kurdish officials say,
8 January 2024, url

8788Aydoğan, B., Iraqi Kurds Face Legitimacy Issues Amid Election Deadlock and Internal Division, TWI, 7 August
2023, url; Rudaw, IHEC initiates preparations for Kurdistan Region elections: Spox, 28 February 2024, url
89

New Arab (the), Iraqi Kurdistan region reschedules oft-delayed parliamentary elections for June, 5 March 2024,
url
90

Rudaw, IHEC initiates preparations for Kurdistan Region elections: Spox, 28 February 2024, url; New Arab (The),
President of Iraq’s Kurdistan region to delay parliamentary elections, 1 May 2024, url

91

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EUROPEAN UNION AGENCY FOR ASYLUM

Relations between Baghdad and Erbil
The situation of the so-called ‘disputed territories’, including areas of the governorates ofNinewa, Kirkuk, Salah Al-Din and Diyala contested by the Kurdistan Regional Government andthe federal government of Iraq, remained unsolved during the reporting period.92 Prime
Minister Sudani tried to improve relations with the KDP by having national forces withdraw
from the security headquarters in Kirkuk and hand over control to the Kurdish Peshmerga
forces, but ethnic tension within the city led to violent protests in September 2023, with thedecision being suspended.93
The governments of Baghdad and Erbil further continued their disputes over the supervisionand utilisation of oil and gas resources within the Kurdistan Region during the reporting
period. For the previous ten years, the KRG has autonomously managed its oil sector,
engaging in contract signings and oil exports without Baghdad's consent, which the latter
deemed illegal. In March 2023 an international arbitration decision deemed direct oil exports
from the Kurdistan Region to Türkiye a breach of a bilateral agreement between the twonations, prompting the suspension of oil exports via the Iraq-Türkiye pipeline.94 In April 2023,
the federal and Kurdistan Regional Governments reached a temporary agreement to resume
oil exports.95 However, the implementation of the agreement faced delays96 and as of January2024 the operation of the pipeline has not been restarted.97 The cessation of oil exports
significantly impacted the Kurdistan Region’s economy, given the substantial contribution ofoil revenues to its budget.98 This revenue loss, combined with irregular budget allocations
from Baghdad, strained the KRG's financial resources, affecting its capacity to remunerate
employees99 and deliver essential services.100 Unpaid salaries of state employees led toprotests throughout the Kurdistan Region.101

Rudaw, Kurdish identity of disputed areas at risk: Kurdish official, 10 November 2023, url
New Arab (The), What is driving ethnic tensions in Iraq's Kirkuk?, 13 September 2023, url; Madwar, S., A war overthe city: Exploring Kirkuk’s multi-layered conflict, Al Jazeera Centre for Studies, 10 September 2023, url
94
Reuters, Explainer: What is the Iraq-Turkey oil pipeline dispute and who's on the hook?, 31 March 2023, url
95
Al Jazeera, Iraq’s gov’t signs deal with KRG to resume oil exports, 4 April 2023, url
96
Reuters, Iraqi PM says foreign oil companies in Kurdistan to resume production within a month if agreement
reached over contracts, 24 October 2023, url; New Arab (The), Iraq, Kurdish authorities yet to agree oil exports toTurkey, 28 November 2023, url
97
MEMO, Iraq-Turkiye oil pipeline will not restart over disagreements: Iraq PM, 19 January 2024, url
98
S&P Global, The Kurdistan region: Oil forecasts following pipeline shutdown, 27 November 2023, url
99
Rudaw, KRG says Iraq paid less than half its 2023 budget share, 16 March 2024, url; Rudaw, Salaries must be
fairly distributed among Iraqi provinces, says former PM, 14 January 2024, url
100
Rudaw, Patients, students, civil servants lose in Erbil, Baghdad money row, 16 September 2023, url
101
Arab News, Iraqi Kurds protest unpaid salaries from Baghdad, 5 September 2023, url; Rudaw, Thousands ofteachers protest in Sulaimani over unpaid salaries, 22 October 2023, url; Rudaw, Striking teachers plan protest
despite government promises, 7 January 2024, url
92
93

26

IRAQ – SECURITY SITUATION

1.3. International involvement
TürkiyeTürkiye has been conducting the military operation ‘Claw-Lock’ in northern Iraq since April
2022.102 Its proclaimed aim is removing PKK elements from the region bordering Türkiye andpreventing the group from accessing Turkish territory.103 As part of this operation, Türkiye
established several military bases in northern Iraq104, notably in Dohuk governorate.105
According to a March 2022 report referring to sources dated from 2015 to 2021, the Turkish
military presence consisted of about 10 more substantial bases as well as dozens of smaller
observation points higher in the mountains.106 According to estimations by a former secretarygeneral of the KRI Peshmerga forces, as of January 2023 Türkiye maintained 87 outposts
mostly within a stretch of border territory 150 kilometres long and 30 kilometres deep into
Iraqi territory,107 while ANF News, an outlet described as being close to the PKK,108 in January2024 spoke of 100 military bases in KRG territory and a new base being built in Dohuk.109
In mid-July 2022, the Chief of Staff of the Iraqi Army put the number of Turkish soldiers
stationed on military bases in Iraq at 4 000,110 the 2023 Military Balance of the International
Institute for Strategic Studies (IISS) indicates 1 000 troops.111
Throughout 2023, Türkiye regularly carried out airstrikes mostly in the shared border area but
also deeper within the KRI112, targeting PKK positions.113 In Sinjar district in Ninewa governorate,
Türkiye repeatedly targeted the Sinjar Resistance Units (YBS), an affiliate of the PKK, as well as
PKK fighters with drone strikes.114 The Armed Conflict Location & Event Data Project (ACLED)
recorded 3 521 airstrikes by Turkish military forces115 over the reference period, targeting PKK
positions, with 2 504 of them in Dohuk governorate, especially in Amedi (Al Amadiya) district
and just over 810 in Erbil governorate, especially in Rawanduz district. A further 165 Turkish
airstrikes were recorded in Ninewa governorate and 39 airstrikes in Sulaymaniyah

VOA, Turkey Launches Airstrikes Against Kurdish Militants in Iraq, Syria, 13 January 2024, url; Al Jazeera, Six
Turkish soldiers killed in anti-PKK military operation in Iraq, 10 August 2023, url
103
Rudaw, Iraq urges Turkey to refrain from violating its sovereignty, 6 February 2024, url
104
VOA, Turkey Launches Airstrikes Against Kurdish Militants in Iraq, Syria, 13 January 2024, url; MEE, Iraq: Six
soldiers killed in attack on Turkish base, 23 December 2023, url
105
VOA, Turkey Launches Airstrikes Against Kurdish Militants in Iraq, Syria, 13 January 2024, url
106
Aziz, S. et al., Turkish interventions in its near abroad: The case of the Kurdistan Region of Iraq, Clingendael
Netherlands Institute of International Relations, March 2022, url, p. 3
107
Reuters, Turkey's push into Iraq risks deeper conflict, 31 January 2023, url
108
Reuters, Attackers set off bomb at Turkish government building, both die, 1 October 2023, url; Rudaw, Five
injured in separate Turkish airstrikes in Rojava, 25 December 2023, url
109
ANF, Turkish state establishes a new base in Duhok, 21 January 2024, url
110
Asharq Al-Awsat: Iraq Reveals Presence of Five Turkish Military Bases on its Soil, 26 July 2022, url
111
IISS, The Military Balance, Volume 123, 2023, p. 330
112
CFR, Conflict Between Turkey and Armed Kurdish Groups, last updated 8 August 2023, url
113
HRW, World Report 2024 – Iraq, 11 January 2024, url
114International Crisis Group, Crisis Watch – Iraq: February 2023 – March 2024, n.d., url; Rudaw, Three YBS
members killed in Turkish drone strike in Shingal: Kurdistan CT, 23 May 2023, url; Reuters, Three killed in Turkish
drone strike against YBS fighters in Iraq, 27 February 2023, url
115
Coded by ACLED as Actor 1.
102

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EUROPEAN UNION AGENCY FOR ASYLUM

governorate,116 among them an attack near Sulaymaniyah airport.117 Turkish intelligence further
claimed to have carried out operations in northern Iraq specifically targeting PKK operatives.118
The Iraqi government has frequently denounced the Turkish military presence, 119 while the
KRG has not publicly condemned it.120 The Kurdistan Democratic Party (KDP) is supportive ofTürkiye’s fight against the PKK while the Patriotic Union of Kurdistan (PUK) maintains ties withthe group.121 In April 2023 the Turkish government imposed a flight ban on SulaymaniyahInternational Airport and extended it for another six months in July 2023, alleging that the
airport had become a hub for PKK operations.122 A further six-months extension of the flightban was announced in December 2023.123
For information on the impact of Turkish operations on civilians, please see section Security
incidents.

Iran
Iran has significantly influenced Iraqi politics and has supported affiliated paramilitary groups
in the country. Its main objectives are to prevent an Iraqi government hostile toward Iran andto expel the US military presence from Iraq and the wider region.124 Through its
Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) – Quds Force, Iran has provided financial andmaterial support, such as weapons, to groups like Kata’ib Hezbollah, Asa’ib Ahl Al-Haq andHarakat Al-Nujaba.125 These groups, along with other smaller militias, form the core of selfstyled Islamic Resistance in Iraq whose focus is to expel the US presence from Iraq andestablish control of the state.126 The IRGC has further become involved in most of the country’s
major economic sectors by undertaking infrastructure projects and has been engaging insmuggling activities.127 The strong links between IRGC and PMF have become visible throughactivities such as a joint military parade carried out in Basra128 and a joint maritime exercise of
Iranian Basij Naval forces and PMF in the Shatt Al-Arab waters in January 2024.129 The

EUAA analysis based on publicly available ACLED data. ACLED, Curated Data Files, Iraq, data covering
1 February 2023 to 26 January 2024, as of 26 January 2024, url
117
Al-Monitor, Iraqi Kurds protest Turkish bombardment of airport, 9 April 2023, url
118
Daily Sabah, Turkish intelligence eliminates yet another PKK figure in Iraq, 7 November 2023, url; National (The),PKK commander 'neutralised' in Iraq, Turkish intelligence claims, 5 July 2023, url
119
Rudaw, Iraq urges Turkey to refrain from violating its sovereignty, 6 February 2024, url; Al Jazeera, Six Turkish
soldiers killed in anti-PKK military operation in Iraq, 10 August 2023, url
120
Al Jazeera, Six Turkish soldiers killed in anti-PKK military operation in Iraq, 10 August 2023, url
121
CFR, Conflict Between Turkey and Armed Kurdish Groups, last updated 8 August 2023, url
122
Al-Monitor, Turkey extends flight ban on Iraqi Kurds' Sulaimaniyah airport over alleged PKK support, 3 July 2023,
url
123
Rudaw, Turkey extends Sulaimani flight ban for 6 months, 23 December 2023, url
124
CFR, How Much Influence Does Iran Have in Iraq?, 18 October 2022, url
125
USDOS, Country Report on Terrorism 2022 – Chapter 5, 30 November 2023, url, p. 205
126
Smith, C. and Knights, M., Remaking Iraq: How Iranian-Backed Militias Captured the Country, Just Security,
20 March 2023, url
127
Al-Aloosy, M., Iraq’s PMF Wants to Be Iran’s IRGC, Gulf International Forum, 9 June 2023, url
128
Kittleson, S., As slain leaders commemorated, Iraq and Iran attacked yet again, Al-Majalla, last updated 8 January2024, url
129
Alsharq Al-Awsat, Basij, Iraqi PMF Stage Joint Display in Shatt al-Arab, 3 January 2024, url
116

28

IRAQ – SECURITY SITUATION

Washington Institute for Near East Policy (TWI) reported that in May 2023, a senior member of
the IRGC was called upon to mediate following clashes between two PMF units in Kirkuk.130
On 15 January 2024, missiles launched by the IRGC hit the outskirts of Erbil,131 near the US
consulate, reportedly killing at least four civilians.132 While the IRGC claimed the attack wasaimed at Israeli ‘spy headquarters’,133 sources analysed that Iran, not wanting to directly strike
its actual opponents Israel and the US, opted instead to target the regional ally of the US,
namely the Kurdistan Regional Government.134
Iran has consistently accused the KRI of providing refuge to Iranian Kurdish opposition groups
and has in the past launched strikes on their camps.135 It has further blamed these groups for
fomenting unrest in Iranian Kurdistan following the protests triggered by the death of theyoung Kurdish woman Mahsa Amini in September 2022.136 In March 2023, the Iranian andIraqi governments signed a border security agreement. It aims at cooperation to protect thecommon border, and saw Iraq pledging to prevent armed groups in the KRI from launching
cross-border attacks against Iran.137 Part of the agreement was to disarm Iranian Kurdish
opposition groups and move their camps further away from the border region.138 The Iranian
military set a deadline for September 2023 for the implementation, threatening to resume
cross-border strikes if the agreement was not met.139 The Iraqi Foreign Minister claimed in
September that the relocation of Iranian Kurdish groups away from the border into camps
deeper inside the KRI was underway.140 Certain groups such as the Kurdish Democratic Partyof Iran (KDPI) and Komala parties reportedly left camps in Erbil governorate, while the PKKaffiliated Kurdistan Free Life Party (PJAK) refused to be disarmed.141

USA
About 2 500 US troops are stationed in Iraq,142 at the Ain Al-Asad Base in Anbar governorate,
the Victory Base near Baghdad, the Hareer Base in Erbil governorate,143 and a base near Erbil
International Airport.144 Since their mission to combat ISIL ended in 2021, these troops have

TWI, Infighting Between Northern Hashd Units Requires IRGC-QF Mediation, 6 July 2023, url
CFRI, Iranian Strikes in Iraqi Kurdistan: A Calculated Provocation from Tehran, 17 January 2024, url
132
EPIC, ISHM: January 11 – 18, 2024, 18 January 2024, url; Amwaj.media, Inside story: Iranian ballistic missiles rockIraqi Kurdistan, 16 January 2024, url
133
EPIC, ISHM: January 11 – 18, 2024, 18 January 2024, url; Al Jazeera, Iran launches missile strikes in Iraq and Syria
citing security threats, 15 January 2024, url
134
Al-Monitor, How Iran chose easy targets in Iraq's Erbil to avoid Israeli reprisal, 16 January 2024, url; CFRI, IranianStrikes in Iraqi Kurdistan: A Calculated Provocation from Tehran, 17 January 2024, url
135
Reuters, Iraq starts relocating Iranian Kurdish fighters from Iran border, 12 September 2023, url; CFR, How Much
Influence Does Iran Have in Iraq?, 18 October 2022, url
136
Van Wilgenburg, W., Iran’s Pressure Campaign on Iranian Kurds Continues, TWI, 13 September 2023, url137
Al Jazeera, Iraq and Iran sign deal to tighten border security, 19 March 2023, url138
Aziz, S., The Many Shades of Iran-Iraq Security Agreement, EPC, 11 August 2023, url
139
Rudaw, Iran threatens attacks on Kurdish groups if Iraq fails to secure border, 11 July 2023, url
140
Reuters, Iraq starts relocating Iranian Kurdish fighters from Iran border, 12 September 2023, url
141International Crisis Group, Crisis Watch – Iraq: February 2023 – March 2024, n.d., url
142
Alsharq Al-Awsat, PMF Chief Demands Withdrawal of US-Led Coalition from Iraq, 4 February 2024, url;
Amwaj.media, Deep Dive: Why a US withdrawal from Iraq is off the table, 30 January 2024, url
143
Germany, BAMF, Briefing Notes Summary, 31 December 2023, url, p. 7
144
AA, 2nd drone targeting US-led coalition base near Iraq's Erbil airport shot down in last 24 hours, 12 January2024, url
130
131

29

EUROPEAN UNION AGENCY FOR ASYLUM

stayed in a training and advisory capacity145 to assist the ISF, the CTS as well as Kurdish
Security Forces.146
Beginning in October 2023 following the start of the Israel-Hamas conflict on 7 October, bases
housing US troops were repeatedly targeted by rocket147 and drone attacks.148 According to
US reports, most of the drones and rockets were intercepted,149 with the attacks being
attributed to the so-called Islamic Resistance group, which consists of Shiite militias closely
linked with Iran.150 The Islamic Resistance emerged as an umbrella term in October 2023 in
the context of the Israel-Hamas conflict to demonstrate unity among Iran-backed armed
groups behind attacks against US interests.151 US intelligence identified the Islamic Resistanceto be a front group for Iran-allied militias, among them Kata’ib Hezbollah, Harakat Al-Nujaba,
Harakat Ansar Allah Al-Awfiya and Kata’ib Sayyid Al-Shuhada.152 The US military respondedwith airstrikes that targeted leading members of the Shiite militias suspected to be behindthese attacks153 as well as their facilities.154 Some US retaliatory strikes caused casualties
among PMF units155 leading to tensions between the Iraqi and US governments.156 Bothgovernments were reportedly set to start talks on a possible withdrawal of US troops from
Iraq.157 However, several factors such as the US presidential election set for November 2024158
and Iran-Israel tensions reportedly delayed a decision regarding the withdrawal.159 From
February 2024 onwards, a halt to the attacks on US targets carried out by the Islamic
Resistance was noted, reportedly due to the desire by Iran not to escalate the situation further
at that time.160

Amwaj.media, Deep Dive: Why a US withdrawal from Iraq is off the table, 30 January 2024, url
USDOD, Operation Inherent Resolve and other U.S. Government Activities related to Iraq & Syria, July 1, 2023 –September 30, 2023, 9 November 2023, url, p. 15
147
EPIC, ISHM: November 16 – 30, 2023, 30 November 2023, url
148
Reuters, Armed drone shot down near US base in northern Iraq – sources, 18 January 2024, url; AA, 2nd drone
targeting US-led coalition base near Iraq's Erbil airport shot down in last 24 hours, 12 January 2024, url; Reuters,
Drone attack targets Iraq's Harir base, sirens sound at US embassy, 9 November 2023, url; Reuters, Rockets,drones hit Iraqi bases housing U.S. forces, 20 October 2023, url
149
Germany, BAMF, Briefing Notes Summary, 31 December 2023, url, p. 7; New Arab (The), Iraq: Explosive drone
shot down at Erbil airbase hosting US forces, 2 January 2024, url; basnews, Drone Attack Intercepted Over Skies of
US Military Base in Erbil, 3 November 2023, url
150
Germany, BAMF, Briefing Notes Summary, 31 December 2023, url, p. 7
151
TWI, Profile: The Islamic Resistance in Iraq, last updated 30 October 2023, url
152
USDOD, Operation Inherent Resolve and other U.S. Government Activities related to Iraq & Syria, October 1,
2023 – December 31, 2023, 9 February 2024, url, p. 12
153
NPR, U.S. drone strike kills a leader of an Iran-backed militia in Iraq, 7 February 2024, url; EPIC, ISHM: December
28, 2023 – January 4, 2024, 4 January 2024, url154
Reuters, U.S. forces carry out series of strikes against Iran-backed militia in Iraq, 22 November 2023, url155
Alsharq Al-Awsat, PMF Chief Demands Withdrawal of US-Led Coalition from Iraq, 4 February 2024, url; AlSumaria, ‫ ضحية بـ"اعتداءات" أمريكية‬12 ‫[ هيئة الحشد تعلن وقوع‬PMU Commission declares 12 casualties in US attacks],
22 November 2023, url
156
Alsharq Al-Awsat, PMF Chief Demands Withdrawal of US-Led Coalition from Iraq, 4 February 2024, url
157
Arab Weekly (The), US to negotiate with Iraq end of military coalition presence in Iraq, 25 January 2024, url;
Alsharq Al-Awsat, PMF Chief Demands Withdrawal of US-Led Coalition from Iraq, 4 February 2024, url
158
Reuters, Talks to end US-led coalition in Iraq may take until after US election, Iraqi official says, 12 March 2024,
url
159
Alsharq Al-Awsat, Iran-Israel Tension Delays Decision on US Troop Withdrawal from Iraq, 17 April 2024, url
160
TWI, Explaining Apparent Muqawama De-Escalation Since January 28, 7 February 2024, url; New Arab (The),
Iran-backed militias in Iraq halt attacks on US targets amid claims of defending Gaza, 21 February 2024, url
145

146

30

IRAQ – SECURITY SITUATION

1.4. Armed Actors
Islamic State in Iraq and Levant (ISIL)
There are widely diverging estimations regarding the number of ISIL fighters in Iraq and Syria,
ranging from UN figures of 3 000 to 5 000 fighters161 to US estimations of 8 000 to 16 000
fighters162 with frequent movement taking place across the porous border between the twocountries.163 An Iraqi General in March 2023 gave a lower number of 500 active ISIL fighters in
Iraq, arguing that the group has ‘lost its ability to attract new recruits’.164 In July 2023,
Mohammed Hassan, a non-resident scholar at the Middle East Institute, analysed that ISIL has
failed to make a comeback in Iraq due to the deployment and capacities of the Iraqi army,
security services, and supporting militias, the reduced popularity of the Islamist movement,
less support from the local population, the failure to recruit members as well as the loss offinancial resources.165 According to a June 2023 statement from the spokesman for thecommander of the armed forces, 99% of ISIL’s capacity had been eliminated and the groupconsisted of small cells of two to six members hiding in desert areas, valleys or mountain
ranges. 166
The US Department of Defense (USDOD) reported in its quarterly reports on the status of the
US military Operation Inherent Resolve in Iraq and Syria that ISIL was operating in a survival
mode167 and was unable to launch larger complex attacks.168 According to the reports, ISIL wasmaintaining a ‘low-grade insurgency in rural areas’,169 with most of its attacks occurring inDiyala, Kirkuk and Salah Al-Din governorates.170 According to the UN Secretary-General,asymmetric attacks carried out by ISIL were recorded in Anbar, Baghdad, Diyala, Kirkuk,
Ninewa and Salah al-Din governorates, mostly targeting the ISF.171 Throughout the reference

UN Security Council, Letter dated 23 January 2024 from the Chair of the Security Council Committee,
S/2024/92, 29 January 2024, url, para. 45
162
USDOS, Country Report on Terrorism 2022 – Chapter 5, 30 November 2023, url, p. 279
163
CFRI, Daesh: Which outlook for Iraq in 2023?, 13 March 2023, url
164
AFP, Up to 500 IS fighters still active in Iraq: military, 12 March 2023
165
Hassan, M., Why ISIS Cannot Bring the Caliphate Back to Life, Carnegie Endowment for International Peace,
18 July 2023, url
166
Al-Arabiya, ‫ من عناصر داعش بالبالد‬%99 ‫ قضينا على‬:‫[ الجيش العراقي‬Iraqi army: we have vanquished 99% of ISIL
members in the country], 23 June 2023, url
167
USDOD, Operation Inherent Resolve and other U.S. Government Activities related to Iraq & Syria, October 1,
2023 – December 31, 2023, 9 February 2024, url, p. 16; USDOD, Operation Inherent Resolve and other U.S.
Government Activities related to Iraq & Syria, July 1, 2023 – September 30, 2023, 9 November 2023, url, p. 12;
USDOD, Operation Inherent Resolve – Lead Inspector General Report To The United States Congress, April 1,
2023 – June 30, 2023, 3 August 2023, url, p. 12
168
USDOD, Operation Inherent Resolve and other U.S. Government Activities related to Iraq & Syria, October 1,
2023 – December 31, 2023, 9 February 2024, url, p. 16; USDOD, Operation Inherent Resolve and other U.S.
Government Activities related to Iraq & Syria, July 1, 2023 – September 30, 2023, 9 November 2023, url, p. 12
169
USDOD, Operation Inherent Resolve and other U.S. Government Activities related to Iraq & Syria, July 1, 2023 –September 30, 2023, 9 November 2023, url, p. 12
170
USDOD, Operation Inherent Resolve and other U.S. Government Activities related to Iraq & Syria, October 1,
2023 – December 31, 2023, 9 February 2024, url, p. 16; USDOD, Operation Inherent Resolve – Lead Inspector
General Report To The United States Congress, April 1, 2023 – June 30, 2023, 3 August 2023, url, p. 12
171
UNSG, Implementation of resolution 2682 (2023), S/2024/96, 25 January 2024, url, para. 19; UNSG,
Implementation of resolution 2682 (2023), S/2023/700, 26 September 2023, url, para. 24; UNSG, Implementationof resolution 2631 (2022), S/2023/340, 11 May 2023, url, para. 16
161

31

EUROPEAN UNION AGENCY FOR ASYLUM

period, the International Crisis Group reported clashes between ISIL and ISF, resulting indeaths on both sides. Additionally, there were sporadic attacks on PMF positions.172
The UN Secretary-General further noted an overall decline in the number of attacks in the firsthalf of 2023 (178 attacks) compared to the first half of 2022 (526 attacks).173 The trend
continued throughout 2023, with 92 attacks in the first quarter 174 and 54 attacks in the lastquarter.175 ACLED recorded 44 incidents of violence employed by ISIL affecting civilians(explosions/remote violence and violence against civilians)176 with overall 42 fatalities within
the reference period.177 Sources reported among ISIL-related incidents killings178 andkidnappings of civilians.179

Iraqi Security Forces (ISF)
The ISF consist of the military and security forces reporting to the Ministry of Defence, theMinistry of Interior and the Council of Ministers.180 The army reports to the Ministry of Defence,
the Federal Police and Border Guard Force report to the Ministry of Interior. The Counter
Terrorism Service (CTS) exists outside the two ministries and reports directly to the Prime
Minister.181 The army ground forces, including CTS, reportedly comprise approximately
180 000 troops, while the Federal Police has about 36 000 troops.182 The Federal Police has
been trained in anti-ISIL ground combat, leading to a focus on a more paramilitary role at theexpense of traditional policing duties.183
During the reference period, the ISF conducted anti-ISIL operations in Kirkuk, Diyala, Anbar,
Salah Al-Din governorates and near Baghdad by carrying out airstrikes and engaging inclashes resulting in the killing of suspected ISIL militants.184 In June 2023, the spokesman forthe commander of the armed forces announced that the security situation in areas liberated
from ISIL was very good and would allow handing over the responsibility for the security
sector in the city centres to the Ministry of Interior. The plan for the armed forces would
therefore be to withdraw from the cities and deploy outside them, carrying out tasks such as

International Crisis Group, Crisis Watch – Iraq: February 2023 – March 2024, n.d., url
UNSG, Implementation of resolution 2682 (2023), S/2023/700, 26 September 2023, url, para. 24
174
UNSG, Implementation of resolution 2631 (2022), S/2023/340, 11 May 2023, url, para. 16
175
UNSG, Implementation of resolution 2682 (2023), S/2024/96, 25 January 2024, url, para. 19
176
Actor 1 filtered to ISIL, Actor 2 filtered to civilians.
177
EUAA analysis based on ACLED data. ACLED, Data Export Tool, Middle East (19 April 2024), url
178
Rudaw, ‫[ داعش ينحر راع في طوزخورماتو‬ISIL kills shepherd in Tuz Khurmatu], 12 March 2023, url; Al Jazeera,
Gunmen kill 11 in roadside attack in eastern Iraq, 1 December 2023, url
179
EPIC, ISHM: January 4 – 11, 2024, 11 January 2024, url; Al-Araby Al-Jadeed, ‫داعش ينتقل لخطف رعاة األغنام قرب المدن‬‫[ المحررة في العراق‬ISIL resorts to kidnapping shepherds close to liberated cities in Iraq], 16 September 2023, url
180
ISW, Iraqi Security Forces And Popular Mobilization Forces: Orders Of Battle, December 2017, url, p. 10
181
USDOD, Operation Inherent Resolve – Lead Inspector General Report To The United States Congress, October
1, 2021 – December 31, 2021, 8 February 2022, url, p. 30
182
IISS, The Military Balance, Volume 123, 2023, pp. 328-330
183
Egel, D. et al., The Future of the Iraqi Popular Mobilization Forces - Lessons from Historical Disarmament,
Demobilization, and Reintegration Efforts, RAND Corporation, 2023, url, p. 6
184
International Crisis Group, Crisis Watch – Iraq: February 2023 – March 2024, n.d., url
172
173

32

IRAQ – SECURITY SITUATION

securing the borders and filling any security vacuums existing in rural areas or the desert
region of Anbar governorate.185

Popular Mobilisation Forces (PMF)
The PMF (also known as the Popular Mobilisation Units, PMU or Al-Hashd Al-Sha’bi) are ‘anumbrella of more than 60 armed factions that operate separately from the ISF and arenominally under the command of the Iraqi prime minister’.186 They were originally formed in2014 to combat ISIL following the group’s takeover of the northern city of Mosul.187 In April
2023, the finance committee of the Iraqi parliament published a report stating that the numberof PMF personnel in the 2023 budget had increased by 95 %, from 122 000 to 238 000.188
PMF Chairman Falih Al-Fayyadh later gave a lower figure of 204 000 troops covered in thebudget allocated to the PMF.189 According to the Washington Institute for Near East Policy(TWI), the number of registered PMF troops has long been deliberately obscured and theactual troop numbers have always exceeded the number of those registered. 190
The PMF are heterogeneous in nature191 and there are internal rivalries within PMF ranks.192
The PMF are characterised by three factions, the first and the most powerful one is allied with
Iran,193 featuring groups such as the Badr Corps, Asa’ib Ahl Al-Haq, and Kata’ib Hezbollah.194
The second follows the Shiite religious authority in Najaf, headed by Grand Ayatollah Ali AlSistani and the third is loyal to the political and religious leader Muqtada Al-Sadr.195 Most of the
PMF members are Shia Arabs196, however there are smaller militias made up of Sunni Arabs or

Al-Arabiya, ‫ من عناصر داعش بالبالد‬%99 ‫ قضينا على‬:‫[ الجيش العراقي‬Iraqi army: we have vanquished 99% of ISIL
members in the country], 23 June 2023, url
186
USDOD, Operation Inherent Resolve and other U.S. Government Activities related to Iraq & Syria, October 1,
2023 – December 31, 2023, 9 February 2024, url, p. 20
187
Alaaldin, R., The Popular Mobilization Force is turning Iraq into an Iranian client state [Commentary], Brookings,
2 February 2024, url
188
Al-Kaabi, A. and Knights, M., Extraordinary Popular Mobilization Force Expansion, by the Numbers, TWI, 3 June
2023, url; CFRI, In Iraq, the Hashd calls the shots, 3 November 2023, url
189
Amwaj.media, Granted expanded funding and personnel, Iraq’s PMU highlights drone arsenal, 20 June 2023,
url; Al-Kaabi, A. and Knights, M., Extraordinary Popular Mobilization Force Expansion, by the Numbers, TWI, 3 June
2023, url
190
Al-Kaabi, A. and Knights, M., Extraordinary Popular Mobilization Force Expansion, by the Numbers, TWI, 3 June
2023, url
191
CFRI, In Iraq, the Hashd calls the shots, 3 November 2023, url; Ezzedine, N. and van Veen, E., Power inperspective: Four key insights into Iraq’s Al-Hashd al-Sha’abi, Clingendael Netherlands Institute of International
Relations, June 2018, url, p. 1
192
Al-Kaabi, A. and Knights, M., Hadi al-Ameri’s Bad(r) Month, TWI, 21 February 2024, url; Al-Kaabi, A. and Knights,
M., Badr and Asaib Crack the Whip on Kataib al-Imam Ali in Basra, TWI, 11 January 2024, url
193
CFRI, In Iraq, the Hashd calls the shots, 3 November 2023, url
194
Egel, D. et al., The Future of the Iraqi Popular Mobilization Forces - Lessons from Historical Disarmament,
Demobilization, and Reintegration Efforts, RAND Corporation, 2023, url, p. 4
195
CFRI, In Iraq, the Hashd calls the shots, 3 November 2023, url
196
USDOS, 2022 Country Reports on International Religious Freedom: Iraq, 15 May 2023, url, p. 1
185

33

EUROPEAN UNION AGENCY FOR ASYLUM

smaller minority groups,197 such as Yazidi,198 Christian,199 Shabak,200 and Turkmen units.201
These smaller groups are allied with the main factions, often with the pro-Iranian groups
because of their influence and power.202 They are generally active within or near the regions
they live in.203
Beginning in 2016, the Iraqi parliament passed several bills aimed at officially bringing the PMF
under government control204 and integrating them into the state security forces.205 The
ambiguously worded law, however, made it possible for the PMF to remain a highly
autonomous entity, using their status as a state actor to their benefit while at the same timeinterpreting their institutional mandate quite freely.206 There are some militia groups that still
exist outside the official PMF structure207 as well as groups which operate several state-funded
PMF-brigades but also receive orders from the IRGC, among them Kata’ib Hezbollah208 andAsa’ib Ahl Al-Haq.209 PMF troops are widely considered to be loyal to their individual leaders
and in some cases to report to Iranian advisors.210 This leads them to carry out operations
without the approval of the Iraqi Prime Minister, the commander-in-chief of all Iraqi security
forces.211
During the reference period, PMF units were engaged in anti-ISIL operations across thecountry.212 In addition to conducting security-related activities, the PMF have gradually
expanded their influence over the Iraqi state, forming a political bloc with a significant
presence in the Iraqi parliament as well as provincial councils, and gaining indirect control ofseveral ministries as well as the Supreme Court.213 Representatives of PMF factions have a

Egel, D. et al., The Future of the Iraqi Popular Mobilization Forces - Lessons from Historical Disarmament,
Demobilization, and Reintegration Efforts, RAND Corporation, 2023, url, p. 4; CFRI, In Iraq, the Hashd calls the
shots, 3 November 2023, url
198
KirkukNow, Shingal: PMF recruits locals for new brigade, 11 April 2023, url
199
TWI, Profile: Kataib Babiliyoun (50th PMF Brigade), last updated 27 November 2023, url
200
ISW and CTP, Iran Update, December 1, 2023, 1 December 2023, url
201
Kurdistan24, Turkmen Brigades prevent several Kurdish families from reclaiming Kirkuk homes, 3 December
2023, url
202
CFRI, In Iraq, the Hashd calls the shots, 3 November 2023, url
203
USDOS, 2022 Country Reports on International Religious Freedom: Iraq, 15 May 2023, url, p. 1
204
Egel, D. et al., The Future of the Iraqi Popular Mobilization Forces - Lessons from Historical Disarmament,
Demobilization, and Reintegration Efforts, RAND Corporation, 2023, url, pp. 3-4
205
Amwaj.media, Granted expanded funding and personnel, Iraq’s PMU highlights drone arsenal, 20 June 2023, url
206
Rudolf, I., Tracing the Role of the Violent Entrepreneurs in the Iraqi Post-Conflict Economy, New Lines Institutefor Strategy and Policy, May 2023, url, p. 5
207
Egel, D. et al., The Future of the Iraqi Popular Mobilization Forces - Lessons from Historical Disarmament,
Demobilization, and Reintegration Efforts, RAND Corporation, 2023, url, p. 4; Irfaasawtak, ‫زيادة أعداد عناصر الحشد‬‫ لماذا؟‬..‫[ الشعبي في العراق "تقلق" البعض‬The increase of PMU troops in Iraq is worrying to some – why?], 3 May 2023, url
208
TWI, Profile: Kataib Hezbollah, last updated 21 October 2023, url
209
TWI, Profile: Asaib Ahl al-Haq, last updated 21 October 2023, url
210
Egel, D. et al., The Future of the Iraqi Popular Mobilization Forces - Lessons from Historical Disarmament,
Demobilization, and Reintegration Efforts, RAND Corporation, 2023, url, p. 4; for an example of such a PMU unit,
see TWI, Profile: Ansar Allah al-Awfiya (19th PMF Brigade), last updated 29 November 2023, url
211
ISW and CTP, The Leadership and Purpose of Iraq’s Popular Mobilization Forces, 19 March 2024, url
212
Iraqi News, Two PMF fighters killed in an attack carried out by ISIS, 7 January 2024, url; INA, PMF captures two
ISIS terrorists planning to attack civilians, 2 January 2024, url; Rudaw, Iraq launches anti-ISIS operation in Kirkuk
after spate of attacks, 3 December 2023, url; EPIC, ISHM: November 16 – 30, 2023, 30 November 2023, url; EPIC,
ISHM: September 14 – 21, 2023, 21 September 2023, url
213
Alaaldin, R., The Popular Mobilization Force is turning Iraq into an Iranian client state [Commentary], Brookings,
2 February 2024, url
197

34

IRAQ – SECURITY SITUATION

seat in parliament and determine policy.214 While the state budget allocates salaries to the
PMF for their role as security agents, PMF members have sought to increase their gains byengaging in extralegal and illegal activities, such as creating military enterprises, seizing
properties, imposing arbitrary taxes at checkpoints, smuggling goods such as oil, trading in
scrap metal, kidnapping and extortion.215 Since the end of major fighting operations against
ISIL, the PMF have dominated the security sector in the liberated governorates Ninewa, Anbar
and Salah Al-Din, where they have also sought to profit economically by becoming a partner inreconstruction efforts, imposing fees and levying taxes on businesses and transportation of
goods, especially across borders.216 Iranian-backed PMF were reportedly present at andaround the country’s major border crossings.217 Sources have pointed out an increasingorganisational resemblance to the IRGC,218 for example through the establishment of the
PMF’s own government approved construction company mirroring the Khatam Al-Anbiya
company of the IRGC.219
In the wake of the resurgence of the Israel-Hamas conflict, a loose coalition of several Iranianbacked militias calling themselves Islamic Resistance in Iraq emerged and began carrying out
attacks on US personnel stationed in Iraq.220 Retaliatory airstrikes carried out by the US
resulted in the killing of PMF fighters.221 PMF Chairman Falih Al-Fayyadh subsequently
demanded Iraq to be ‘cleansed’ of US-led forces.222 The factions of the Islamic Resistance in
Iraq are reportedly extreme groups and should not be equated with the PMF as a whole.223
However, many of them are reportedly part of the PMF and therefore official security forces
who receive government wages.224

Peshmerga
The Peshmerga are the regional armed forces of the KRI, which have historically been divided
into forces under the Kurdistan Democratic Party (KDP) and forces under the Patriotic Union of

NZZ, Für die schiitischen Kämpfer im Irak sind die Amerikaner Besetzer – sie sollen gehen, am besten jetzt [Forthe Shiite fighters in Iraq, the Americans are occupiers - they should leave, preferably immediately], 6 March 2024,
url
215
Rudolf, I., Tracing the Role of the Violent Entrepreneurs in the Iraqi Post-Conflict Economy, New Lines Institutefor Strategy and Policy, May 2023, url, p. 6
216
Arab Weekly (The), Sudani seeks to clip the wings of Hashed forces as he removes militias from Iraqi cities,
16 June 2023, url
217
USDOS, Country Report on Terrorism 2022 – Chapter 5, 30 November 2023, url, p. 130
218
Al-Aloosy, M., Iraq’s PMF Wants to Be Iran’s IRGC, Gulf International Forum, 9 June 2023, url; Arabic Post, ‫على‬‫ “شركة المهندس” الذراع االقتصادية الجديدة لتوسيع نفوذ الحشد الشعبي في العراق‬..‫[ خطى الحرس الثوري‬Following in the footsteps of
the Revolutionary Guard... “Al-Muhandis Company” is the new economic branch to expand the influence of the PMF
in Iraq], 31 January 2023, url
219
Al-Aloosy, M., Iraq’s PMF Wants to Be Iran’s IRGC, Gulf International Forum, 9 June 2023, url; Smith, C. andKnights, M., Remaking Iraq: How Iranian-Backed Militias Captured the Country, Just Security, 20 March 2023, url
220
Porter, L., Islamic Resistance in Iraq appears to be responsible for attacks in the country and there’s no end insight, Atlantic Council, 22 November 2023, url
221
Reuters, Kataib Hezbollah commander killed in Baghdad in US strike, 9 February 2024, url; Washington Post
(The), U.S. strikes in Syria and Iraq kill dozens of militants, 4 February 2024, url
222
Rudaw, PMF chief says Iraq must be ‘cleansed’ of US-led forces, 4 February 2024, url
223
Brookings, How Iraq is managing the Israel-Gaza crisis [Alshamary, M.], 21 December 2023, url
224
NZZ, Für die schiitischen Kämpfer im Irak sind die Amerikaner Besetzer – sie sollen gehen, am besten jetzt [Forthe Shiite fighters in Iraq, the Americans are occupiers - they should leave, preferably immediately], 6 March 2024,
url
214

35

EUROPEAN UNION AGENCY FOR ASYLUM

Kurdistan (PUK).225 Approximately 54 000 Peshmerga form units commanded by the KRG
Ministry of Peshmerga Affairs (MoPA), while the larger force, about 100 000 troops, 'serve inunits directly controlled by either' KDP or PUK.226 The US has been subsidising payments ofPeshmerga serving under the MoPA and has pushed to move the partisan units under a joint
MoPA command. However, there has not been much progress due to the continued political
divide between the two parties.227
Kirkuk governorate as well as parts of Ninewa, Erbil, and Diyala governorates are disputed
between the central government in Baghdad and the KRG,228 meaning that a line separating
the Peshmerga forces and the ISF stretches 560 Kilometres from Diyala on the border with
Iran to the border with Syria in Ninewa governorate,229 with Peshmerga partly being deployedoutside the KRI.230 In July 2023, the formation of two joint ISF/Peshmerga brigades wasannounced to fill security gaps in the disputed territories where ISIL sleeper cells werereportedly operating.231 The USDOD noted that one such brigade had begun training as ofDecember 2023 and that Kurdish security forces continued to carry out anti-ISIL operations
independently as well as in coordination with the ISF.232 While at the beginning of October
2023, Iraqi and KRI commanders said that enhanced cooperation in the disputed territories
had led to an improved security situation,233 only a few weeks later a dispute over the control
of a military post vacated by the PKK led to armed clashes between Peshmerga and ISF.234
The clashes took place in Makhmour district and led to fatalities on both sides.235

Kurdistan Workers’ Party (PKK)
Since the 1990s, the Kurdistan Workers’ Party (PKK) has been carrying out armed actions
against the Turkish army from the Iraq-Iran border area while its top commanders are based in
the KRI.236 Using northern Iraq as a base, it carried out attacks in Türkiye and has been
designated a terrorist organisation by the EU and the US.237 As of January 2022, the PKK had
a presence in the north of Dohuk and Erbil governorates along the border with Türkiye, in the
Qandil mountains along the border between the KRI and Iran, in the Asos mountains in
Sulaymaniyah governorate, in Makhmur district and the Sinjar mountain range in Ninewa
Caggins, M.B., Peshmerga Reforms: Navigating Challenges, Forging Unity, FPRI, 31 October 2023, url;
Amwaj.media, Why Iraqi Kurdistan won’t have unified army any time soon, 25 October 2022, url
226
Al-Monitor, US reduces peshmerga funding amid Iraqi Kurdish political tensions, 4 January 2024, url
227
USDOD, Operation Inherent Resolve and other U.S. Government Activities related to Iraq & Syria, October 1,
2023 – December 31, 2023, 9 February 2024, url, pp. 25-26; Al-Monitor, US reduces peshmerga funding amid Iraqi
Kurdish political tensions, 4 January 2024, url
228
Hussein, H.A., Iraq’s Disputed Territories and the Potential Impact of the Upcoming Provincial Elections [Map],
TWI, 12 December 2023, url
229
KirkukNow, Peshmerga ready for Kirkuk, 26 July 2023, url
230
Kurdistan24, Peshmerga calls for greater cooperation with Iraqi army amid renewed ISIS attacks, 4 December
2023, url; KirkukNow, Peshmerga ready for Kirkuk, 26 July 2023, url
231
KirkukNow, Peshmerga ready for Kirkuk, 26 July 2023, url
232
USDOD, Operation Inherent Resolve and other U.S. Government Activities related to Iraq & Syria, October 1,
2023 – December 31, 2023, 9 February 2024, url, p. 26
233
Kurdistan24, Iraqi, Kurdish commanders hail improved security in disputed territories, 5 October 2023, url
234
AP, Dispute between Iraqi military and Kurdish Peshmerga turns deadly, killing 3, 22 October 2023, url
235
Reuters, Four killed in clashes between Iraqi army and Kurdish Peshmerga, security sources say, 22 October
2023, url
236
Al-Monitor, Turkey extends flight ban on Iraqi Kurds' Sulaimaniyah airport over alleged PKK support, 3 July 2023,
url; Defense Post, (The), Kurdish Militant Group Ends Ceasefire With Turkey, 15 June 2023, url
237
Reuters, As Turkey intensifies war on Kurdish militants in Iraq, civilians are suffering, 10 October 2023, url
225

36

IRAQ – SECURITY SITUATION

governorate.238 In Sinjar district, the group has security and political influence through local
Yazidi militias like the Sinjar Resistance Units (YBS),239 which Türkiye considers to be a PKK
branch.240
In June 2023, the PKK declared an end to a ceasefire which it had unilaterally implemented
with Türkiye after the earthquake in February 2023.241 The group blamed the end of theceasefire on the killing of a member of an associated militant group in Sulaymaniyah which
local Kurdish activists claimed had been carried out by Turkish intelligence services.242 From
August 2023 onwards, attacks carried out by the PKK on Turkish military positions or clashes
between PKK and Turkish troops were recorded on almost a monthly basis in Northern Iraq.243
In one such attack, PKK fighters attacked positions of the Turkish army in Northern Iraq andkilled at least 12 Turkish soldiers, reportedly constituting one of the largest attacks of the last
decade.244
In March 2024, the Iraqi National Security Council officially banned the PKK following a visit by
the Turkish foreign and defence ministers to Baghdad, a step which the Turkish government
has long been pushing for.245 Media outlet Rudaw maintained that the role of the KRG in thispolicy shift remained unclear.246

1.5. Impact of the security situation on civilian population
As described in section 0, the security situation in Iraq is characterised by different conflicts
and sources of tension. Consequently, different areas of the country have specific security
dynamics, trends and patterns. More detailed background information on the geographicaloverview of the security situation can be found in section 1.3 of the previous EUAA COI
report: Iraq Security Situation (January 2022). In addition, the chapters in section 2.Security
situation and conflict impact on civilians by governorates. of this report address the specificsecurity issues on governorate level, taking into account their specific geographical impact.

Aziz, S. et al., Turkish interventions in its near abroad: The case of the Kurdistan Region of Iraq [Map],
Clingendael Netherlands Institute of International Relations, March 2022, url, p. 7
239
Saleem, Z.A., The Competition for Control in Sinjar: How External Actors and Local Interests Inhibit the Sinjar
Agreement, LSE, January 2024, url, p. 11
240
Rudaw, Iraq bans PKK, labeling it a threat to the country, 15 March 2024, url
241
Al-Monitor, Did Kurdish PKK call off truce with Turkey to make peace or war?, 14 June 2023, url
242
New Arab (The), PKK ends its unilateral ceasefire with Turkey, threatens wide attacks, 15 June 2023, url
243International Crisis Group, Crisis Watch – Iraq: February 2023 – March 2024, n.d., url
244
taz, Vergeltung gegen die PKK [Retaliation against the PKK], 26 December 2023, url
245
Arab Weekly (The), Iraq bans PKK after high-level security talks with Turkey, 15 March 2024, url
246
Rudaw, Iraq bans PKK, labeling it a threat to the country, 15 March 2024, url
238

37

EUROPEAN UNION AGENCY FOR ASYLUM

According to ACLED’s conflict exposure measure,247 between 1 February 2023 and 22 March
2024, 16 692 615248 individuals were exposed to conflict due to their proximity to securityrelated incidents coded as battles, explosions/remote violence or violence against civilians in
Iraq.249 ACLED specifies that ‘people are harmed by this exposure in different ways: they may
be directly injured; they may find themselves in active conflict; they and their group may betargeted; or they may be affected by the destruction of their village, neighborhood, or town.’250
In a September 2023 publication (covering July 2022 -June 2023), OFPRA summarises thegeographical distribution of security incidents and their impact on the civilian population,
based on its analyses of ACLED data and additional sources, as follows: the security situationin Iraq’s capital was shaped by clashes involving federal forces, PMF and ISIL, along withinternal PMF disputes. The spread of militias and fragmented local security continued to
impact civilians, who faced violence from various unidentified armed groups. More than 10 %of the country's incidents occur in the northern governorates, with a slight decrease inincidents since 2020 due to the decline in ISIL activity. However, a security vacuum, ethnoreligious tensions and strategic challenges in contested areas continue to make Diyala, Kirkuk,
Ninewa and Salah Al-Din hotspots for violence, resulting in civilian casualties. Although thesouthern governorates of Babil, Karbala, Wassit, Qadissiya, Najaf and Muthanna experienced
fewer violent incidents than other parts of the country, these figures have remained stablesince 2020. Many of the security incidents documented here are reportedly related tounidentified tribal militias and property disputes. In the southern governorates of Basrah,
Missan and Thi-Qar, the number of security incidents and civilian casualties is reported to behigh. In these areas, the civilian population is exposed to a wide range of violence stemmingfrom organised crime and drug trafficking, the proliferation of local militias and firearms,
climatic disasters and social unrest.251
With regard to the Kurdistan Region of Iraq (KRI), CEDOCA reported in September 2023 thatthe conflict between Türkiye and the PKK in Iraq had led to an increase in violence in themountainous regions of the KRI. This violence primarily involved Turkish soldiers and PKK
guerilla fighters; however, civilians were reportedly also affected, leading to deaths andinjuries.252 In September 2023, OFPRA cited sources indicating that, between July 2022 andJune 2023, Turkish operations regularly targeted civilian infrastructure or densely populated

ACLED’s Conflict Exposure Calculator combines information on conflict events from the ACLED database withestimates of population size to estimate the impact on civilians based on factors such as the proximity to an event,the event type, the type of violent actor involved, the geographical location, and the timing of the event. ACLED,
Conflict Exposure, n.d., url
248This figure indicates ACLED’s so-called ‘best’ estimate, which means that the respective proximity to eachsecurity-related incident was selected based on the type and intensity of the incident. For more detailed
information on the ‘best’ estimate, see ACLED, Conflict Exposure, n.d., url
249
ACLED, Conflict Exposure Calculator [Iraq, 1 February 2022 – 22 March 2023, filtered event types: battles,
explosions/remote violence, violence against civilians], accessed 29 March 2023
250
ACLED, Conflict Exposure, n.d., url
251France, OFPRA, Irak : Veille sécuritaire du 1er juillet 2022 au 30 juin 2023 [Iraq: Security monitoring, 1 July 2022
to 30 June 2023], 20 September 2023, url, pp. 11-12
252
Belgium, CEDOCA, Irak: De veiligheidssituatie in de Koerdische Autonome Regio [Iraq: The security situation in
the Kurdish Autonomous Region], 28 September 2023, url, p. 19
247

38

IRAQ – SECURITY SITUATION

areas,253 while Türkiye denied targeting civilians stating that it was trying to avoid civilian
casualties by coordinating with the Iraqi authorities.254
The International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) reported that it documented 43 293
cases of missing persons between 2003 and 2023. Of these, more than 26 700 cases are stillunresolved, a figure that exceeds the Iraqi government's estimate of 16 000 missing Iraqis
over the same period by far.255 More recent ICRC data indicated that 994 requests were
submitted in the first half of 2023 to find missing relatives.256

Security incidents
Number and type of security incidents
EUAA used the publicly available ACLED curated dataset for Middle East (19 April 2024) for
security incidents figures, graphs and maps.257 According to the aforementioned ACLED
dataset,258 between 1 February 2023 and 31 March 2024 there were 6 115 security incidents
recorded in Iraq: 1 258 were coded as battles, 4 410 as explosions/remote violence, and 447
as violence against civilians. Most security incidents were recorded in Dohuk (3 441), Erbil(1 015) and Baghdad (361) governorates. The lowest security incidents figures were recorded
in Qadissiya (20) Wassit (16) and Karbala (11) governorates.259

France, OFPRA, Irak : Veille sécuritaire du 1er juillet 2022 au 30 juin 2023 [Iraq: Security monitoring, 1 July 2022
to 30 June 2023], 20 September 2023, url, p. 23
254
Asharq Al-Awsat, Iraq Rejects Turkish Strikes in Kurdistan Region, Seeks Resolution, 2 October 2023, url
255
VOA, Thousands Still Missing from 20 Years of Iraq's Turmoil, 9 April 2023, url
256
ICRC, Iraq: For families of the missing, the pain remains even as the search for answers continues, 30 August
2023, url
257
ACLED, Data Export Tool, Middle East (19 April 2024), url
258
ACLED, Data Export Tool, Middle East (19 April 2024), url
259
EUAA analysis based on ACLED data. ACLED, Data Export Tool, Middle East (19 April 2024), url
25339EUROPEAN UNION AGENCY FOR ASYLUM

0

500

1000

1500

2000

Battles

Explosions/Remote violence

2500

3000

3500

4000

Dohuk
Erbil
BaghdadNinewaThi-QarMissan
Sulaymaniyah
Anbar
BasrahDiyalaKirkukSalah Al-Din
Najaf
Muthanna
Babil
Qadissiya
WassitKarbalaViolence against civilians

Figure 1. Number of security events coded as battles, explosions/remote violence andviolence against civilians between 1 February 2023 and 31 March November 2024.
Breakdown by governorate based on ACLED data.260
Explosions/remote violence, which includes explosive devices, artillery fire and air strikes, isthe category with the highest number of individual incidents by far with 4 410 incidents
recorded by ACLED between 1 February 2023 and 31 March 2024. The largest number of
explosions/remote violence was registered in Dohuk (2 816), followed by Erbil (961) and
Ninewa (210) governorates. The lowest number of explosions/remote violence were
documented in Karbala (1), Wassit (3) and Babil (9) governorates.261
Battles (armed clashes) is the category with the second most registered security incidents.
During the reference period, there were 1 258 battles recorded by ACLED. Most battles wererecorded in the governorates of Dohuk (622), Baghdad (157), and Thi-Qar (78). The lowest
number of battles were recorded in Karbala (5), Babil (7), and Wassit (7).262

EUAA analysis based on ACLED data. ACLED, Data Export Tool, Middle East (19 April 2024), url
EUAA analysis based on ACLED data. ACLED, Data Export Tool, Middle East (19 April 2024), url
262
EUAA analysis based on ACLED data. ACLED, Data Export Tool, Middle East (19 April 2024), url
260
261

40

IRAQ – SECURITY SITUATION

The third largest category of incidents is violence against civilians with 447 incidents recordedby ACLED between 1 February 2023 and 31 March 2024. Most incidents during the year wererecorded in Baghdad (130), Missan (70) and Thi-Qar (47) governorates. The lowest number ofincidents were recorded in Dohuk (3) and Qadissiya (3) governorates.263

Figure 2. Weekly evolution of security events coded as battles, explosions/remote violenceand violence against civilians in Iraq between 1 February 2023 and 31 March 2024, basedon ACLED data.264
By contrast, for the period between 1 February 2023 and 31 March 2024, the UCDP recorded
282 security events leading to fatalities265 in Iraq (see Figure 3). The largest number of eventswere recorded in Dohuk governorate (76) followed by Erbil (25) and Sulaymaniyah (22)governorates. For 75 of the events recorded by the UCDP, the exact location within agovernorate was not specified. Most of these events (70 out of 75) were reported in the
Qandil Mountains and Northern Kurdistan areas of Iraq. During the indicated reference period,
the UCDP did not record any events resulting in fatalities in the governorates of Basrah,
Missan, Muthanna, Najaf, Wassit, Qadissiya and Karbala.266

EUAA analysis based on ACLED data. ACLED, Data Export Tool, Middle East (19 April 2024), url
EUAA analysis based on ACLED data. ACLED, Data Export Tool, Middle East (19 April 2024), url
265
UCDP records only incidents where armed force was used by an organised actor against another organizedactor, or against civilians, resulting in at least 1 direct death at a specific location and a specific date. UCDP, UCDP
Georeferenced Event Dataset Codebook (Version 21.1), 2021, url, p. 4
266
EUAA analysis based on UCDP data. UCDP, data covering 1 February 2023 to 31 March 2024 provided bycourtesy of UCDP by email, 22 March 2024 & 22 April 2024
263

264

41

EUROPEAN UNION AGENCY FOR ASYLUMUCDP recorded events. Breakdown bygovernorate (1 February 2023 - 31 March 2024)
0

DiyalaUnclear location
Erbil
Sulaymaniyah
BaghdadSalah Al-Din
Dohuk
NinewaAnbar
KirkukBabil
Thi-Qar

10

20

30

40

50

60

70

80

14
75
25
22
9
9
76
18
12
19
2
1

Figure 3. Events leading to fatalities recorded by the UCDP between 1 February 2023 and
31 March 2024. Breakdown by governorate.267
Between 1 February 2023 and 29 February 2024, Musings on Iraq268 documented 123 attacks
attributed to ISIL and 105 attacks attributed to pro-Iranian groups, with the former declining
steadily compared to 2022 and the latter declining again in February 2024 after a significant
increase between October 2023 and January 2024.269
As of mid-March 2024, Airwars, an organisation that monitors and evaluates claims of civilian
casualties from international military action (mainly air and artillery strikes),270 reported 13
incidents with civilian harm allegations since 1 February 2023, of which one was attributed to
US forces, one to the US-led coalition forces and the remaining 11 to the Turkish military.271 In areport published in November 2023 (covering the period between October 2021 and
September 2023), the Dutch Ministry of Foreign Affairs identified Turkish airstrikes in the KRI
as the most notable incidents of violence nationwide.272 Throughout the reference period of
this report (February 2023 – March 2024), Turkish airstrikes were reported,273 some of which

EUAA analysis based on UCDP data. UCDP, data covering 1 February 2023 to 31 March 2024 provided bycourtesy of UCDP by email, 22 March 2024 & 22 April 2024
268
Musings on Iraq is a blog by Joel Wind, that specialises on the ‘politics, economics, security, culture and historyof Iraq’. Blogger, Joel Wing, n.d., url
269
Musings on Iraq, Violence Almost Disappears In Iraq In March 2024, 4 March 2024, url
270
Airwars, Who we are, n.d., url
271
Airwars, Turkish military in Iraq & Syria, as of 11 March 2024, url
272
Netherlands (The), Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Algemeen ambtsbericht Irak [Country report Iraq], November
2023, url, p. 18
273
Al Jazeera, Turkish air strikes target northern Iraq and Syria, 16 January 2024, url; AP, Turkey steps up airstrikes
against Kurdish groups in Syria and Iraq after 12 soldiers were killed, 25 December 2023, url; Reuters, As Turkey
intensifies war on Kurdish militants in Iraq, civilians are suffering, 10 October 2023, url
267

42IRAQ – SECURITY SITUATION

reportedely resulted in civilian casualties.274 In October 2023, it was reported that thefrequency of Turkish airstrikes had increased in recent years and extended further into Iraqi
territory.275 Türkiye’s military operations in the Kurdish region have reportedly been criticisedfor often leaving civilian lives and property stuck in the crossfire.276
Type of weapons and tactics used
According to the reports by the UNSG covering the reference period, the majority of civilian
casualties were caused by explosive remnants of war (ERW),277 followed by ‘small arms fire,complex attacks and improvised explosive devices’ between 1 January and 31 March 2023278
and by ‘improvised explosive devices, small arms fire and air attacks’ in the period from 1 April
to 31 August 2023.279 The UNSG report covering 1 September 2023 to 31 December 2023
listed air strikes as the second most common cause of civilian casualties.280
The surge in Iranian-backed groups’ attacks on US target in Iraq has seen a tactical shift, often
involving drones and missiles, targeting the same locations in a single day. Drones havereportedly been the primary tool in these recent attacks, with their use more than doubling in
2023 compared to 2021 and 2022 combined. Meanwhile, the use of improvised explosive
devices (IEDs) has fallen dramatically, with only one reported IED attack against US targets in
2023.281 In retaliatory US attacks on Iran-linked targets in early February 2024, which affectedboth civilian and security areas, 16 people, including civilians, were killed and 25 wounded,according to the Iraqi government.282

Civilian casualties
In 2023, UNAMI documented at least 153 civilian casualties resulting from armed conflictrelated incidents in Iraq, 57 % less than in 2022 and of 81 % less than in 2021 (see Figure 4).
For the first three months of 2024, UNAMI documented 49 civilian casualties.283

Rudaw, Iraq bans PKK, labeling it a threat to the country, 15 March 2024, url; Reuters, Two civilians killed in
Turkish air strike in northern Iraq, security sources say, 8 March 2024, url; New Arab (The), Two killed in Iraq strikeblamed on Turkey, 21 February 2024, url; HRW, World Report 2024 – Iraq, 11 January 2024, url; Fair Observer,
Turkey Killed Iraqi Civilians—Where Is the Uproar?, 24 August 2023, url;
275
Reuters, As Turkey intensifies war on Kurdish militants in Iraq, civilians are suffering, 10 October 2023, url
276
Rudaw, Turkey to ‘secure’ Iraq border in the summer, says Erdogan, 4 March 2023, url
277
UNSG, Implementation of resolution 2682 (2023), S/2024/96, 25 January 2024, url, para. 58; UNSG,
Implementation of resolution 2682 (2023), S/2023/700, 26 September 2023, url, para. 52; UNSG, Implementationof resolution 2631 (2022), S/2023/340, 11 May 2023, url, para. 50
278
UNSG, Implementation of resolution 2631 (2022), S/2023/340, 11 May 2023, url, para. 50
279
UNSG, Implementation of resolution 2682 (2023), S/2023/700, 26 September 2023, url, para. 52
280
UNSG, Implementation of resolution 2682 (2023), S/2024/96, 25 January 2024, url, para. 58
281
Jahanbani, N. et al., How Iranian-Backed Militias Do Political Signaling, Lawfare, 18 December 2023, url
282
Al Jazeera, Iraq says 16 people, including civilians, killed in ‘new US aggression’, 3 February 2024, url
283
UNAMI, Email to EUAA, 1 April 2024274

43

EUROPEAN UNION AGENCY FOR ASYLUM

Number of incidents and civilian casualties
recorded by UNAMI in Iraq (2020-2023)
900

793

800
700
600

525

520

500
400
300

323

298
202

354
243 273

169

200

225
129

100

153
88 69 84

0
2020

2021

Number of incidents

Civilians killed

2022
Civilians injured

2023
Total civilian casualties

Figure 4. Number of incidents and civilian casualties recorded in Iraq by UNAMI (20202023).284
In 2023, Iraq Body Count (IBC), an independent data project that documents violent civilian
deaths caused by US-led coalition forces, Iraqi government forces or paramilitary or criminal
attacks by others in Iraq,285 documented at least 537 civilian deaths due to violence, 27 % lessthan in 2022 and 20 % less than in 2021. For the first three months of 2024, the same source
documented 119 civilian deaths.286

EUAA analysis based on UNAMI data. UNAMI, Email to EUAA, 1 April 2024
IBC, About the Iraq Body Count project, n.d., url
286
IBC, Documented civilian deaths from violence, accessed 2 April 2024
284

285

44

IRAQ – SECURITY SITUATION

Number of civilian fatalities resulted from violencein Iraq. IBC data (2020-2023)
1000

908

900
800

740
669

700
600

537

500
400
300
200
100
0
2020

2021

2022

2023

Figure 5. Number of civilian fatalities resulted from violence in Iraq. Iraq Body County data
(2020-2023).
For the reference period of this report (1 February 2023 and 31 March 2024), UNAMI
documented a total of 95 incidents resulting in at least 188 civilian casualties, including 78
dead and 110 wounded (see Figure 6).

Number of incidents and civilian casualties recorded by
UNAMI (1 February 2023 - 31 March 2024)
188

200
150
100

95

110
78

50
0
Number of incidents

Civilians killed

Civilians injured

Total civilian
casualties (killed &injured)Figure 6. Number of incidents and civilian casualties recorded in Iraq by UNAMI between
1 February 2023 and 31 March 2024.287
Broken down by gender, age and police, UNAMI data shows that 7 women, 44 men and 27
children were killed (22 boys and 5 girls) during the reference period (see Figure 7).

287

EUAA analysis based on UNAMI data. UNAMI, Email to EUAA, 1 April 2024

45

EUROPEAN UNION AGENCY FOR ASYLUM

Numberofincidents

95

Women
casualties

Childrencasualties288

KilledInjuredKilledInjured7

12

27(22M,5F)

36(31M,5F)

Policecasualties289
Kill Injureded02

Civilian men
casualties
KilledInjured

44

60

Total
civiliancasualties(killed +injured)
188

Figure 7. Civilian casualties recorded in Iraq by UNAMI between 1 February 2023 and
31 March 2024. Breakdown by age, gender and police.290
The majority of civilian casualties recorded by UNAMI were caused by unexploded ordnances(UXOs), explosive remnants of war (ERWs), air attacks, mortars and rockets, and small arms fire(see Figure 8).291

Civilian casualty breakdown by incident type.
UNAMI data for the period 1 February 2023 - 31
March 2024
0

10

20

30

40

50

60

70

Unexploded Ordinances (UXOs)
Explosive Remnant of War (ERW)
Air attack/artistries
Indirect Fire (mortars and rockets) - IDF
SAF (small arms fires by pistols and or AKs)
Improvised explosive device (IED)
Complex Attacks
Execution-Style
Abduction
Number of incidents

Civilians killed

Civilians injured

Total civilian casualties

Figure 8. Civilian casualty figures by incident type. UNAMI data for the period between
1 February 2023 and 31 March 2024.292
According to UNAMI data (see Figure 9), the highest number of civilian casualties recorded
during the reference period was in Diyala governorate (43, including 21 deaths), followed by
Erbil (38, including 11 deaths), Ninewa (33, including 11 deaths), and Dohuk (12, including 7

288 “M” for Male and “F” for Female.
289 Iraqi police due to their civilian functions related to law enforcement at the time of the incident are considered as

civilians (not directly taking part in hostilities – DPiH))
290
EUAA analysis based on UNAMI data. UNAMI, Email to EUAA, 1 April 2024
291
UNAMI, Email to EUAA, 1 April 2024
292
EUAA analysis based on UNAMI data. UNAMI, Email to EUAA, 1 April 2024

46

IRAQ – SECURITY SITUATION

deaths). No civilian casualties were recorded in the governorates of Baghdad, Babil, andKarbala.293

Number of incidents and civilian casualties per
governorate. UNAMI data for the period 1 February
2023 to 31 March 2024
50
40

43

38

33

30
20

12

12

10

10

10

8

6

5

5

2

2

1

1

0

Number of incidents

KilledInjuredTotal civilian casualties (killed & injured)Figure 9. Number of incidents and civilian casualties per governorate. UNAMI data for theperiod between 1 February 2023 and 31 March 2024.294
For the period between 1 February 2023 and 31 March 2024, the UCDP recorded 282 events
leading to 597 casualties out of which 50 were civilian deaths. The largest number of civilian
deaths was recorded in the governorates of Diyala (22) and Erbil (4). There were also 9 civilian
deaths recorded by UCDP in the KRI without being able to attribute a precise location in oneof the governorates. UCDP did not record any civilian deaths in the governorates of Babil,
Kirkuk, Thi-Qar, Basrah, Missan, Muthanna, Najaf, Wassit, Qadissiya, and Karbala.295

UNAMI, Email to EUAA, 1 April 2024
EUAA analysis based on UNAMI data. UNAMI, Email to EUAA, 1 April 2024
295
EUAA analysis based on UCDP data. UCDP, data covering 1 February 2023 to 31 March 2024 provided bycourtesy of UCDP by email, 22 March 2024 & 22 April 2024
293

294

47

EUROPEAN UNION AGENCY FOR ASYLUMUCDP recorded civilian deaths. Breakdown
by governorate(1 February 2023 - 31 March 2024)
0

DiyalaUnclear location
Erbil
Sulaymaniyah
BaghdadSalah Al-Din
Dohuk
Ninewa
Anbar

5

10

15

20

25
22

9
4
3
3
3
2
2
2

Figure 10. Civilian deaths recorded by the UCDP between 1 February 2023 and 31 March
2024. Breakdown by governorate.296
Iraq Body Count (IBC) reported a maximum of 571 civilians killed for the period between
February 2023 and February 2024. During this period, the highest monthly death toll was
reported for April 2023 with 86 civilians killed, followed by March 2023 with 76.297
According to Musings on Iraq, between 1 February 2023 and 29 February 2024, 91 people
were killed and 164 injured in the above-mentioned attacks (see section Security incidents) by
ISIL and pro-Iranian groups, with November 2023 being the month with the most casualties (15dead, 29 injured).298
Of the 13 incidents documented by Airwars as ‘incidents with allegations of civilian harm’,none were categorised as having ‘confirmed civilian harm status’. 299
Regarding the impact of the Turkish-PKK conflict in northern Iraq on the civilian population, an
Iraqi security expert told CEDOCA in June 2023 that both parties to the conflict aim not toterrorise or displace the civilian population living in this sparsely populated and very
mountainous area. Both the PKK and the Turkish armed forces are in a delicate situation: bothare operating on foreign territory and must try not to antagonise the population too much.300 A

EUAA analysis based on UCDP data. UCDP, data covering 1 February 2023 to 31 March 2024 provided bycourtesy of UCDP by email, 22 March 2024 & 22 April 2024
297
IBC, Documented civilian deaths from violence, as of 18 March 2024, url
298
Musings on Iraq, Violence Almost Disappears In Iraq In March 2024, 4 March 2024, url
299
Airwars, Turkish military in Iraq & Syria, as of 11 March 2024, url
300
Belgium, CEDOCA, Irak: De veiligheidssituatie in de Koerdische Autonome Regio [Iraq: The security situation in
the Kurdish Autonomous Region] [source: expert on the security situation in Iraq, interviewed in June 2023, identity
and location not disclosed to ensure the safety of this source], 28 September 2023, url, p. 17
296

48

IRAQ – SECURITY SITUATION

July 2023 CPT report301 found 2022 to be the ‘deadliest year since 2015 for civilians inNorthern Iraq under Turkish military bombardments’.302
Regarding the number of civilian casualties caused by explosive violence in 2022,303 Action
on Armed Violence (AOAV)304 reported in April 2023 that with 885 casualties and a 43 %increase compared to 2021, ‘Iraq saw the highest level of civilian harm recorded since 2018’.
This was due to a ‘723 % increase in civilians harmed in ground-launched attacks by non-state
and unknown actors’ (61 in 2021; 502 in 2022) and a ‘398% increase in civilian casualties of
air-launched weapons’ (43 in 2021; 214 in 2022), mostly carried out by state actors.305

Conflict-related infrastructure damage and explosive remnants of war
Years of insecurity and stability concerns have resulted in significant damage toinfrastructure.306 Apart from ACAPS307 reporting, for the period between November 2022 andJune 2023, that public infrastructure continued to be the target of ‘sporadic attacks by armed
groups and frequent air strikes’ against the PKK,308 no further publicly available information
could be found on recent damage to civilian infrastructure caused by the conflict during thereference period. In the reference period, wildfires resulting from aerial bombardments werereported and local residents complained of aerial attacks causing destruction of agriculturalland and farms.309 Most reports on this subject deal with reconstruction efforts. Information onreconstruction efforts and related issues is outlined in the following paragraphs.
Despite reconstruction efforts, the need for humanitarian assistance persisted in Iraq,
particularly for those returning to ‘remote, disputed areas with few services’.310 In July 2023,
ACAPS reported that the majority of IDPs living in host communities were not able to return totheir former homes due to a lack of infrastructure repairs.311 For more information on
displacement, see section Conflict-induced displacement and return. In line with this, in an
August 2023 report focusing on Ninewa governorate, IOM described the destruction ofhomes as a major obstacle for IDPs to return to their places of origin,312 while USDOS, focusing
on Yazidi IDPs in Dohuk, cited the ‘lack of reconstruction plans or public services’ in thisregard.313 According to IOM, this suggests that initiatives focused on housing reconstruction

Community Peacemaker Teams (CPT) describes itself as ‘an international violence-reduction and human rights
organization.’ CPT, About us, n.d., url
302
CPT, Civilian Casualties of Turkish Bombardments in Northern Iraq in 2022, 31 July 2023, url
303
Please note that at the time of writing, only the 2023 published annual report (Explosive Violence Monitor 2022)
containing the figures for 2022 was available. Figures covering 2023 were expected to be published in the courseof 2024.
304
AOAV is a research and advocacy organisation that records incidents and resulting casualties caused by
explosive weapons at the global level. For more information about AOAV see AOAV, What do we do?, n.d., url
305
AOAV, Explosive Violence Monitor 2022, 24 April 2023, url, p. 11
306
UNICEF, Climate Landscape Analysis For Children And Young People In Iraq, August 2023, url, p. 2
307
ACAPS describes itself as an ‘independent analytical’ organisation that monitors the humanitarian situation incrisis areas around the world to help ‘humanitarian workers, influencers, fundraisers, and donors make betterinformed decisions and respond more effectively to disasters’. ACAPS, Who we are, n.d., url
308
ACAPS, Humanitarian Access Overview, July 2023, url, p. 18
309
Germany, BAMF, Briefing Notes Summary, 31 December 2023, url
310
UNICEF, Iraq, 12 December 2023, url, p. 2
311
ACAPS, Humanitarian Access Overview, July 2023, url, p. 18
312
IOM Iraq, Displacement Tracking Matrix, Progress Toward Durable Solutions in Iraq, August 2023, url, p. 6
313
USDOS, 2022 Country Reports on International Religious Freedom: Iraq, 15 May 2023, url, p. 15
301

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EUROPEAN UNION AGENCY FOR ASYLUM

and livelihood ‘would improve conditions to support sustainable returns’.314 For more
information on conflict-induced displacement and return, please see section Conflict-induced
displacement and return of this report.
Hamzeh Hadad stated in May 2023 that ‘reconstruction programmes are underway’ in many
areas adjacent to Sinjar, Al-Baaj (both Ninewa governorate) and Khanaqin districts (Diyala
governorate) previously controlled by ISIL.315 In January 2024, the Iraqi Ministry of Financereportedly issued its third tranche of reconstruction bonds, amounting to 2 trillion Iraqi dinars[approximately 1.4 billion EUR316].317 In April 2023, Iraq’s Prime Minister launched areconstruction campaign in Sinjar, allocating 50 billion Iraqi dinars [approximately 35.3 million
EUR318] to the project. However, ongoing disputes between the Iraqi central government andthe Kurdistan Regional Government (KRG) have stalled the use of previously allocated funds.
As a result, damaged infrastructure and inadequate services continued to hinder the return ofmore than 200 000 displaced persons, including a significant portion of the Yazidi minority. In
this context, Sarah Sanbar, Iraq researcher at Human Rights Watch, stressed that the‘allocation of funds is a positive development’ only if these funds are actually invested, while
political power struggles prevents ‘the use of available funds’ and leave the inhabitants ofSinjar in limbo.319 A July 2023 Al Jazeera article outlining the adopted Iraqi budgets for 20232025 referred to the budget plans as being forward-looking and emphasising infrastructure
and reconstruction, but also mentioned that ‘Iraq does not have the best record in spending
its federal budget’.320
Explosive Remnants of War (ERW) / Unexploded Ordnance (UXO) and landmines
In July 2023, ACAPS reported that although security conditions had improved in the first halfof 2023, the continued presence of landmines and ERW still posed challenges to movement
and recovery efforts in some areas of the country.321 In its Humanitarian Transition Overview
for 2023, UNOCHA noted that – with approximately 2 530 square kilometres of land
contaminated by explosive ordnance (EO) – EO remained a security threat, limiting access to
productive land and preventing IDPs from returning to affected areas.322 In this context,
UNOCHA described the removal of EO from residential and agricultural areas as ‘critical to thecreation of conditions for sustainable returns’.323 For further information on conflict-induced
displacement and return, please see section Conflict-induced displacement and return of thisreport.

IOM Iraq, Displacement Tracking Matrix, Progress Toward Durable Solutions in Iraq, August 2023, url, p. 6
Hadad, H., From shock and awe to stability and flaws: Iraq’s post-invasion journey, ECFR, 25 May 2023, url
316
Exchange rates from European Commission, Exchange rate (InforEuro), n.d., url, accessed on 20 March 2024
317
Iraq-Business News, Iraq Issues $1.5bn Reconstruction Bonds, 8 January 2024, url; EPIC, ISHM: January 4 – 11,2024, 11 January 2024, url
318
Exchange rates from European Commission, Exchange rate (InforEuro), n.d., url, accessed on 20 March 2024
319
HRW, Iraq: Political Infighting Blocking Reconstruction of Sinjar, 6 June 2023, url
320
Al Jazeera, Analysis: Iraq’s new budget may hamper more than it helps, 26 June 2023, url
321
ACAPS, Humanitarian Access Overview, July 2023, url, p. 18
322
UNOCHA, 2023 Humanitarian Transition Overview: Iraq, 27 February 2023, url, p. 9323
UNOCHA, 2023 Humanitarian Transition Overview: Iraq, 27 February 2023, url, p. 15
314

315

50

IRAQ – SECURITY SITUATION

During the reference period (February 2023 to 28 March 2024), EPIC, the Enabling Peace in
Iraq Centre, documented 76 IED and ERW incidents with civilian and non-civilian324 casualties.
These 76 incidents resulted in 103 people injured, and 58 others killed.325
In November 2023, the International Campaign to Ban Landmines (ICBL)326 reported that Iraq
faced improvised landmine contamination in areas recaptured from ISIL, as well as ongoing
contamination from mines remaining from the 1980-1988 Iran-Iraq War, the 1991 Gulf War, andthe 2003 US-led coalition invasion. By the end of 2022,327 Iraq reportedly accounted for
1 189.09 square kilometres of contamination from anti-personnel mines and a further 530.8
square kilometres from IEDs, including improvised mines, mainly in areas controlled by theFederal Government of Iraq.328
In terms of cluster munition contamination, the Regional Mine Action Center for Southern Iraq
stated that, as of February 2023, a total area of 174.13 square kilometres was contaminated in
the four southern governorates of Basrah, Missan, Muthanna and Thi-Qar, with the highest
contamination in Muthanna (81.78 square kilometres). In the Middle Euphrates region, 4.48
square kilometres of cluster munitions contamination was reported, and 10.99 square
kilometres in the country’s north. Thus, the total area contaminated by cluster munitions in Iraq
amounts to 189.6 square kilometres, an increase of 11.46 square kilometres compared to 2021,
due to ‘newly discovered and surveyed contaminated areas’. In the KRI, no Suspected
Hazardous Areas (SHA) or Confirmed Hazardous Areas (CHA) were identified.329

Please note that EPIC does not specifically distinguish between civilian and non-civilian victims in its tables on
casualties of IEDs and ERW; see for example, EPIC, ISHM: January 18 – January 25, 2024, 25 January 2024, url
325
Figures based on EPIC’s Iraq Security and Humanitarian Monitor (ISHM) weekly reports that documented IED or
ERW incidents with casualties (and added up by the drafter): EPIC, ISHM: March 21 – 28, 2024, 28 March 2024, url;
EPIC, ISHM: March 14 – 21, 2024, 21 March 2024, url; EPIC, ISHM: March 7 – 14, 2024, 14 March 2024, url; EPIC,
ISHM: February 29 – March 7, 2024, 7 March 2024, url; EPIC, ISHM: February 22 – February 29, 2024, 29 February
2024, url; EPIC, ISHM: January 18 – January 25, 2024, 25 January 2024, url; EPIC, ISHM: January 11 – 18, 2024,
18 January 2024, url; EPIC, ISHM: January 4 – 11, 2024, 11 January 2024, url; EPIC, ISHM: December 28, 2023 –January 4, 2024, 4 January 2024, url; EPIC, ISHM: December 14 – 28, 2023, 28 December 2023, url; EPIC, ISHM:
November 9 – 16, 2023, 16 November 2023, url; EPIC, ISHM: October 26 – November 2, 2023, 2 November 2023,
url; EPIC, ISHM: September 21 – 28, 2023, 28 September 2023, url; EPIC, ISHM: September 14 – 21, 2023,
21 September 2023, url; EPIC, ISHM: September 7 – 14, 2023, 14 September 2023, url; EPIC, ISHM: August 31 –September 7, 2023, 7 September 2023, url; EPIC, ISHM: August 17 – 24, 2023, 24 August 2023, url; EPIC, ISHM:
August 10 – 17, 2023, 17 August 2023, url; EPIC, ISHM: July 27 – August 10, 2023, 10 August 2023, url; EPIC, ISHM:
July 20 – 27, 2023, 27 July 2023, url; EPIC, ISHM: July 13 – 20, 2023, 20 July 2023, url; EPIC, ISHM: July 6 – 13,
2023, 13 July 2023, url; EPIC, ISHM: June 15 – 22, 2023, 22 June 2023, url; EPIC, ISHM: June 1 – 8, 2023, 8 June
2023, url; EPIC, ISHM: May 25 – June 1, 2023, 1 June 2023, url; EPIC, ISHM: May 11 – 18, 2023, 18 May 2023, url;
EPIC, ISHM: May 4 – 11, 2023, 11 May 2023, url; EPIC, ISHM: April 27 – May 4, 2023, 4 May 2023, url; EPIC, ISHM:
April 13 – 20, 2023, 20 April 2023, url; EPIC, ISHM: April 6 – 13, 2023, 13 April 2023, url; EPIC, ISHM: March 30 –April 6, 2023, 6 April 2023, url; EPIC, ISHM: March 16 – 30, 2023, 30 March 2023, url; EPIC, ISHM: March 2 – 9,2023, 9 March 2023, url; EPIC, ISHM: February 23 – March 2, 2023, 2 March 2023, url; EPIC, ISHM: February 16 –23, 2023, 23 February 2023, url; EPIC, ISHM: February 2 – 9, 2023, 9 February 2023, url; EPIC, ISHM: January 26 –February 2, 2023, 2 February 2024, url
326
ICBL describes itself as ‘a global network of non-governmental organizations, active in some 100 countries, thatworks for a world free of antipersonnel landmines, where landmine survivors can lead fulfilling lives.’ ICBL, Aboutus, n.d., url327
Please note that at the time of writing, only the 2023 published annual report (Landmine Monitor 2023)
containing the figures for 2022 was available. Figures covering 2023 were expected to be published in the courseof 2024.
328
ICBL, Landmine Monitor 2023, November 2023, url, p. 42329
CMC, Cluster Munition Monitor 2023, 5 September 2023, url, p. 51
324

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EUROPEAN UNION AGENCY FOR ASYLUM

According to the UNSG, mine clearance continued in Iraq330 with a total of 1.9 million square
metres cleared of EO by the UN Mine Action Service (UNMAS) in Basrah and Ninewa
governorates between 25 January 2023 and 25 January 2024.331
As the UNSG indicated in reports covering the period from 25 January 2023 to 25 January2024, ERW were responsible for the majority of civilian casualties.332 Between 11 May and
31 December 2023, the country task force on monitoring and reporting grave violations
against children in armed conflict documented the killing of 10 boys and 2 girls and themaiming of 14 boys and 1 girl due to ERW.333
By the end of 2022,334 with a total of 3 175 cluster munition-related deaths, Iraq ranked thirdamong the countries with the ‘highest number of casualties, for all time,’ in the Cluster
Munition Monitor dataset.335 A September 2023 publication by the Cluster Munition Coalition(CMC)336 stated that in 2022 the annual number of casualties from cluster munition remnantsin Iraq had increased, with 41 casualties in 2022 compared to 33 in 2021 and 31 in 2020,
reaching the highest annual number since 2010. In 2022, the majority of victims of cluster
munitions remnants in Iraq were children.337 In November 2023, ICBL reported that mines and
ERW caused 169 casualties in Iraq in 2022.338
For more detailed information on ERW/UXO contamination in the different governorates,
please see the regional chapters in section 2. Security situation and conflict impact on
civilians by governorates.

Conflict-induced displacement and return
In terms of various drivers of displacement, Iraq is described as an ‘example of how conflictinduced migration compounds with other drivers such as water scarcity, the absence ofcooperation around the management of limited water resources, lack of economic
opportunities and environmental degradation’.339

UNSG, Implementation of resolution 2631 (2022), S/2023/340, 11 May 2023, url, para. 71
UNSG, Implementation of resolution 2682 (2023), S/2024/96, 25 January 2024, url, para. 74; UNSG,
Implementation of resolution 2682 (2023), S/2023/700, 26 September 2023, url, para. 70; UNSG, Implementationof resolution 2631 (2022), S/2023/340, 11 May 2023, url, para. 71
332
UNSG, Implementation of resolution 2682 (2023), S/2024/96, 25 January 2024, url, para. 58; UNSG,
Implementation of resolution 2682 (2023), S/2023/700, 26 September 2023, url, para. 52; UNSG, Implementationof resolution 2631 (2022), S/2023/340, 11 May 2023, url, para. 50
333
UNSG, Implementation of resolution 2682 (2023), S/2024/96, 25 January 2024, url, para. 59; UNSG,
Implementation of resolution 2682 (2023), S/2023/700, 26 September 2023, url, para. 55
334
Please note that at the time of writing, only the 2023 published annual report (Cluster Munition Monitor 2023)
containing the figures for 2022 was available. Figures covering 2023 were expected to be published in the courseof 2024.
335
CMC, Cluster Munition Monitor 2023, 5 September 2023, url, p. 45
336
CMC describes itself as ‘a global civil society campaign working to eradicate cluster munitions, prevent further
casualties and put an end to the suffering caused by these weapons.’ CMC, About us, n.d., url
337
CMC, Cluster Munition Monitor 2023, 5 September 2023, url, pp. 48-49
338
ICBL, Landmine Monitor 2023 [Table], November 2023, url, p. 54
339
ESCWA, Trends and Impacts in Conflict Settings No. 7; Climate, peace and security in the Arab region,
2 November 2023, url, p. 34
330
331

52

IRAQ – SECURITY SITUATION

Years after the official defeat of ISIL in Iraq, more than 1 million Iraqis remain internallydisplaced,340 primarily in the KRI.341 In April 2023, the last official IDP camp in federal Iraq wasclosed by the Iraqi Ministry of Migration and Displacement ‘with little advance notice anddespite concerns about camp residents’ safety in their areas of origin’.342 Areas whereresidents were forced to flee at the outset of the war against ISIL continue to experience a
security vacuum, and the risk of attacks continues to make returning difficult for its residents.
In early 2023, ‘the largest increase in displacement’ reportedly took place in disputed areas,
including cases of secondary displacement due to the resurgence of violence; the ‘places thathave seen further displacement’ were Sinjar district (Ninewa governorate), Al-Baaj district(Ninewa governorate), and Khanaqin (Diyala governorate).343
In its country profile on Iraq, IDMC categorised three of its internal displacement updates
between February 2023 and March 2024 as conflict-related,344 including the evacuation of
approximately 116 households from four villages in Amadiya district (Dohuk governorate) due
to Turkish airstrikes in January 2024345 and the displacement of 44 people due to fear of
violence between 26 September and 10 October 2023 to Sinjar and Al-Baaj (Ninewa
governorate).346 As of January 2024, HRW reported that 60 % of Sinjar’s population remained
displaced since 2014. Factors such as ongoing regional insecurity due to Turkish airstrikes and‘competition between armed groups’, as well as slow reconstruction and lack of government
compensation, hinder their return.347
IOM’s Displacement Tracking Matrix (DTM)348 unit stated in its Iraq Master List Report 131(covering the period September – December 2023) that, as of 31 December 2023, 1 123 663
individuals were reportedly displaced across the country. They were located in 18
governorates, 104 districts, and 2 610 locations in Iraq, with a decrease of 18 351 IDPs or 1.6 %compared to the number of IDPs recorded in the previous reporting round (covering May –August 2023).349 As of 31 December 2023, the governorates hosting the largest numbers of
IDPs were reported to be Ninewa (239 124 IDPs), Dohuk (235 251 IDPs) and Erbil (225 565
IDPs).350

IOM Iraq, Displacement Tracking Matrix, IRAQ Master List Report 131 (September-December 2023), March 2024,
url, p. 1; HRW, World Report 2024 – Iraq, 11 January 2024, url; Hadad, H., From shock and awe to stability and flaws:
Iraq’s post-invasion journey, ECFR, 25 May 2023, url
341
HRW, World Report 2024 – Iraq, 11 January 2024, url
342
HRW, World Report 2024 – Iraq, 11 January 2024, url
343
Hadad, H., From shock and awe to stability and flaws: Iraq’s post-invasion journey, ECFR, 25 May 2023, url
344
IDMC, Iraq: Internal Displacement Updates, as of 26 March 2024, url
345
Rudaw, ‫ قرى خالية في العمادية‬4 ‫[ الطائرات التركية تقصف‬Turkish warplanes bomb 4 empty villages in Amadiyah],
18 January 2024, url
346
IDMC, Iraq: Internal Displacement Updates, as of 26 March 2024, url
347
HRW, World Report 2024 – Iraq, 11 January 2024, url348
Please note that IOM does not specify the drivers for these displacements, which, among others, include conflictand insecurity. However, climate-induced displacements are not included. IOM DTM, Climate-Induced
Displacement – Central and Southern Iraq (Data Collection Period: 1 – 15 June 2023), 15 December 2023, url, p. 1
349
IOM Iraq, Displacement Tracking Matrix, IRAQ Master List Report 131 (September-December 2023), March 2024,
url, p. 1
350
IOM Iraq, Displacement Tracking Matrix, IRAQ Master List Report 131 (September-December 2023), March 2024,
url, p. 3
340

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EUROPEAN UNION AGENCY FOR ASYLUM

Figure 11: Displacement Tracking Matrix, IRAQ Master List Report 131 (SeptemberDecember 2023), March 2024,© IOM.351
Although a general decrease in the number of IDPs across the country was reported, IOM
documented 6 394 newly displaced persons during the period between September andDecember 2023. 93 % of these cases involved IDPs experiencing secondary displacement. In
addition, between September and December 2023, 406 cases of failed return were reported,the majority of which involved persons originating from the districts of Sinjar, Fallujah and AlBaaj.352
In terms of return, IOM Displacement Tracking Matrix (DTM) identified 4 863 072 individual
returnees, as of 31 December 2023, depicting an increase of 17 010 individuals or 0.4 %compared to the previous reporting round (covering May – August 2023). Between
September and December 2023, Baiji district (Salah Al-Din governorate) and Al-Baaj district(Ninewa governorate) saw the highest increase in people returning;353 the governorates withthe highest number of individuals returning were Ninewa (1 960 734 returnees) and Anbar
governorate (1 548 936 returnees).354 In July 2023, the International Rescue Committee (IRC)
reported that almost five million people previously displaced due to conflict have already been‘able to return to their areas of origin’.355

IOM, IOM Iraq, Displacement Tracking Matrix, IRAQ Master List Report 131 (September-December 2023), March
2024, url352
IOM Iraq, Displacement Tracking Matrix, IRAQ Master List Report 131 (September-December 2023), March 2024,
url, p. 2353
IOM Iraq, Displacement Tracking Matrix, IRAQ Master List Report 131 (September-December 2023), March 2024,
url, p. 1
354
IOM Iraq, Displacement Tracking Matrix, IRAQ Master List Report 131 (September-December 2023), March 2024,
url, p. 7355
IRC, IRC Protection Needs Overview: Monitoring and Trends; October 2022 – March 2023, 3 July 2023, url, p. 4351

54

IRAQ – SECURITY SITUATION

2. Security situation and conflict impact on
civilians by governorates
2.1. Anbar

Map 2: Anbar governorate with district borders, district capitals and main roads , © United
Nations.356

General description of governorate
The governorate of Anbar is situated in western Iraq and has borders with Ninewa, Salah AlDin, Baghdad, Babil, and Karbala governorates. In the west, it borders three of Iraq’s
neighbouring countries: Syria, Jordan, and Saudi Arabia.357 Anbar is Iraq’s largest governorate
and is one of the most sparsely populated regions in the country.358 The governorate features
vast desert terrain.359 The districts of Anbar include Al-Qaim (Al Kaim), Al-Rutba, Ana, Falluja (AlUN IAU, Iraq District Map, January 2014, url
UNOCHA and iMMAP, Al-Anbar Governorate Reference Map 2020, 27 May 2020, url
358
EPIC, ISHM Reference Guide, last revision July 2023, url; UN IAU, Anbar Governorate Profile, March 2009, url,
accessed 5 February 2024, p. 1
359
UN IAU, Anbar Governorate Profile, March 2009, url, accessed 5 February 2024, p. 1
356
357

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EUROPEAN UNION AGENCY FOR ASYLUM

Falluja), Haditha, Heet (Hit360), Rawa (Ra’ua), and Ramadi (Al Ramadi).361 The capital of Anbar is
Ramadi.362
For 2022, the Iraqi Central Statistical Organization (CSO) estimated the governorate’s
population at 1 963 346.363
Anbar’s population is predominately Sunni364 Arab365 and has historically had a strong tribal
structure.366 For further information on Anbar governorate’s ethnic and religious compositionand economy, please refer to section 2.1 of the previous EUAA COI report: Iraq Security
Situation (January 2022).

Armed actors’ presence and control
For information on the conflict background and on the presence and areas of control of armed
actors in the governorate, including ISF, please refer to section 2.1.2 and 2.1.3 of the previous
EUAA COI report, EUAA COI report: Iraq Security Situation (January 2022).
In the reference period of this report, the United States continued to have a military presenceat the Ain Al-Asad Airbase in Anbar.367
Shiite militia groups belonging to the umbrella group Popular Mobilization Forces/Popular
Mobilization Units (PMF), such as the Kata’ib Hezbollah (KH)368 reportedly had headquarters369
or facilities in Al-Qaim (Al Kaim) city in Anbar governorate.370 The PMF factions in Al-Qaim (AlKaim) included the 3rd Regiment of the 45th Brigade, which was commanded and manned by
KH. Moreover, KH controlled the Al-Qaim (Al Kaim) border crossing at the Iraqi-Syrian
border.371
In its 2022 Country Report on Terrorism, the US Department of State (USDOS) stated that theIslamic State of Iraq and the Levant (ISIL) ‘sought to reestablish footholds in Anbar’.372
According to the UN Secretary-General, Anbar governorate was of logistical importance to

EPIC, ISHM: February 23 - March 2, 2023, 2 March 2023, url
IOM Iraq, Return Dynamics in Anbar Governorate, June 2020, url, p. 4; UNOCHA and iMMAP, Al-Anbar
Governorate Reference Map 2020, 27 May 2020, url
362
New York Times (The), After Years as a Battleground, Investment Boom Lifts Iraqi City, 10 July 2021; University ofAnbar, About Al-Anbar Governorate, n.d., url
363
Iraq, CSO, ‫ الباب الثاني‬2022‫ـ‬2023 ‫[ المجموعة االحصائية‬Statistical Collection 2022-2023, Part Two], 21 August 2023,
url, p. 8364
Al-Monitor, Anbar tribes key to security, political backing ahead of Iraq's October vote, 22 April 2022, url;
Chamoun, M., The Why and How of the Anbar Awakening: Its Rise and Fall, July 2020, url, p. 39
365
EPIC, ISHM Reference Guide, last revision July 2023, url
366
Sanad, Tribes Announce the Renewal of Confidence in the Anbar Covenant, 19 December 2019, url, p. 1
367
MEMO, US launches ‘precise’ strikes on sites in Iraq in response to attacks targeting its bases, 22 November
2023, url; Germany, BAMF, Briefing Notes Summary, 31 December 2023, url, p. 7
368
Germany, BAMF, Briefing Notes (KW48/2023), 27 November 2023, url, p. 3; Al-Monitor, US strikes kill eight proIran fighters in Iraq, angering Baghdad, 21 November 2023, url
369
CNN, What we know about the US strikes in Iraq and Syria, 3 February 2023, url
370
ISW and CTP, Iran Update, January 24, 2024, 24 January 2024, url, p. 1
371
ISW and CTP, Iran Update, January 24, 2024, 24 January 2024, url, p. 7
372
USDOS, Country Report on Terrorism 2022 – Chapter 1 – Iraq, 30 November 2023, url, p. 128
360
361

56

IRAQ – SECURITY SITUATION

ISIL.373 In the first half of 2023, some senior ISIL leaders were relocated to the Syrian-Iraqi
border region of the governorate, where the group increased its activities.374 In a January2024 report, the UN Security Council stated that ISIL was present in the western border regionof Anbar governorate with around 160 to 200 fighters. The group reportedly had cells inremote western areas, including in the Wadi Hawran area, and its attacks continued, includingin the city Al-Rutba. Temporary checkpoints were established by the group ‘to make its
presence felt’ and to target military facilities.375 The Institute for the Study of War (ISW) and the
Critical Threats Project (CTP) reported that the existence of a large ISIL camp in Wadi Hawran
in February 2023 indicated ‘a sizeable ISIS [ISIL] presence’ in the Anbar deserts.376

Recent security trends
There was reportedly an increase in attacks on US forces in Iraq since the outbreak of theIsrael-Hamas conflict in early October 2023.377 However, as of February 2024, attacks of Iranaffiliated groups in Iraq reportedly appeared to have ceased.378 In the reference period the Ain
Al-Asad military base in the north-east of central379 Anbar governorate380 was repeatedly
targeted by groups belonging to the so-called Islamic Resistance in Iraq381.382 Iran-linked
groups belonging to the Islamic Resistance383 targeted the site with drones384 and rockets.385

UNSG, Sixteenth report of the Secretary-General on the threat posed by ISIL (Da’esh) to international peace andsecurity and the range of United Nations efforts in support of Member States in countering the threat, S/2023/76,
1 February 2023, url, para. 29
374
UN Security Council, Letter dated 24 July 2023 from the Chair of the Security Council Committee, S/2023/549,
25 July 2023, url, para. 48
375
UN Security Council, Letter dated 23 January 2024 from the Chair of the Security Council Committee,
S/2024/92, 29 January 2024, url, para. 50
376
ISW and CTP, Salafi-Jihadi Movement Weekly Update, May 24, 2023, 26 May 2023, url
377
Reuters, Drones target Iraq's Ain al-Asad airbase, no casualties, damage – sources, 31 October 2023, url
378International Crisis Group, Crisis Watch – Iraq: February 2023 – March 2024, n.d., url
379
USDOD, Operation Inherent Resolve and other U.S. Government Activities related to Iraq & Syria, October 1,
2023 – December 31, 2023, 9 February 2024, url, p. 19
380
Reuters, Rockets, drones hit Iraqi bases housing U.S. forces, 20 October 2023, url
381
The so-called Islamic Resistance emerged as an umbrella term in October 2023 in the context of the IsraelHamas conflict, with the aim of demonstrating unity among Iran-affiliated armed groups; TWI, Profile: The Islamic
Resistance in Iraq, last updated 30 October 2023, url
382
Germany, BAMF, Briefing Notes Summary, 31 December 2023, url, p. 7; ISW and CTP, Iran Update, December 11,
2023, 11 December 2023, url, p. 14; ISW and CTP, Iran Update, January 27, 2024, 27 January 2024, url, p. 9;
Germany, BAMF, Briefing Notes (KW04/2024), 22 January 2024, url, p. 6; Washington Post (The), Iranian-linked
militants strike Iraqi base housing U.S. troops, 21 January 2024, url
383
France 24, US says Islamic Resistance in Iraq group carried out attack on base in Jordan, 31 January 2024, url;
EPIC, ISHM: November 30 – December 7, 2023, 7 December 2023, url384
ISW and CTP, Iran Update, January 27, 2024, 27 January 2024, url, p. 9385International Crisis Group, Crisis Watch – Iraq: February 2023 – March 2024, n.d., url; Germany, BAMF, Briefing
Notes Summary, 31 December 2023, url, p. 7; Germany, BAMF, Briefing Notes (KW04/2024), 22 January 2024, url,
p. 6
373

57

EUROPEAN UNION AGENCY FOR ASYLUM

On the other hand, the US carried out airstrikes in Anbar governorate, such as in Al-Qaim386 (AlKaim) and Al-Rutba districts.387 Largely Shiite militia groups,388 including the Kata’ib Hezbollah(KH)389 and other PMF groups, were targeted in the reference period by US airstrikes.390
ISIL continued to carry out attacks in a number of Iraqi governorates,391 including Anbar,392 forexample, in and around Al-Rutba city, Al-Nukhayb and the Arar Border area in Al-Rutba
district.393 The USDOD reported increased activity in Anbar governorate between October andDecember 2023.394 Sources reported several instances of kidnappings and killings ofshepherds by ISIL in the reference period.395 It was further reported that the groupsporadically targeted barracks and checkpoints of ISF, including in Anbar governorate, 396 andalso targeted Tribal Mobilization Forces (TMF).397
Meanwhile, a number of operations targeting ISIL were carried out by the ISF,398 for example,
near Akashat city in Al-Rutba district and Heet district.399 TMF were also involved in targeting
ISIL,400 such as in an operation in the Jazira region in the government’s northeast, in which asenior ISIL fighter from the region was reportedly killed.401

Security incidents
During the reporting period (1 February 2023 - 31 March 2024), there were 110 security
incidents recorded by ACLED in Anbar governorate, of which 53 were coded as battles, 46
explosions/remote violence, and 11 incidents of violence against civilians.402 Security incidents
ISW and CTP, Iran Update, January 24, 2024, 24 January 2024, url, p. 7; Al-Monitor, Iraq slams latest US
airstrikes on Kataib Hezbollah sites, 24 January 2024, url; CNN, What we know about the US strikes in Iraq and
Syria, 3 February 2023, url
387
International Crisis Group, Crisis Watch – Iraq: February 2023 – March 2024, n.d., url; Iraqi News, Iraq declares
three days of mourning following US strikes in Anbar, 3 February 2024, url
388
Germany, BAMF, Briefing Notes (KW06/2024), 5 February 2024, url, p. 3; Iraqi News, Iraq declares three days ofmourning following US strikes in Anbar, 3 February 2024, url389
ISW and CTP, Iran Update, January 24, 2024, 24 January 2024, url, p. 7; Germany, BAMF, Briefing Notes
Summary, 31 December 2023, url, p. 9; Al-Monitor, Iraq slams latest US airstrikes on Kataib Hezbollah sites,
24 January 2024, url; Al-Monitor, US strikes kill eight pro-Iran fighters in Iraq, angering Baghdad, 21 November
2023, url
390
CNN, What we know about the US strikes in Iraq and Syria, 3 February 2023, url
391
UNSG, Implementation of resolution 2682 (2023), S/2023/700, 26 September 2023, url, para. 24
392
UNSG, Implementation of resolution 2682 (2023), S/2023/700, 26 September 2023, url, para. 24; ISW and CTP,
Salafi-Jihadi Movement Weekly Update [figure 1], July 5, 2023, 7 July 2023, url
393
ISW and CTP, Salafi-Jihadi Movement Weekly Update [figure 1], July 5, 2023, 7 July 2023, url
394
USDOD, Operation Inherent Resolve and other U.S. Government Activities related to Iraq & Syria, October 1,
2023 – December 31, 2023, 9 February 2024, url, p. 16
395
Al-Araby Al-Jadeed, ‫[ داعش ينتقل لخطف رعاة األغنام قرب المدن المحررة في العراق‬ISIL resorts to kidnapping shepherds
close to liberated cities in Iraq], 16 September 2023, url; Al-Maalomah, ‫استشهاد اثنين من رعاة االغنام بهجوم إرهابي في‬‫[ صحراء االنبار‬Two shepherds killed in terrorist attack in Anbar desert], 11 September 2023, url
396
AI, Amnesty International Report 2022/23; The State of the World's Human Rights; Iraq 2022, 27 March 2023,
url
397
EPIC, ISHM: February 23 - March 2, 2023, 2 March 2023, url
398International Crisis Group, Crisis Watch – Iraq: February 2023 – March 2024, n.d., url; Rudaw, Iraqi forces arrest
7 ISIS suspects, 2 January 2024, url; EPIC, ISHM: September 14 – 21, 2023, 21 September 2023, url; ISW and CTP,
Salafi-Jihadi Movement Weekly Update, May 24, 2023, 26 May 2023, url
399
EPIC, ISHM: February 23 - March 2, 2023, 2 March 2023, url
400
EPIC, ISHM: January 11 – 18, 2024, 18 January 2024, url; EPIC, ISHM: September 21 – 28, 2023, 28 September
2023, url
401
EPIC, ISHM: January 11 – 18, 2024, 18 January 2024, url
402
EUAA analysis based on ACLED data. ACLED, Data Export Tool, Middle East (19 April 2024), url
386

58

IRAQ – SECURITY SITUATION

were recorded in all governorate districts, with the highest number being documented in Heet
district (see Figure 12). According to ACLED data, Islamic Resistance in Iraq and the Global
Coalition against Daesh were involved in the majority of incidents (coded as either ‘Actor1’ or‘Actor2’), followed by the ISF and associated actors against ISIL.
0

10

20

30

40

50

Heet
Al Ramadi
Al Rutba
Al Kaim
Al Fallluja
HadithaAnaBattles

Remote violence

Violence against civilians

Figure 12. Security events coded as battles, explosions/remote violence and violenceagainst civilians in Anbar governorate between 1 February 2023 and 31 March 2024.
Breakdown by district based on ACLED data.403
For the period between 1 February 2023 and 31 March 2024, the UCDP recorded 12 events
leading to fatalities in Anbar governorate.404

EUAA analysis based on ACLED data. ACLED, Data Export Tool, Middle East (19 April 2024), url
EUAA analysis based on UCDP data. UCDP, data covering 1 February 2023 to 31 March 2024 provided bycourtesy of UCDP by email, 22 March 2024 & 22 April 2024
403

404

59

EUROPEAN UNION AGENCY FOR ASYLUM

Civilian casualties
Number of incidients and civilian casualties recorded
by UNAMI in Anbar governorate(1 February 2023 - 31 March 2024)
6

5
5
4
4
3
2
1

1

Number of incidents

Civilians killed

10
Civilians injured

Total civilian
casualties

Figure 13. Number of incidents and civilian casualties recorded by UNAMI in Anbar
governorate between 1 February 2023 and 31 March 2024.405
During the reporting period, UNAMI recorded 5 civilian casualties in Anbar governorate. 406
For the period between 1 February 2023 and 31 March 2024, the UCDP recorded 2 civilian
deaths in the governorate.407

Conflict-related infrastructure damage and explosive remnants of war
For older information on conflict-related infrastructure damage and explosive remnants of war
in Anbar governorate, please refer to section 2.1.6 of the previous EUAA COI report: Iraq
Security Situation (January 2022).
In the reference period, attacks on transmission towers between Anbar and Salah Al-Din
governorates carried out by ISIL and other unspecified insurgent groups were reported.408
As of the end of 2022, around 10 974 800 square metres of Anbar governorate’s area werereported to be cluster-munition contaminated.409
Further relevant information could not be found within the time constraints of this report.

EUAA analysis based on UNAMI data. UNAMI, Email to EUAA, 1 April 2024
EUAA analysis based on UNAMI data. UNAMI, Email to EUAA, 1 April 2024
407
EUAA analysis based on UCDP data. UCDP, data covering 1 February 2023 to 31 March 2024 provided bycourtesy of UCDP by email, 22 March 2024 & 22 April 2024
408
Shafaq News, ‫ القوات العراقية تطلق خطة "تمدد وتوسع" لمواجهتها‬..‫[ "حرب األبراج" تستعر‬War of the towers raging: Iraqi
forces launch plan to prolong and expand fight], 7 August 2023, url; Al-Maalomah, ‫ الحشد الشعبي يتخذ إجراءات‬..‫االنبار‬‫[ أمنية مشددة لحماية أبراج الكهرباء‬Anbar: PMU strengthens security measures for the protection of transmission towers],
3 August 2023, url; Al-Maalomah, ‫[ احباط محاولة تفجير برج كهرباء في االنبار‬Attempt to blow up a transmission tower inAnbar thwarted], 10 January 2023, url409
Mine Action Review, Clearing Cluster Munition Remnants 2023 [Table 1], 1 August 2023, url, p. 61
405

406

60

IRAQ – SECURITY SITUATION

Conflict-induced displacement and return
No information could be found on new conflict-induced displacements occurring in Anbar
during the reference period. IOM’s Displacement Tracking Matrix (DTM)410 statistics as ofDecember 2023 estimate the number of IDPs originating from Anbar to be 126 303.411 As of
December 2023, 1 548 936 individuals had returned to the governorate412 since IOM started
recording returns in April 2015.413 The districts of Ramadi (Al Ramadi) and Falluja (Al Falluja)
make up the highest numbers of the returnee population.414 No information could be found on
new returns occurring in Anbar during the reference period. In March 2023, Amnesty
International (AI) reported that IDPs faced obstacles returning to their places of origin in Anbar.
AI elaborated that this was due to ‘risks of arbitrary arrest and other harassment by armed
actors and security forces, as well as a lack of livelihood opportunities and access toservices’.415

Please note that IOM does not specify the drivers for these displacements, which, among others, include conflictand insecurity. However, climate-induced displacements are not included. IOM DTM, Climate-Induced
Displacement – Central and Southern Iraq (Data Collection Period: 1 – 15 June 2023), 15 December 2023, url, p. 1
411
IOM Iraq, Displacement Tracking Matrix, Master List Datasets, IDP 131 [Excel File; Sheet: Summary], January 2024,
url
412
IOM Iraq, Displacement Tracking Matrix, Master List Datasets, Returnee 131 [Excel File; Sheet: Summary], January2024, url413
IOM Iraq, DTM – Methodology, n.d., url
414
IOM Iraq, Displacement Tracking Matrix, Master List Datasets, Returnee 131 [Excel File; Sheet: Summary], January2024, url
415
USDOD, Operation Inherent Resolve – Lead Inspector General Report To The United States Congress, April 1,
2023 – June 30, 2023, 3 August 2023, url, p. 38
410

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EUROPEAN UNION AGENCY FOR ASYLUM

2.2. Babil

Map 3: Babil governorate with district borders, district capitals and main roads, © United
Nations.416

General description of governorate
Babil governorate is located in the central part of Iraq, to the south of Baghdad governorate,and has borders with Baghdad, Anbar, Kerbala, Najaf, Qadissiya, and Wassit governorates.
The governorate is divided into the following districts: Al-Musayab (Al Mussyab), Al-Mahaweel,
Al-Hilla, and Al-Hashimiya. The governorate’s capital is Hilla.417
For 2022, the Iraqi Central Statistical Organization (CSO) estimated the governorate’s
population at 2 288 456.418

UNJAU, Iraq District Map, 29 January 2014, url
UNOCHA and iMMAP, Babil Governorate Reference Map 2020, 5 May 2020, url
418
Iraq, CSO, ‫ الباب الثاني‬2022‫ـ‬2023 ‫[ المجموعة االحصائية‬Statistical Collection 2022-2023, Part Two], 21 August 2023,
url, p. 8
416
417

62

IRAQ – SECURITY SITUATION

The majority of the governorate’s population is Shia Arab419 and there is a Sunni minority.420
For further information on Babil governorate’s ethno-religious composition and economy,please refer to section 2.2 of the previous EUAA COI report: Iraq Security Situation (January2022).

Armed actors’ presence and control
For information on the conflict background and on areas of control of armed actors in thegovernorate, including ISF, please refer to section 2.1.2 and 2.2.3 of the previous EUAA COI
report: Iraq Security Situation (January 2022).
In the reference period, PMF, including KH, continued to have a presence in Babilgovernorate,421 such as in Jurf Al-Nasr/Jurf Al-Sakhr,422 which was controlled by KH.423 Sourcesindicated that the PMF had headquarters in Babil governorate424 in the Al-Jaza’ir area of Hilla
city.425 The PMF factions in the governorate included the 46th and 47th brigades, which werereportedly commanded and manned by KH.426
In May 2023, ISW and CTP reported that ISIL and its predecessor Al-Qaeda had, in Iraq,‘historic support zones’ in the northern Babil governorate. According to the source, there wereindications that ISIL lacked operational security as well as safe areas for mounting operations,and there were no indications for any ISIL efforts ‘to create support zones’.427

Recent security trends
In the reference period, the US launched airstrikes on positions of Iranian-affiliated militia
groups such as KH (part of PMF) in parts of Babil governorate428 such as in Jurf Al-Nasr/Jurf AlSakhr,429 and Hilla (Al Hilla).430

AP, Shattered by war, Sunni Arabs despair over future in Iraq, 10 September 2017, url
EPIC, ISHM Reference Guide, last revision July 2023, url; AP, Shattered by war, Sunni Arabs despair over future
in Iraq, 10 September 2017, url; USDOS, 2019 Country Reports on International Religious Freedom: Iraq, 10 June
2020, url, p. 9421
Germany, BAMF, Briefing Notes Summary, 31 December 2023, url, p. 9422
ISW and CTP, Iran Update, January 24, 2024, 24 January 2024, url, p. 7; NINA, ‫استشهاد احد عناصر الحشد الشعبي شمال‬‫[ الحلة‬A member of the Popular Mobilization Forces killed in north of Hilla], 13 July 2023, url
423
ISW and CTP, Iran Update, January 24, 2024, 24 January 2024, url, p. 7
424
NINA, ‫[ رئيس المجلس االعلى االسالمي العراقي يدين االعتداء االمريكي ضد مقرات الحشد الشعبي‬Head of Iraqi Islamic Supreme
Council condemns US attack on headquarters of the PMU], 26 December 2023, url
425
Shafaq News, )‫ جريحا بقصف أمريكي على مقرات الحشد وسط بابل ردا على استهداف اربيل (فيديو‬20 ‫[ نحو‬About 20 injured in
US airstrike on PMF headquarters in central Babil in reply to Erbil targeting (video)], 26 December 2023, url
426
ISW and CTP, Iran Update, January 24, 2024, 24 January 2024, url, p. 7427
ISW and CTP, Salafi-Jihadi Movement Weekly Update, May 24, 2023, 26 May 2023, url
428
Germany, BAMF, Briefing Notes Summary, 31 December 2023, url, p. 9; ISW and CTP, Iran Update, January 24,
2024, 24 January 2024, url, p. 7; ISW and CTP, Iran Update, February 5, 2024, 5 February 2024, url, p. 11; NINA,‫[ رئيس المجلس االعلى االسالمي العراقي يدين االعتداء االمريكي ضد مقرات الحشد الشعبي‬Head of Iraqi Islamic Supreme Council
condemns US attack on headquarters of the PMU], 26 December 2023, url
429
UNSG, Implementation of resolution 2682 (2023), S/2024/96, 25 January 2024, url, para. 25, 30; Shafaq News,‫[ قصف جوي يستهدف قاعدة تابعة للحشد الشعبي شمالي بابل‬Airstrike targeted PMU military base in northern Babil], 23 January2024, url
430
ISW and CTP, Iran Update, December 26, 2023, 26 December 2023, url, p. 1, 7
419

420

63

EUROPEAN UNION AGENCY FOR ASYLUM

According to a September 2023 report of the UN Secretary-General, sporadic attacks on
convoys of ‘Iraqi companies contracted to carry supplies for the international counter-Da’esh[ISIL] coalition’ continued in a number of governorates, including Babil, in the first half of 2023,
causing no casualties. The attacks, which were carried out by Ashab Al-Kahf, the International
Resistance, and the group Revenge for Muhandis,431 resumed in the first quarter of 2023 forthe first time since August 2022.432
In May 2023, ISW and CTP reported that Iranian-affiliated militias and ISF frequently disrupted
ISIL attacks in northern Babil governorate.433
The National Iraqi News Agency (NINA) reported sporadic cases of tribal conflict in Babilgovernorate, which resulted in injuries.434

Security incidents
During the reporting period (1 February 2023 and 31 March 2024), there were 24 security
incidents recorded by ACLED in Babil governorate, of which 9 were coded as battles, 9
explosions/remote violence, and 6 incidents of violence against civilians.435 Security incidents
were recorded in all governorate districts (see Figure 14). According to ACLED data,
unidentified armed actors were involved in the majority of incidents (coded as either ‘Actor1’ or‘Actor2’), particularly where civilians were also an actor.

UNSG, Implementation of resolution 2682 (2023), S/2023/700, 26 September 2023, url, para. 25; UNSG,
Implementation of resolution 2631 (2022), S/2023/340, 11 May 2023, url, para. 17
432
UNSG, Implementation of resolution 2631 (2022), S/2023/340, 11 May 2023, url, para. 17
433
ISW and CTP, Salafi-Jihadi Movement Weekly Update, May 24, 2023, 26 May 2023, url
434
NINA, ‫[ اصابة ثالثة اشخاص بنزاع عشائري جنوب الحلة‬Three people injured in tribal conflict south of Hilla], 1 December
2023, url; NINA, ‫[ اصابة ستة اشخاص بنزاع عشائري شمال الحلة‬Six people injured in tribal conflict north of Hilla],
5 November 2023, url; NINA, ‫[ اصابة ثالثة اشخاص بنزاع عشائري في بابل‬Three people injured in tribal conflict in Babil],
20 October 2023, url
435
EUAA analysis based on ACLED data. ACLED, Data Export Tool, Middle East (19 April 2024), url
431

64IRAQ – SECURITY SITUATION

0

2

4

6

8

10

12

14

Al Hilla

Al Mussyab

Al Hashimiya

Al Mahaweel

Battles

Remote violence

Violence against civilians

Figure 14. Security events coded as battles, explosions/remote violence and violenceagainst civilians in Babil governorate between 1 February 2023 and 31 March 2024.
Breakdown by district based on ACLED data436
For the period between 1 February 2023 and 31 March 2024, the UCDP recorded two events
leading to fatalities in Babil governorate.437

Civilian casualties
During the reporting period, UNAMI did not record any civilian casualties in Babilgovernorate.438 For the period between 1 February 2023 and 31 March 2024, UCDP did notrecord any civilian deaths in Babil governorate.439

Conflict-related infrastructure damage and explosive remnants of war
No information on conflict-related infrastructure damage in the reference period could befound within the time constraints of this report.
As of the end of 2022, around 633 031 square metres of Babil governorate’s area werereported to be cluster-munition contaminated.440 The NINA reported the death of one man bya landmine explosion north of Hilla city in August 2023.441 Further relevant information on
explosive remnants of war could not be found within the time constraints of this report.

EUAA analysis based on ACLED data. ACLED, Data Export Tool, Middle East (19 April 2024), url
EUAA analysis based on UCDP data. UCDP, data covering 1 February 2023 to 31 March 2024 provided bycourtesy of UCDP by email, 22 March 2024 & 22 April 2024
438
EUAA analysis based on UNAMI data. Email to EUAA, 1 April 2024
439
EUAA analysis based on UCDP data. UCDP, data covering 1 February 2023 to 31 March 2024 provided bycourtesy of UCDP by email, 22 March 2024 & 22 April 2024
440
Mine Action Review, Clearing Cluster Munition Remnants 2023 [Table 1], 1 August 2023, url, p. 61
441
NINA, ‫[ وفاة شخص نتيجة انفجار لغم ارضي شمال الحلة‬Death of Individual by landmine explosion north of Hilla], 3 August
2023, url
436
437

65

EUROPEAN UNION AGENCY FOR ASYLUM

Conflict-induced displacement and return
No information could be found on new conflict-induced displacements occurring in Babilduring the reference period. IOM’s Displacement Tracking Matrix (DTM)442 statistics as ofDecember 2023 estimate the number of IDPs originating from Babil to be 44 099.443
As of December 2023, 1 860 individuals had returned to their places of origin in Babil since
IOM started recording returns in April 2015.444 The district of Al-Musayab (Al Mussyab)
constitutes the only district with a returnee population.445 No information could be found on
new returns occurring in Babil during the reference period.

Please note that IOM does not specify the drivers for these displacements, which, among others, include conflictand insecurity. However, climate-induced displacements are not included. IOM DTM, Climate-Induced
Displacement – Central and Southern Iraq (Data Collection Period: 1 – 15 June 2023), 15 December 2023, url, p. 1
443
IOM Iraq, Displacement Tracking Matrix, Master List Datasets, IDP 131 [Excel File; Sheet: Summary], January2024, url444
IOM Iraq, DTM – Methodology, n.d., url
445
IOM Iraq, Displacement Tracking Matrix, Master List Datasets, Returnee 131 [Excel File; Sheet: Summary], January2024, url
442

66

IRAQ – SECURITY SITUATION

2.3. Baghdad

Map 4: Baghdad governorate with district borders, district capitals and main roads,© United Nations.446

General description of governorate
Baghdad governorate is situated in the Tigris plain in the centre of Iraq and is the smallest of
all governorates in terms of surface area (4 555 square kilometres). It is the location of
Baghdad City, the capital of Iraq and the country’s largest city. Baghdad City is a major
economic hub.447 The governorate is divided into a total of 14 districts. Baghdad City is madeup of Adhamiya, Karkh, Karrada, Khadhimiyah, Mansour, Sadr City (Thawra 1 and 2448), AlRashid, Rusafa and 9 Nissan (‘new Baghdad’) districts, while the rest of Baghdad governorate
comprises districts of Al-Mada’in, Taji, Tarmiya, Mahmudiya, and Abu Ghraib.449 As of 2022,
Baghdad City records an estimated population of 8.75 million,450 the highest population
UNJAU, Iraq District Map, 29 January 2014, url
NCCI, Baghdad Governorate Profile, updated December 2015, url, pp. 1-2; Bahry L. & Marr P., A.. Baghdad,
Encyclopedia Britannica, 10 February 2024, url
448
IAU, Baghdad Governorate Profile, November 2010, url, p. 1
449
NCCI, Baghdad Governorate Profile, updated December 2015, url, pp. 1-2
450
Shafaq News, Baghdad: A Metropolis city struggles with population surges and traffic woes, 8 February 2024,
url
446
447

67

EUROPEAN UNION AGENCY FOR ASYLUM

density rate in the country. Baghdad governorate’s population in 2022 was estimated to be
9 006 001,451 representing the most populous governorate in the country.452
Detailed information on the general description of governorate and ethno-religious
composition is available in the EUAA COI report Iraq – Security Situation (January 2022).

Armed actors’ presence and control
For information on the conflict background, please refer to section 2.3.2 of the previous EUAA
COI report: Iraq Security Situation (January 2022).
The Baghdad Operations Command (BOC) is headquartered in Baghdad.453 The BOC wasestablished in 2006 as part of Operation Enforcing the Law.454 Its commander is reportedly amember of Asa’ib Ahl Al-Haq455 and was allegedly found responsible of the killing of Al-Sadr’s
supporters during clashes occurred in Baghdad between Sadrists and Iran-backed groups inAugust 2022.456 During the reference period, the ISF conducted anti-ISIL in several areas,
including Baghdad.457
ISIL
Despite its territorial defeat, ISIL was still operational in Baghdad governorate. 458 In thereporting period, it continued to maintain a presence in its strongholds in the north of
Baghdad,459 namely in Tarmiya district,460 conducting asymmetric attacks against ISF461
consisting in IEDs, small-arms ambushes or assassinations462. Attacks were conducted mostly
through light weapons and explosive devices targeting government, security officials,
community leaders, civilian and military facilities.463 In response, ISF continued to conduct

Iraq, CSO, ‫ الباب الثاني‬2022‫ـ‬2023 ‫[ المجموعة االحصائية‬Statistical Collection 2022-2023, Part Two], 21 August 2023,
url, p. 8452
Shafaq News, Ministry of Planning reveals Iraq's population estimates for 2023, 6 December 2023, url
453
USDOD, Operation Inherent Resolve and other U.S. Government Activities related to Iraq & Syria, October 1,
2023 – December 31, 2023, 9 February 2024, url, p. 19
454
Sirri, O., When the Lights Go Out: Iraq in Revolution, Society and Space, 10 February 2020, url
455
ISW, The Leadership and Purpose of Iraq’s Popular Mobilization Forces, 19 March 2024, url; Knights M. et. al,
How Tehran-Backed Terrorist Organizations and Militias Captured the Iraqi State in: CTC (Combating Terrorism
Center) Sentinel, Vol. 16, Issue 11, December 2023, url, p. 11
456
ISW, The Leadership and Purpose of Iraq’s Popular Mobilization Forces, 19 March 2024, url
457International Crisis Group, Crisis Watch – Iraq: February 2023 – March 2024, n.d., url; EPIC, ISHM: February 29 –March 7, 2024, 7 March 2024, url
458
USDOS, Country Reports on Human Rights Practices for 2022 - Iraq, 20 March 2023, url, pp. 20, 21
459
AP News, A French soldier is killed in clashes with extremists in Iraq, 29 August 2023, url
460
UNSG, Report of the Secretary General, Seventeenth report of the Secretary-General on the threat posed by
ISIL (Da’esh) to international peace and security and the range of United Nations efforts in support of Member
States incountering the threat, 31 July 2023, url, para 32, p. 7; EPIC, ISHM: January 4 – 11, 2024, 11 January 2024,
url; Shafaq, Security forces kill two "terrorists" in violent clashes north of Baghdad, 11 January 2024, url
461
UNSG, Implementation of resolution 2682 (2023), Report of the Secretary-General, 26 September 2023, url,para 24; UNSG, Implementation of resolution 2682 (2023), Report of the Secretary-General, 25 January 2024, para
19, url
462
USDOD, Operation Inherent Resolve, Lead Inspector General Report to the United States Congress, January 1,
2023–March 31, 2023, url, p. 10
463
UNSG, Eighteenth report of the Secretary-General on the threat posed by ISIL (Da’esh) to international peaceand security and the range of United Nations efforts in support of Member States in countering the threat, 31
January 2024, url, para 35
451

68

IRAQ – SECURITY SITUATION

counter-terrorism operations.464 According to Musings on Iraq, Tarmiya has become one of themost violent areas in Iraq465 and the main target for ISIL operations for unknown reasons.466 It
is noted that ISIL was likely supporting its cell in Tarmiya and in northern Baghdad Belts
through ground lines of communication originating from the north through land held by Iranbacked PMF forces. ISF is reportedly unsuccessful in contrasting its presence from thenorthern Baghdad Belts. In February 2023, Critical Threats Project (CTP) and Institute for the
Study of War (ISW) argued that ISIL will continue to attack ISF forces in the northern Belts
unless a major counter-ISIL operation is launched.467
Lead Inspector General’s quarterly report covering the period between 1 October and 31
December 2023 stated that the rise in the Iranian-backed Iraqi militia attacks against US
forces and the US retaliatory strikes had a negative effect on the ability of the Combined Joint
Task Force-Operation Inherent Resolve (CJTF-OIR) to support ISF and KSF, as militia-led
attacks diverted CJT-OIR’s resources and focus from its advisory mission.468
US-led coalition forces
As of January 2024, 2 500 US forces are still deployed in Iraq as part of the US-led coalition
set up to fight ISIL.469 Reportedly, advisors and contractors working with the US-led
international military coalition are hosted by Iraqi government-administered military bases andat the US Embassy in Baghdad,470 which continues to be the largest US Embassy in theworld.471
As of December 2023, the US-led Coalition’s Military Advisory Group continued to provide
advisory support and assistance to ISF, including the Iraqi Air Enterprise, in Baghdad andErbil.472 As the attacks between Iran-backed militias and US forces escalated following theoutbreak of the Israel-Hamas armed conflict on 7 October 2023, the Iraqi government called
to put an end to the presence of the US-led international military coalition in Iraq.473 Iranbacked attacks on US targets took place also in Baghdad, targeting US military bases474 andthe US Embassy in Baghdad.475 Starting from 20 October 2023, the US reduced its employees
UNSG, Implementation of resolution 2682 (2023), Report of the Secretary-General, 26 September
2023, url, para 24; UNSG, Implementation of resolution 2682 (2023), Report of the Secretary-General, 25 January2024, para 19, url
465
Musings on Iraq, No Ramadan Offensive By The Islamic State Yet, 3 April 2023, url
466
Musings on Iraq, Violence Drops In Iraq For The 2nd Month, 5 March 2023, url
467
Critical Threats/ISW, Salafi-Jihadi Movement Weekly Update, February 22, 2023, 22 February 2023, url, p. 2
468
USDOD, Operation Inherent Resolve and other U.S. Government activities related to Iraq & Syria, Lead Inspector
General Report to The United States Congress, October 1, 2023–December 31, 2023, url, p. 18
469
Al Jazeera, US, Iraq begin formal talks on winding down US-led military coalition, 25 January 2024, url
470
ACLED, The Muqawama and Its Enemies Shifting Patterns in Iran-Backed Shiite Militia Activity in Iraq, 23 May
2023, url
471
USDOD, Operation Inherent Resolve and other U.S. Government activities related to Iraq & Syria, Lead Inspector
General Report to The United States Congress, October 1, 2023–December 31, 2023, url, p. 51
472
USDOD, Operation Inherent Resolve and other U.S. Government Activities related to Iraq & Syria, October 1,
2023 – December 31, 2023, 9 February 2024, url, p. 18
473
Reuters, Exclusive: Iraq seeks quick exit of US forces but no deadline set, PM says, 10 January 2024, url;
VOA, Iran Backs Iraqi Call to End Presence of US-Led Force, 8 January 2024, url; Rudaw, Iraq
threatens to ‘terminate’ anti-ISIS coalition mission following US strike, 8 February 2024, url
474
Guardian (The), US troops attacked in Iraq and Syria as west warns of ‘spillover’ from Israel conflict, 20 October
2023, url
475
VOA News, New Drone Attack Against US Troops in Iraq, 25 December 2023, url
464

69EUROPEAN UNION AGENCY FOR ASYLUM

from the Embassy in Baghdad due to ‘increased security threats against the U.S. government
personnel and interests’.476
More information on US-led coalition presence in Baghdad governorate can be found in:
EUAA COI report Iraq – Security Situation (January 2022).
Popular Mobilisation Forces (PMF)
Since Al-Sudani’s appointment in October 2022, IRGC-linked PMF factions, the so-calledmuqawama or ‘resistance’ factions,477 were reportedly becoming more visible in Baghdad.478
Iran-backed militias operating within the PMF umbrella, namely Kata’ib Hezbollah (KH),479
Asa’ib Ahl Al-Haq,480 and Harakat Hezbollah al-Nujaba,481 maintained a presence throughoffices and barracks in the Green Zone.482 KH was consolidating its control over territory in thecapital through the checkpoints in central Baghdad and, starting May 2023, in Albu Aitha areaof Baghdad.483
Reportedly, since October 2022, Iran-backed militia seized control of security agencies suchas the Iraqi National Intelligence Service (INIS) and the Counter-Terrorism Command (CTC).484
A research conducted by Militia Spotlight485 and published in December 2023 showed that
2 400 out of 2 900 new recruits in 2023 in CTC were nominated by the Coordination
Framework, including US-designated foreign terrorist organisations such as Kata’ib Hezbollah
and Asa’ib Ahl al-Haq.486 Key roles within the National Security Services (NSS), such as the
director of operations and the head of Baghdad security operations, are reportedly occupied
by members of Asa’ib Ahl Al-Haq (AAH) militia.487 Iran-backed militia were also occupying key
roles in Baghdad International Airport, allowing the government to know who is entering andleaving the country, also through the KRI. 488

USDOD, Operation Inherent Resolve and other U.S. Government activities related to Iraq & Syria, Lead Inspector
General Report to The United States Congress, October 1, 2023–December 31, 2023, url, p. 51
477
Malik H., Knights M., Profile: The Islamic Resistance in Iraq, TWI, 21 October 2023, url
478
Al Kaabi A., Knights M., Kataib Hezbollah’s Escalating Feud with the Iraqi Security Forces, TWI, 19 March 2023,
url
479
Knights M. et al., Profile: Kataib Hezbollah, TWI, 21 October 2023, url
480
Knights M., Profile: Asa’ib Ahl Al-Haq, TWI, 27 April 2021, url
481
Knights M., Profile: Harakat Hezbollah al-Nujaba, TWI, 27 April 2021, url
482
Knights M., Removing All Militias From Baghdad’s International Zone, TWI, 31 August 2022, url
483
Knights M. et. al, How Tehran-Backed Terrorist Organizations and Militias Captured the Iraqi State in: CTC(Combating Terrorism Center) Sentinel, Vol. 16, Issue 11, December 2023, url, p. 11; Al Kaabi A., Knights M., Kataib
Hezbollah’s Escalating Feud with the Iraqi Security Forces, TWI, 19 March 2023, url
484
Knights M. et. al, How Tehran-Backed Terrorist Organizations and Militias Captured the Iraqi State in: CTC(Combating Terrorism Center) Sentinel, Vol. 16, Issue 11, December 2023, url, pp, 10, 20
485
Militia Spotlight is a search policy analysis created by Washington Institute for Near East Policy which monitors
activities of Iran-backed militia in Iraq and Syria, url, n.d.
486
Knights M. et. al, How Tehran-Backed Terrorist Organizations and Militias Captured the Iraqi State in: CTC(Combating Terrorism Center) Sentinel, Vol. 16, Issue 11, December 2023, url, pp. 10, 20
487
Knights M. et. al, Iraq’s New Regime Change: How Tehran-Backed Terrorist Organizations and Militias Captured
the Iraqi State in: CTC (Combating Terrorism Center) Sentinel, Vol. 16, Issue 11, December 2023, url
488
Knights M. et. al, How Tehran-Backed Terrorist Organizations and Militias Captured the Iraqi State in: CTC(Combating Terrorism Center) Sentinel, Vol. 16, Issue 11, December 2023, url, p. 11
476

70

IRAQ – SECURITY SITUATION

Iran-backed militias were also consolidating their economic power in Baghdad, taking overfrom the Iraqi Army and Federal Police,489 through the Muhandis General Company, a PMFowned commercial entity established in November 2022.490 Kata’ib Hezbollah and Asaib Ahl
al-Haq were reportedly growing illicit property empires.491 Al Sadr’s Saraya al-Salam militia had
a strong presence in Baghdad and its relations with PMF were reportedly hostile due tocompetition over legal and illegal economic power.492
For more information on PMF presence in Baghdad governorate, please see EUAA COI report
Iraq – Security Situation (January 2022).

Recent security trends
During the reference period, the security situation in Baghdad has been charaterised byclashes involving federal forces, PMF and ISIL, along with internal PMF disputes.493 Since theoutbreak of the Israel-Hamas armed conflict in early October 2023, the surge in attacks on US
forces and US-retaliatory operations have directly affected Baghdad.494 As of December 2023,
USDOD noted that political violence and civil unrest were ‘frequent’ in the capital, due to‘economic conditions, political turmoil, lack of basic services, and regional events inflaming
tensions’.495 It is said that due to heightened security measures, International Zone Area ofCentral Baghdad and Baghdad International Airport are areas relatively more stable ifcompared to the rest of the city.496
US-Iran escalating tensions
According to data provided by ACLED in an article published in May 2023, between June2019 and March 2023, Iran-backed militia conducted over 500 attacks, using drones, IEDs,
and rockets. The main targets of the attacks were convoys carrying materiel for US personnel
and allied forces affiliated with the Global Coalition Against Daesh, Turkish bases located innorthern Iraq and alleged ‘un-Islamic’ activities, which were mainly located around Baghdad. In

489

Al Kaabi A., Knights M., Kataib Hezbollah’s Escalating Feud with the Iraqi Security Forces, TWI, 19 March 2023,

url
CFRI, The Muhandis Company: Towards the Economic Autonomy of the Hashd al-Shaabi, 16
February 2024, url; Knights M. et al., Profile: The Muhandis General Company, TWI, 17 May 2023, url; Al Kaabi A.,
Knights M., Kataib Hezbollah’s Escalating Feud with the Iraqi Security Forces, TWI, 19 March 2023, url
491
Knights M., al Kaabi A., Coordination Framework Militias Exposed for Stealing Baghdad Real Estate, TWI, 31
August 2023, url492
Hudson, Post-Election Iraq and Intra-Shiite War, 26 September 2022, url
493
France, OFPRA, Irak : Veille sécuritaire du 1er juillet 2022 au 30 juin 2023 [Iraq: Security monitoring, 1 July 2022
to 30 June 2023], 20 September 2023, url, pp. 11-12; Shafaq News, Iraqi Security at Risk: the conflict between
Asa'ib Ahl al-Haq and Saraya Al-Salam, 22 February 2024, url; CFRI, Iraq shaken by attacks and political unrest:
what can we expect?, 27 December 2023, url; Knights M., Profile: Asaib Ahl al-Haq, TWI, 27 April 2021, url;
International Crisis Group, Crisis Watch – Iraq, December 2023, url
494
USDOD, Operation Inherent Resolve and other U.S. Government Activities related to Iraq & Syria, October 1,
2023 – December 31, 2023, 9 February 2024, url, p. 51; UNSG, Implementation of resolution 2682 (2023), Reportof the Secretary-General, 25 January 2024, para 28-29, url; AP News, Airstrike in central Baghdad kills Iran-backed
militia leader as regional tensions escalate, 4 January 2024, url
495
USDOD, Operation Inherent Resolve and other U.S. Government Activities related to Iraq & Syria, October 1,
2023 – December 31, 2023, 9 February 2024, url, p. 52
496
Crisis24, Iraq Country Report, Security, 21 November 2023, url
490

71EUROPEAN UNION AGENCY FOR ASYLUM

the south of Baghdad, attacks on US convoys transporting material from and to military bases
have been more frequent as convoy routes are more concentrated in the area.497
Iran-backed militias stepped up in drone, IEDs and rocket attacks targeting US militaryfacilities in Syria and Iraq since 17 October 2023,498 as a response to US support of Israel in
the Israel-Hamas armed conflict.499 The attacks, which were also recorded in Baghdad,500
reportedly caused minor injuries among US personnel.501 Iran-backed militia’s attacks
prompted US response, resulting in what experts describe as ‘a tit-for-tat’ exchange of fire
between the US and Iran on Iraq’s soil.502 Some observers maintained that the rise in
hostilities dates back to April 2023, following a rise in drone attacks on US targets in Syria.503
As a result, in the same month, several protests occurred in Baghdad against the US, with thedirect involvement of Al Sadr’s supporters.504
As a response to the Iran-backed attacks, in November 2023, the US conducted airstrikes
targeting Iran-backed militias military assets in Syria505 and in the south of Baghdad, killingeight group members.506 The US air raids prompted the strong condemnation from the Iraqi
government, which considered such attacks as an ‘unacceptable violation of Iraqi
sovereignty’507 as it targeted state security forces.508
On 8 December 2023, the US Embassy in Iraq, the Iraq National Security Service and aresidential building were struck by ‘at least’ seven mortars.509 No group claimed responsibility
for the attack,510 although the US Embassy spokesperson expressed its suspicion over the
Iran-backed group’s involvement. No civilian casualties were recorded as a result of the rocket
attack.511 On 4 January 2024, an US airstrike in Baghdad killed a senior commander of an IranACLED, The Muqawama and Its Enemies Shifting Patterns in Iran-Backed Shiite Militia Activity in Iraq, 23 May
2023, url. Source did not provide additional information on the definition of ‘un-islamic activites’.
498
Al Kaabi et al., Facade Group Linked to Iran Claims Five Attacks on Americans in Iraq and Syria, TWI, url;
Guardian (The), US troops attacked in Iraq and Syria as west warns of ‘spillover’ from Israel conflict, 20 October
2023, url; International Crisis Group, Crisis Watch – Iraq, October 2023,
url; International Crisis Group, CrisisWatch – Iraq, November 2023, url; USDOD, Operation Inherent Resolve andother U.S. Government activities related to Iraq & Syria, Lead Inspector General Report to The United States
Congress, October 1, 2023–December 31, 2023, url, p. 51
499
Al Jazeera, Iraq slams US strikes that killed eight pro-Iran fighters, 22 November 2023, url
500
National News (The), Rockets fired towards Iraq's Green Zone, security officials say, 8 December 2023, url;
Guardian (The), US troops attacked in Iraq and Syria as west warns of ‘spillover’ from Israel conflict, 20 October
2023, url; Reuters, US embassy in Baghdad struck with seven mortars as attacks escalate, 9 December 2023, url
501
AP News, US conducts airstrikes against Iran-backed groups in Syria, retaliating for attacks on US troops, 13
November 2023, url
502
Al Jazeera, Who are the Islamic Resistance in Iraq?, 10 February 2024, url
503
Al Monitor, Iraqi militias escalate rhetoric against US, threatening more attacks, 9 April 2023, url504
Crisis24, Iraq: Al-Sadr supporters plan nationwide protests night of April 3, 3 April 2023, url
505
AP News, US conducts airstrikes against Iran-backed groups in Syria, retaliating for attacks on US troops, 13
November 2023, url
506
Al Jazeera, Iraq slams US strikes that killed eight pro-Iran fighters, 22 November 2023, url
507
Al Jazeera, Iraq slams US strikes that killed eight pro-Iran fighters, 22 November 2023, url; Rudaw, Iraqi MPs callfor expelling coalition forces, 13 January 2024, url
508
Rudaw, Iraqi MPs call for expelling coalition forces, 13 January 2024, url
509
UNSG, Implementation of resolution 2682 (2023), Report of the Secretary-General, 25 January 2024, para 2829, url; Reuters, US embassy in Baghdad struck with seven mortars as attacks escalate, 9 December 2023, url; BasNews, Iraqi Intelligence Agency HQ Attacked with Rockets, 8 December, url
510
Reuters, US embassy in Baghdad struck with seven mortars as attacks escalate, 9 December 2023, url; Al
Jazeera, Rockets fired towards US embassy in Iraqi capital’s Green Zone, 9 December 2023, url
511
Al Jazeera, Rockets fired towards US embassy in Iraqi capital’s Green Zone, 9 December 2023, url
497

72

IRAQ – SECURITY SITUATION

backed militia, Harakat Hezbollah al-Nujaba (HaN),512 and a deputy commander of PMF.
According to PMF media, other six persons were wounded due to the strike. 513 The US
airstrike has been strongly condemned by Prime Minister Al-Sudani, whose office declared his
intention to end US presence in the country.514 Reportedly, HaN conducted 95 out of 136
attacks against US forces since 17 October 2023, when the first wave of attacks took place.515
On 7 February 2024, a US drone strike killed a leader of the Iranian-backed militia, Kata’ib
Hezbollah (KH), and two of his guards, in the eastern part of Baghdad. KH has been deemed
responsible by the US for the drone attack on an US base in Jordan on 28 January 2024,
causing the death of 3 US soldiers and the injuries of more than 40.516 No civilian casualties
have been recorded as a result of the attack.517
At the time of writing this report, no attacks have been documented against US targets in Iraq
since late January, where commander of Iran’s Quds Forces visited Baghdad reportedly
ordering armed groups to ‘lie low’.518 Reportedly, this suspension in attacks is due to a politicaldecision of Iranian leaders not to drive militia in a direct war against US. 519 However, as of 1
March 2024, despite the suspension in attacks, an intense presence of US drones in Baghdad
airspace was reported.520
Intra Iran-backed militias rivalry
Clashes erupted in December 2023 between Saraya Al-Salam, the PMU linked to the Sadrist
Movement, and the Asa’ib Ahl Al-Haq (AAH) militia.521 Competition among the groups were
driven by political conflict between Al Sadr and the CF, and financial competition. In February
2024, clashes among groups resulted in killing of several militia members and wounding of
local residents. The Government reportedly did not intervene to limit the clashes.522 Saraya AlSalam is also in rivalry with KH as they are reportedly competing over land disputes insouthern Baghdad, Dora area.523 Reportedly, since the formation of the Sudani government, in

See: Knights M., Profile: Harakat Hezbollah al-Nujaba, TWI, 27 April 2021, url
AP News, Airstrike in central Baghdad kills Iran-backed militia leader as regional tensions escalate, 4 January2024, url; International Crisis Group, CrisisWatch – Iraq, January 2024, url; New Arab (The), Explainer: Who was'Abu Taqwa', the Iraqi militia head assassinated by the US?, 5 January 2024, url
514
Reuters, Pentagon says not planning a US withdrawal from Iraq, 8 January 2024, url; EPIC, ISHM: December 28,
2023 – January 4, 2024, 4 January 2024, url
515
Knights M., Who Are Nujaba and Why Did the U.S. Just Strike Them?, TWI, 4 January 2024, url
516
BBC, US drone strike kills Iran-backed militia leader in Baghdad, 8 February 2024, url; Al Jazeera, Who are theIslamic Resistance in Iraq?, 10 February 2024, url
517
BBC, US drone strike kills Iran-backed militia leader in Baghdad, 8 February 2024, url; New York times (The), U.S.
Strike in Baghdad Kills Iranian-Backed Militia, 7 February 2024, url; AP News, US drone strike in Baghdad kills highranking militia leader linked to attacks on American troops, 8 February 2024, url
518
International Crisis Group, CrisisWatch – Iraq, February 2024, url; Reuters, Iraqi armed groups dial down U.S.
attacks on request of Iran commander, 18 February 2024, url; ISW, Iran Update, January 31, 2024, url
519
New York Times (The), After U.S. Strikes, Iran’s Proxies Scale Back Attacks on American Bases, 27 February
2024, url520
New Arab (The), US drones remain active over Iraq's airspace despite fragile ceasefire, 1 March 2024, url
521
CFRI, Iraq shaken by attacks and political unrest: what can we expect?, 27 December 2023, url; Knights M.,
Profile: Asaib Ahl al-Haq, TWI, 27 April 2021, url; International Crisis Group,
Crisis Watch – Iraq, December 2023, url
522
Shafaq News, Iraqi Security at Risk: the conflict between Asa'ib Ahl al-Haq and Saraya Al-Salam, 22 February
2024, url
523
EPIC, ISHM: April 6 – 13, 2023, 13 April 2023, url; Shafaq News, Ending tension between Saraya al-Sadr andKataib Hezbollah that almost sparked an armed clash south of Baghdad (photos + video), 9 April 2023, url
512
513

73

EUROPEAN UNION AGENCY FOR ASYLUM

October 2022, clashes between KH military units within PMF and Iraqi Security Forces werealso recorded in Baghdad.524

Security incidents
During the reporting period (1 February 2023 – 31 March 2024), there were 361 security
incidents recorded by ACLED in Baghdad governorate, of which 157 were coded as battles, 74
explosions/remote violence and 130 incidents of violence against civilians.525 Security
incidents were recorded in all governorate districts, with the highest number being
documented in Al Adhamiya, Al Thawra and Al Risafa districts (see Figure 15). According to
ACLED data, unidentified armed actors were involved in the majority of incidents (coded aseither ‘Actor1’ or ‘Actor2’), particularly where civilians or other unidentified armed actors werecoded as an Actor.
0

10

20

30

40

50

60

70

80

Al Adhamiya
Al Tahwra
Al Risafa
Al Karkh
Al Kadhmiyah
Al Madain
Unknown
Al Mahmoudiya
Battles

Remote violence

Violence against civilians

Figure 15. Security events coded battles, explosions/remote violence and violence against
civilians in Baghdad governorate between 1 February 2023 and 31 March 2024.
Breakdown by district based on ACLED data.526
For the period between 1 February 2023 and 31 March 2024, UCDP recorded 9 events
leading to fatalities in Baghdad governorate.527

Al Kaabi A., Knights M., Kataib Hezbollah’s Escalating Feud with the Iraqi Security Forces, TWI, 19 May 2023, url
EUAA analysis based on ACLED data. ACLED, Data Export Tool, Middle East (19 April 2024), url
526
EUAA analysis based on ACLED data. ACLED, Data Export Tool, Middle East (19 April 2024), url
527
EUAA analysis based on UCDP data. UCDP, data covering 1 February 2023 to 31 March 2024 provided bycourtesy of UCDP by email, 22 March 2024 & 22 April 2024
524

525

74

IRAQ – SECURITY SITUATION

Civilian casualties
During the reporting period, UNAMI did not record any civilian casualties in Baghdad
governorate.528 For the period 1 February 2023 – 31 March 2024, UCDP recorded 3 civilian
deaths in Baghdad governorate.529

Conflict-related infrastructure damage and explosive remnants of war
According to the official data shared by the Directorate for Mine Action (DMA) to Mine Action
Review in August 2022, 3 577 320 square meters of legacy mines without evidence ofcontamination following a technical survey in 2021 in Baghdad’s Al-Mahmodiya district.530 In
2022, based on the results of post-activity impact assessment surveys shared by Mine Action
Service, 94 % of the land cleared of mines in Iraq is now ready to be used for agriculture,
housing, infrastructure and roads.531 Further relevant information could not be found within thetime constraints of this report.

Conflict-induced displacement and return
As of 31 December 2023, 26 586 IDPs were registered in Baghdad governorate, according to
IOM data. Most of IDPs originated by Anbar (10 314), Babil (8 892) and Ninewa (4 464). Within
the governorate, districts hosting the largest IDP populations were Mahmodiya (8 736), Abu
Ghraib (5 130) and Karkh (4 542). As of September 2022, Al-Latifya subdistrict, located in
Mahmodiya district, is hosting the largest number of IDP.532
Moreover, as of 31 December 2023, IOM documented a total of 44 848 IDPs across thecountry who originated from Baghdad governorate. Of these, the vast majority were being
hosted in Sulaymaniyah (30 168) and Erbil (11 644) governorates.533
IOM data also show that there were 94 590 returnees in Baghdad governorate as of 31
December 2023, of whom 84 510 had returned from displacement areas within the same
governorate. Districts with the highest number of returnees were Mahmodiya and Abu
Ghraib.534

EUAA analysis based on UNAMI data. UNAMI, Email to EUAA, 1 April 2024
EUAA analysis based on UCDP data. UCDP, data covering 1 February 2023 to 31 March 2024 provided bycourtesy of UCDP by email, 22 March 2024 & 22 April 2024
530
Mine Action Review, Clearing the Mines 2022, 1 October 2022, url, p. 185
531
UNSG, Assistance in mine action, Report of the Secretary-General, 31 July 2023, url, para 26
532
REACH, Research Terms of Reference Al-Latifya Area-Based Assessment (ABA) IRQ2207 Iraq (October 2022)
Version 1, 13 December 2022, url. On the IDP movement’s intentions in Al-Latifya, see: REACH, IDPs in Iraq –Intentions and Profiling: Informal Sites (April 2022), 11 May 2022, url
533
EUAA analysis based on IOM Iraq, Displacement Tracking Matrix, Master List Datasets, IDP 131 [Excel File], 31
31 December 2023, url
534
EUAA analysis based on IOM Iraq, Displacement Tracking Matrix, Master List Datasets, Returnee 131 [Excel File],
31 December 2023, url
528

529

75

EUROPEAN UNION AGENCY FOR ASYLUMWith reference to the latest IDP movement’s trends, in the reporting period between 1 May
and 31 August 2023, IOM recorded an increase of 150 IDPs in Mahmodiya district. The source
did not provide information on the reason for displacement.535

2.4. Diyala

Map 5: Diyala governorate with district borders, district capitals and main roads, © United
Nations.536

General description of governorate
Diyala governorate is located in east-central Iraq, sharing internal borders with Sulaymaniyah,
Salah Al-Din, Baghdad, and Wassit governorates and an international border with Iran to its
east. The governorate is divided into six districts: Al-Baquba (Baquba), Baladruz (Baladrooz),
Al-Khalis, Khanaqin, Kifri and Al-Muqdadiya. Its capital is Baquba city.537 The districts ofKhanaqin538 and Kifri are part of the northern Iraqi areas whose status is disputed between the
KRG and the central government.539

IOM, Displacement Tracking Matrix, Master List Report 130, DATA COLLECTION PERIOD: MAY – AUGUST 2023,
October 2023, url, p. 2
536
UN JAU, Iraq District Map, January 2014, url
537
UNOCHA and iMMAP, Iraq: Diyala Governorate Reference Map 2020, 5 May 2020, url
538
Hussein, H.A., Iraq’s Disputed Territories and the Potential Impact of the Upcoming Provincial Elections, TWI,
12 December 2023, url
539
UNHCR Iraq, Iraq: Kurdistan Region and Northern Governorates [Map], 22 January 2023, url
535

76

IRAQ – SECURITY SITUATION

The governorate’s population in 2022 was estimated at 1 814 368.540 The diverse population
includes Arabs, Kurds and Turkmen,541 with all three groups comprising both Sunni and Shia
communities.542
For further information on the governorate’s ethnic, religious, and tribal composition, pleaserefer to section 2.4.1 of the previous EUAA COI report: Iraq Security Situation (January 2022).

Armed actors’ presence and control
For information on the governorate’s conflict background and on the presence and areas ofcontrol of armed actors, including ISF, please refer to sections 2.4.2 and 2.4.3 of the previous
EUAA COI report: Iraq Security Situation (January 2022).
The Diyala Operations Command is headquartered in Baquba city;543Iran-backed militias under
the PMF were also present in the governorate,544 as were Border Guard forces stationed in theeastern areas bordering Iran.545 There were efforts by the Badr Organisation to maintain andstrengthen its security influence in the governorate, as seen in the deployment of its 1 st, 23rd,
24th, and 110th Brigades to Diyala in March 2023.546 This was followed by the appointment of
the Badr-affiliated Major General Akram Mudannaf as head of the Diyala Operations
Command in May 2023.547
At least since early 2022, sources have noted the presence of the 1st Division of the Iraqi Armyin Diyala.548 After Iran-backed Shia militias (suspected to be Badr militants) 549 reportedly killed
multiple Sunni civilians in Al-Jayalah, Al-Khalis district, in February550 and March 2023, thegovernment deployed Iraqi special forces. However, they were removed under Badr pressure
and Badr forces then secured control of the area.551 In May 2023, the Al-Waqf basin area
northeast of Baquba city saw what was reported as the largest deployment of Iraqi forces(federal police and special forces) since 2004, with the aim to improve security after a longabsence of stability.552 Meanwhile, along the line of control between federal Iraq and Iraqi
Kurdistan, ISF and Kurdish forces were facing coordination issues reflecting long-standing
territorial disputes.553

Iraq, CSO, ‫ الباب الثاني‬2022‫ـ‬2023 ‫[ المجموعة االحصائية‬Statistical Collection 2022-2023, Part Two], 21 August 2023,
url, p. 8541
UN IAU, Diyala Governorate Profile, March 2009, url, p. 1
542
Izady, M., Central Iraq: Ethnoreligious Composition in 2020 (summary) [Map], n.d., url
543
USDOD, Operation Inherent Resolve and other U.S. Government Activities related to Iraq & Syria, October 1,
2023 – December 31, 2023, 9 February 2024, url, p. 19
544
New Arab (The), Iraq: Nine people killed in Diyala farm 'massacre', 21 February 2023, url
545
EPIC, ISHM: June 1 – 8, 2023, 8 June 2023, url
546
ISW and CTP, Iran Update, March 16, 2023, 16 March 2023, url
547
ISW and CTP, Iran Update, May 2, 2023, 2 May 2023, url
548
PUK Media, Peshmerga Ministry: We condemn the terrorist acts that targeted the army, 22 January 2022, url;
PUK Media, Security operation launched in Saladin, Diyala, 15 June 2022, url; INA, Army Chief of Staff issues
directives to security forces in Diyala, 19 July 2022, url; Shafaq News, Explosive device injures senior Iraqi army
officers in Diyala, 18 September 2023, url
549
ISW and CTP, Iran Update, May 19, 2023, 19 May 2023, url
550
ISW and CTP, Salafi-Jihadi Movement Weekly Update, March 1, 2023, 3 March 2023, url
551
ISW and CTP, Iran Update, May 19, 2023, 19 May 2023, url
552
Shafaq News, Diyala implements extensive security plan in al-Waqf bassin, 22 May 2023, url
553
ISW and CTP, Salafi-Jihadi Movement Weekly Update, April 5, 2023, 7 April 2023, url
540

77EUROPEAN UNION AGENCY FOR ASYLUMISIL maintained its presence in Diyala,554 one of the governorates on which the group focusedits operations in Iraq,555 through small, decentralised cells556 and ‘outposts’. The group’s
supply lines ran through mountainous areas where access and patrolling were difficult for the
security forces. The group retained its ability to move freely557 and operate in and around thedisputed areas,558 where it maintained strongholds and hideouts. A Peshmerga brigade
commander based in Khanaqin was quoted as saying that ISIL militants were manoeuvring
unguarded areas, including the outskirts of the Hamrin Basin and peripheral areas ofKhanaqin.559 As of mid-2023, most of the leaders of the Iraqi branch of ISIL were reportedly
present in the Hamrin Mountains.560 ISIL used these security gaps along the Iraqi Kurdistan
border to enable attacks and supply its cells in mountain and desert zones.561 In April 2023,
the group moved an unconfirmed number of fighters from Khanaqin to the Tooz KhurmatoKifri area.562

Recent security trends
The overall security situation in Diyala governorate has been described as ‘challenging’563 and‘tense’.564 Apart from periodic ISIL attacks, the governorate saw sectarian violence,565
including the alleged killing of nine civilians566 by Shia militias in Al-Khalis governorate in
February 2023.567 While most Sunnis displaced during the war against ISIL have returned to
the governorate, they were frequently viewed with suspicion by authorities and neighbours
due to their perceived links to the group. When ISIL remnants carried out attacks against
civilians or security forces, it would often entail a spiral of retaliatory attacks. 568

UNSG, Seventeenth report of the Secretary-General on the threat posed by ISIL (Da’esh) to international peaceand security and the range of United Nations efforts in support of Member States in countering the threat,
S/2023/568, 31 July 2023, url, para. 32
555
UNSG, Sixteenth report of the Secretary-General on the threat posed by ISIL (Da’esh) to international peace andsecurity and the range of United Nations efforts in support of Member States in countering the threat, S/2023/76,
1 February 2023, url, para. 29
556
UN Security Council, Letter dated 23 January 2024 from the Chair of the Security Council Committee,
S/2024/92, 29 January 2024, url, para. 49
557
ISW and CTP, Salafi-Jihadi Movement Weekly Update, April 5, 2023, 7 April 2023, url
558
Netherlands (The), Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Algemeen ambtsbericht Irak [Country report Iraq], November
2023, url, p. 16
559
Shafaq News, Kurdish Peshmerga commander reveals ISIS's hidden movement in Iraq's border areas,
13 October 2023, url
560
UN Security Council, Letter dated 24 July 2023 from the Chair of the Security Council Committee, S/2023/549,
25 July 2023, url, para. 50
561
UNSG, Seventeenth report of the Secretary-General on the threat posed by ISIL (Da’esh) to international peaceand security and the range of United Nations efforts in support of Member States in countering the threat,
S/2023/568, 31 July 2023, url, para. 32
562
ISW and CTP, Salafi-Jihadi Movement Weekly Update, April 5, 2023, 7 April 2023, url563
RWG Iraq and REACH, Rapid assessment on returns and durable solutions (ReDS) Governorate Profiles – Diyala– Iraq, February 2023, url, p. 1
564
AP, Spiking violence strains sectarian ties in Iraqi province, 27 March 2023, url
565
Al Jazeera, Gunmen kill 11 in roadside attack in eastern Iraq, 1 December 2023, url; AP, Spiking violence strains
sectarian ties in Iraqi province, 27 March 2023, url
566
AP, Spiking violence strains sectarian ties in Iraqi province, 27 March 2023, url
567
ISW and CTP, Salafi-Jihadi Movement Weekly Update, March 1, 2023, 3 March 2023, url; AP, Spiking violencestrains sectarian ties in Iraqi province, 27 March 2023, url
568
AP, Spiking violence strains sectarian ties in Iraqi province, 27 March 2023, url
554

78

IRAQ – SECURITY SITUATION

Killings were also committed between Shiite groups in the context of rival militias and theirpolitical and tribal allies fighting over influence,569 including control of high-ranking security
positions570 and domination of lucrative networks of organised crime. Indeed, the first quarterof 2023 saw a series of instances of communal violence,571 including a complex militant attack
on members of a local tribe in the Al-Muqdadiya district.572
ISIL sustained a ‘low-grade insurgency’ in eastern Iraq,573 with Diyala being one of thegovernorates seeing a concentration of ISIL activity,574 including zones in and around thedisputed areas.575 The group’s attacks have been described as asymmetrical576 as most of its
operations were carried out with light weaponry and explosives,577 such as simple IEDs,
targeted assassinations, small-arms ambushes.578 The Hamrin Mountains were among ISIL’s
key zones of operation due to gaps in the presence of Iraqi and KRG forces.579 Attacks bysuspected ISIL militants targeted Iraqi soldiers,580 military facilities, security and government
officials, local community leaders, and other civilians,581 with several incidents reported in AlBaquba (Baquba),582 Khanaqin,583 and Al-Muqdadiya districts.584
In some deadly incidents, it could not be determined whether they were motivated byinsurgency or tribal conflict,585 or whether an IED was recent or old.586 Several killings were

AP, Spiking violence strains sectarian ties in Iraqi province, 27 March 2023, url
KirkukNow, Diyala: Special forces assigned by Prime Minister to impose security face political and tribal
challenges, 19 March 2023, url
571
AP, Spiking violence strains sectarian ties in Iraqi province, 27 March 2023, url
572
EPIC, ISHM: March 2 – 9, 2023, 9 March 2023, url
573
ISW and CTP, Salafi-Jihadi Movement Weekly Update, April 5, 2023, 7 April 2023, url; USDOD, Operation
Inherent Resolve and other U.S. Government Activities related to Iraq & Syria, July 1, 2023 – September 30, 2023,
9 November 2023, url, p. 12
574
UN Security Council, Letter dated 23 January 2024 from the Chair of the Security Council Committee,
S/2024/92, 29 January 2024, url, para. 49; USDOD, Operation Inherent Resolve and other U.S. Government
Activities related to Iraq & Syria, October 1, 2023 – December 31, 2023, 9 February 2024, url, p. 16
575
Netherlands (The), Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Algemeen ambtsbericht Irak [Country report Iraq], November
2023, url, p. 16
576
UNSG, Implementation of resolution 2682 (2023), S/2024/96, 25 January 2024, url, para. 19
577
UN Security Council, Letter dated 23 January 2024 from the Chair of the Security Council Committee,
S/2024/92, 29 January 2024, url, para. 49
578
USDOD, Operation Inherent Resolve – Lead Inspector General Report To The United States Congress, January
1, 2023 – March 31, 2023, 2 May 2023, url, p. 10
579
UN Security Council, Letter dated 23 January 2024 from the Chair of the Security Council Committee,
S/2024/92, 29 January 2024, url, para. 49
580
EPIC, ISHM: August 10 – 17, 2023, 17 August 2023, url
581
UN Security Council, Letter dated 23 January 2024 from the Chair of the Security Council Committee,
S/2024/92, 29 January 2024, url, para. 49
582
EPIC, ISHM: August 10 – 17, 2023, 17 August 2023, url; EPIC, ISHM: July 13 – 20, 2023, 20 July 2023, url583
basnews, Civilian Killed in IS Attack in Khanaqin, 27 February 2023, url
584
Al Jazeera, Gunmen kill 11 in roadside attack in eastern Iraq, 1 December 2023, url; EPIC, ISHM: May 11 – 18,
2023, 18 May 2023, url
585
EPIC, ISHM: March 16 – 30, 2023, 30 March 2023, url
586
EPIC, ISHM: May 25 – June 1, 2023, 1 June 2023, url
569
570

79

EUROPEAN UNION AGENCY FOR ASYLUM

reported to have been carried out by unidentified perpetrators against civilians in Al-Baquba(Baquba),587 Baladruz,588 Khanaqin,589 and Al-Khalis.590
In response to ISIL activity, the ISF continued to carry out anti-terrorism operations,591 including
airstrikes targeting the ISIL hideouts in Kifri district,592 the Al-Waqf593 and Hawi Al-Azim
areas,594 as well as in the Hamrin Mountains and Hamrin Lake area.595 Moreover, the security
forces conducted ground operations, including an arrest campaign launched across thegovernorate in March 2023596 and a joint security operation in the Diyala-Salah Al-Din borderzone in February 2024.597 In June 2023, the Border Guard forces started a security campaign
aiming to close illegal smuggling routes in the town of Qazaniyah on the border with Iran. 598

Security incidents
During the reporting period (1 February 2023 – 31 March 2024), there were 96 security
incidents recorded by ACLED in Diyala governorate, of which 26 were coded as battles, 43
explosions/remote violence, and 27 incidents of violence against civilians.599 Security incidents
were recorded in all governorate districts, with the highest number being documented in Al
Baquba and Al Muqdadiya districts (see Figure 16). According to ACLED data, unidentified
armed actors were involved in the majority of incidents coded as violence against civilians,
whereas ISIL was mainly involved in incidents coded as battles, and explosions/remoteviolence against ISF and affiliated armed groups.

NINA, The body of a civilian found in Baquba, 23 May 2023, url; NINA, A doctor assassinated in Baquba,
22 February 2023
588
NINA, A farmer killed by unknown gunmen in Diyala, 28 February 2023
589
NINA, The body of a young man found mysteriously killed in Diyala, 26 July 2023
590
NINA, The assassination of a civilian in Al-Khalis, in Diyala, 3 March 2023
591
UNSG, Implementation of resolution 2682 (2023), S/2024/96, 25 January 2024, url, para. 19; UNSG,
Implementation of resolution 2682 (2023), S/2023/700, 26 September 2023, url, para. 24
592
Rudaw, Iraqi warplanes strike suspected ISIS members in Diyala, 7 May 2023, url
593
Asharq Al-Awsat, Iraqi Security Conducts a Successful Operation Against ISIS, 8 January 2024, url
594
Shafaq News, Iraqi forces destroy ISIS hideouts in Diyala, 5 February 2024, url
595
EPIC, ISHM: March 16 – 30, 2023, 30 March 2023, url
596
KirkukNow, Diyala: Special forces assigned by Prime Minister to impose security face political and tribal
challenges, 19 March 2023, url
597
SABA, Iraqi forces start chasing Daesh elements in Diyala, Saladin, 7 February 2024, url
598
EPIC, ISHM: June 1 – 8, 2023, 8 June 2023, url; Financial Tribune, Baghdad Launches Plan to Close 20
Smuggling Routes With Iran, 9 June 2023, url
599
EUAA analysis based on ACLED data. ACLED, Data Export Tool, Middle East (19 April 2024), url
587

80

IRAQ – SECURITY SITUATION

0

5

10

15

20

25

30

35

BaqubaAl Muqdadiya
Al Khalis
Khanaqin
Kifri
Baladruz

Battles

Remote violence

Violence against civilians

Figure 16. Security events coded as battles, explosions/remote violence and violenceagainst civilians in Diyala governorate between 1 February 2023 and 31 March 2024.
Breakdown by district based on ACLED data.600
For the period between 1 February 2023 and 29 February 2024, the UCDP recorded 14
events leading to fatalities in Diyala governorate.601

Civilian casualties
During the reporting period, UNAMI recorded 43 civilian casualties in Diyala governorate. 602
For the period between 1 February 2023 and 29 February 2024, the UCDP recorded 22
civilian deaths in Diyala governorate.603

EUAA analysis based on ACLED data. ACLED, Data Export Tool, Middle East (19 April 2024), url
EUAA analysis based on UCDP data. UCDP, data covering 1 February 2023 to 31 March 2024 provided bycourtesy of UCDP by email, 22 March 2024 & 22 April 2024
602
EUAA analysis based on UNAMI data. UNAMI, Email to EUAA, 1 April 2024
603
EUAA analysis based on UCDP data. UCDP, data covering 1 February 2023 to 31 March 2024 provided bycourtesy of UCDP by email, 22 March 2024 & 22 April 2024
600
601

81

EUROPEAN UNION AGENCY FOR ASYLUM

Number of incidients and civilian casualties recorded
by UNAMI in Diyala governorate(1 February 2023 - 31 March 2024)
50
45
40
35
30
25
20
15
10
5
0

43

21

22

Civilians killed

Civilians injured

16

Number of incidents

Total civilian
casualties

Figure 17. Number of incidents and civilian casualties recorded by UNAMI in Diyala
governorate between 1 February 2023 and 31 March 2024.604

Conflict-related infrastructure damage and explosive remnants of war
No information on new conflict-related infrastructure damage occurring in the reference
period could be found within the time constraints of this report. According to a February 2023
assessment of four Diyala sub-districts (located in Al-Muqdadiya, Al-Khalis, Kifri, and Khanaqin
districts),605 the degree of destruction and damage to houses was ‘very high’. Government
reconstruction efforts were assessed to be ‘either absent, delayed, or only limited to specificareas’.606 As of the end of 2022, the Mine Action Review did not report any cluster munitioncontaminated areas in Diyala governorate.607 Several civilians were killed or injured by
explosive remnants of war in Khanaqin district,608 Buhruz, Khan Bani Saad609 and Mandili
subdistricts,610 and in the Al-Waqf Basin611 and in the Wadi Tursaq area.612

EUAA analysis based on UNAMI data. UNAMI, Email to EUAA, 1 April 2024
RWG Iraq and REACH, Rapid assessment on returns and durable solutions (ReDS) Governorate Profiles – Diyala– Iraq, February 2023, url, p. 2
606
RWG Iraq and REACH, Rapid assessment on returns and durable solutions (ReDS) Governorate Profiles – Diyala– Iraq, February 2023, url, p. 7
607
Mine Action Review, Clearing Cluster Munition Remnants 2023 [Table 1], 1 August 2023, url, p. 61
608
EPIC, ISHM: February 23 – March 2, 2023, 2 March 2023, url
609
EPIC, ISHM: May 25 – June 1, 2023, 1 June 2023, url
610
EPIC, ISHM: March 21 – 28, 2024, 28 March 2024, url
611
NINA, A Child Killed And His Father Injured In An IED Explosion In Al-Waqf Basin, Northeast Of Baqubah,
22 September 2023, url
612
EPIC, ISHM: March 21 – 28, 2024, 28 March 2024, url
604

605

82

IRAQ – SECURITY SITUATION

Conflict-induced displacement and return
No information could be found on new conflict-induced displacements occurring in Diyala
during the reference period. IOM’s Displacement Tracking Matrix (DTM)613 statistics as ofDecember 2023 estimate the number of IDPs originating from Diyala to be 71 208 IDPs.614
The majority of Sunnis displaced from Diyala during the war against ISIL have returned.615 As
of 31 December 2023, IOM recorded 241 236 returnees in the governorate.616 No information
could be found on new returns occurring in Diyala during the reference period.

2.5. Kirkuk

Map 6: Kirkuk governorate with district borders, district capitals and main roads, © United
Nations.617

Please note that IOM does not specify the drivers for these displacements, which, among others, include conflictand insecurity. However, climate-induced displacements are not included. IOM DTM, Climate-Induced
Displacement – Central and Southern Iraq (Data Collection Period: 1 – 15 June 2023), 15 December 2023, url, p. 1
614
IOM Iraq, Displacement Tracking Matrix, Master List Datasets, IDP 131 [Excel File; Sheet: Summary], January2024, url
615
AP, Spiking violence strains sectarian ties in Iraqi province, 27 March 2023, url
616
IOM Iraq, Displacement Tracking Matrix, Master List Datasets, Returnee 131 [Excel File; Sheet: Summary], January2024, url
617
UNJAU, Iraq District Map, 29 January 2014, url
613

83

EUROPEAN UNION AGENCY FOR ASYLUMGeneral description of governorate
Kirkuk governorate is located in north-central Iraq and shares internal borders with Erbil,
Sulaymaniyah, Diyala, Salah Al-Din, and Ninewa governorates. The governorate is divided into
four districts: Kirkuk, Dibis (Dabes), Al-Hawija (Al-Hawiga), and Daquq. Its capital is the city of
Kirkuk.618 The entire governorate is part of the northern Iraqi areas, whose status is disputed
between the KRG and the central government.619
Kirkuk governorate’s population in 2022 was estimated at 1 770 765.620 The multi-ethnic
governorate is home to Kurds, Arabs, Turkmen,621 and Chaldo-Assyrians.622 All of these groups
are present in Kirkuk city.623
For further information on the governorate’s ethno-religious composition as well as its
economy, please refer to section 2.5.1 of the previous EUAA COI report: Iraq Security Situation(January 2022).

Armed actors’ presence and control
For information on the governorate’s conflict background and on the presence and areas ofcontrol of armed actors as of January 2022, please refer to sections 2.5.2 and 2.5.3 of theprevious EUAA COI report: Iraq Security Situation (January 2022).
Since 2017, the Joint Operations Command (JOC)’s Forward Command Kirkuk624 has been
headquartered in premises in Kirkuk city that were previously used as the Kirkuk main office ofthe Kurdistan Democratic Party (KDP)’s leadership.625 The Kirkuk JOC encompasses the Iraqi
Army, the PMF, the Iraqi federal police, and the local police.626 A decision by Prime Minister AlSudani to transfer the headquarters back to the KRG forces was suspended after protesters
took to the streets and deadly clashes erupted in September 2023.627 Meanwhile, the Iraqi
government’s agenda also included the transfer of the internal security file for Kirkuk city and
Al-Hawija (Al-Hawiga) district from the army to the federal police.628 Thus, in the area
stretching from Daquq district up to Rashad subdistrict of Al-Hawija (Al-Hawiga) district, thecheckpoints of the 18th and 20th Brigades of the 5th Division of the federal police were handed

UNOCHA and iMMAP, Iraq: Kirkuk Governorate Reference Map 2020, 5 May 2020, url
UNHCR Iraq, Iraq: Kurdistan Region and Northern Governorates [Map], 22 January 2023, url; Hussein, H.A., Iraq’s
Disputed Territories and the Potential Impact of the Upcoming Provincial Elections, TWI, 12 December 2023, url
620
Iraq, CSO, ‫ الباب الثاني‬2022‫ـ‬2023 ‫[ المجموعة االحصائية‬Statistical Collection 2022-2023, Part Two], 21 August 2023,
url, p. 8
621
New Arab (The), What is driving ethnic tensions in Iraq's Kirkuk?, 13 September 2023, url; CFRI, The Turkmens in
Iraq: Fragmentation dynamics, ethnic contact lines and sectarian fractures, 21 July 2023, url
622International Crisis Group, Iraq: Fixing Security in Kirkuk, 15 June 2020, url
623
Rudaw, Troops to withdraw from Kirkuk neighborhood at Iraqi PM’s orders: Lawmaker, 3 January 2024, url
624
USDOD, Operation Inherent Resolve and other U.S. Government Activities related to Iraq & Syria, October 1,
2023 – December 31, 2023, 9 February 2024, url, p. 19
625
KirkukNow, It’s PM’s decision to take back all our headquarters in Kirkuk, KDP, 28 August 2023, url
626
KirkukNow, Kirkuk police ready to take over security in town, locals seek fair treatment, 7 February 2023, url
627
Madwar, S., A war over the city: Exploring Kirkuk’s multi-layered conflict, Al Jazeera Centre for Studies,
10 September 2023, url
628
Kurdistan24, Kirkuk security dossier to be handled by Iraqi federal police, says minister, 25 January 2024, url
618

619

84

IRAQ – SECURITY SITUATION

over to the Iraqi Army’s 11th Division.629 As of March 2024, the 11th Division was setting up its
new headquarters in Rashad.630
The PMF factions in the governorate included the PMF Brigades 16631 (Quwat al-Turkmen)632
and 52, both of which were composed of Shiite Turkmen,633 and the Sunnite Brigade 61.634
There was also a presence of Asa’ib Ahl Al-Haq (AAH) militias.635 The 16th Brigade, the PMF’s
East Dijlah faction636 and the newly-formed 500-strong Abu Mahdi al-Muhandis force were allreported to be present at Kirkuk airport.637
ISIL maintained its presence in Kirkuk638 through small, decentralised cells,639 strongholds andhideouts.640 The governorate (including its Wadi Al-Shay region641) remained one of thegroup’s key areas of operation in Iraq.642 The group’s supply lines ran through areas of
Kirkuk643 that were difficult to access and patrol for the security forces due to mountainous
terrain. The group retained its ability to move freely644 and operate in and around the disputed
areas.645 ISIL used security gaps along the Iraqi Kurdistan border to conduct attacks andsupply its cells in mountain and desert zones.646

Recent security trends
While the overall situation in Kirkuk governorate has been characterised by a ‘security
vacuum’ due to a limited presence of Iraqi federal forces since the withdrawal of Kurdish
Peshmerga in 2017,647 the situation in the city of Kirkuk was reported to have remained
KirkukNow, Kirkuk police ready to take over security in town, locals seek fair treatment, 7 February 2023, url
EPIC, ISHM: March 14 – 21, 2024, 21 March 2024, url
631
KirkukNow, They Are in Control, 23 February 2022, url; INA, Security operation launched in Kirkuk: PMF,
3 December 2023, url
632
TWI, Infighting Between Northern Hashd Units Requires IRGC-QF Mediation, 6 July 2023, url
633
KirkukNow, They Are in Control, 23 February 2022, url
634
WKI, Kirkuk Minute April 6, 2023, 6 April 2023, url
635
Rudaw, Shiite militias, supporters block main Kirkuk-Erbil highway, 29 August 2023, url
636
EPIC, ISHM: May 18 – 25, 2023, 25 May 2023, url
637
Ekurd Daily, Iran’s Grip on Kirkuk, 4 March 2023, url
638
UNSG, Seventeenth report of the Secretary-General on the threat posed by ISIL (Da’esh) to international peaceand security and the range of United Nations efforts in support of Member States in countering the threat,
S/2023/568, 31 July 2023, url, para. 32
639
UN Security Council, Letter dated 23 January 2024 from the Chair of the Security Council Committee,
S/2024/92, 29 January 2024, url, para. 49
640
Shafaq News, Kurdish Peshmerga commander reveals ISIS's hidden movement in Iraq's border areas,
13 October 2023, url
641
UN Security Council, Letter dated 23 January 2024 from the Chair of the Security Council Committee,
S/2024/92, 29 January 2024, url, para. 49
642
UN Security Council, Letter dated 23 January 2024 from the Chair of the Security Council Committee,
S/2024/92, 29 January 2024, url, para. 49; USDOD, Operation Inherent Resolve and other U.S. Government
Activities related to Iraq & Syria, October 1, 2023 – December 31, 2023, 9 February 2024, url, p. 16643
ISW and CTP, Salafi-Jihadi Movement Weekly Update, February 22, 2023, 24 February 2024, url; ISW and CTP,
Salafi-Jihadi Movement Weekly Update, April 5, 2023, 7 April 2023, url
644
ISW and CTP, Salafi-Jihadi Movement Weekly Update, April 5, 2023, 7 April 2023, url
645
Netherlands (The), Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Algemeen ambtsbericht Irak [Country report Iraq], November
2023, url, p. 16
646
UNSG, Seventeenth report of the Secretary-General on the threat posed by ISIL (Da’esh) to international peaceand security and the range of United Nations efforts in support of Member States in countering the threat,
S/2023/568, 31 July 2023, url, para. 32
647
Hussein, H.A., Iraq’s Disputed Territories and the Potential Impact of the Upcoming Provincial Elections, TWI,
12 December 2023, url
629
630

85

EUROPEAN UNION AGENCY FOR ASYLUM‘generally stable’ until summer 2023.648 The early months of the reference period, however,saw rising tensions between Kurdish, Arab, and Turkmen communities.649
On 28 August 2023, Turkmen and Arab demonstrators staged a sit-in protest outside the JOC
headquarters in Kirkuk city650 and blocked the main road leading from Kirkuk to Erbil.651
Kurdish sources claimed that PMF, including individuals linked to AAH,652 were involved inthese protests.653 The situation reportedly escalated when Kurdish counter-protesters arrived
and security forces were deployed to the area. According to witnesses interviewed by Human
Rights Watch, at least four individuals were killed (all of them ethnic Kurds) and another 16
were injured when security forces opened fire on protesters on 2 September 2023.654
Meanwhile, ISIL sustained a ‘low-grade insurgency’ in the disputed areas,655 and Kirkuk was
one of the governorates that saw a concentration of ISIL operations.656 The group’s attacks
were asymmetrical in nature,657 as it conducted most operations using light weaponry andexplosives658 (simple IEDs, targeted assassinations, small-arms ambushes).659 According to the
Washington Kurdish Institute (WKI), the group was intensifying its operations in thegovernorate.660 The Wadi Al-Shay area in Daquq district661 was among ISIL’s key zones ofoperation due to ‘perceived gaps’ in the presence of Iraqi and KRG forces.662 Attacks
attributed to ISIL targeted members and facilities of the ISF663 (including police664) as well as
the PMF665 and were reported in Daquq,666 Dibis,667 and Al-Hawija (Al-Hawiga) districts668 and

Madwar, S., A war over the city: Exploring Kirkuk’s multi-layered conflict, Al Jazeera Centre for Studies,
10 September 2023, url
649
HRW, Iraq: Security Forces Open Fire on Kirkuk Protesters, 8 September 2023, url
650
Al Jazeera, Kirkuk curfew lifted after deadly unrest at rival protests by Arabs, Kurds, 2 September 2023, url
651
HRW, Iraq: Security Forces Open Fire on Kirkuk Protesters, 8 September 2023, url
652
Rudaw, Shiite militias, supporters block main Kirkuk-Erbil highway, 29 August 2023, url
653
Rudaw, People of Kirkuk have coexisted for thousands of years: Military commander, 5 September 2023, url;
EPIC, ISHM: August 31 – September 7, 2023, 7 September 2023, url
654
HRW, Iraq: Security Forces Open Fire on Kirkuk Protesters, 8 September 2023, url
655
ISW and CTP, Salafi-Jihadi Movement Weekly Update, April 5, 2023, 7 April 2023, url
656
UN Security Council, Letter dated 23 January 2024 from the Chair of the Security Council Committee,
S/2024/92, 29 January 2024, url, para. 49; USDOD, Operation Inherent Resolve and other U.S. Government
Activities related to Iraq & Syria, October 1, 2023 – December 31, 2023, 9 February 2024, url, p. 16
657
UNSG, Implementation of resolution 2682 (2023), S/2024/96, 25 January 2024, url, para. 19
658
UN Security Council, Letter dated 23 January 2024 from the Chair of the Security Council Committee,
S/2024/92, 29 January 2024, url, para. 49
659
USDOD, Operation Inherent Resolve – Lead Inspector General Report To The United States Congress, January
1, 2023 – March 31, 2023, 2 May 2023, url, p. 10
660
WKI, Kirkuk Minute | March 14, 2024, 14 March 2024, url
661
NPA, Iraqi Security Forces kill prominent ISIS member in Kirkuk, 13 November 2021, url
662
UN Security Council, Letter dated 23 January 2024 from the Chair of the Security Council Committee,
S/2024/92, 29 January 2024, url, para. 49
663
EPIC, ISHM: December 7 – 14, 2023, 14 December 2023, url; EPIC, ISHM: June 8 – 15, 2023, 15 June 2023, url;
EPIC, ISHM: March 30 – April 6, 2023, 6 April 2023, url; USDOD, Operation Inherent Resolve – Lead Inspector
General Report To The United States Congress, April 1, 2023 – June 30, 2023, 3 August 2023, url, p. 12
664
Rudaw, Police officer killed by unidentified assailants in Kirkuk, 28 December 2023, url; EPIC, ISHM: December
14 – 28, 2023, 28 December 2023, url
665
EPIC, ISHM: December 7 – 14, 2023, 14 December 2023, url; EPIC, ISHM: March 30 – April 6, 2023, 6 April 2023,
url
666
EPIC, ISHM: December 7 – 14, 2023, 14 December 2023, url
667
EPIC, ISHM: June 8 – 15, 2023, 15 June 2023, url; EPIC, ISHM: March 30 – April 6, 2023, 6 April 2023, url
668
WKI, Kirkuk Minute April 6, 2023, 6 April 2023, url
648

86IRAQ – SECURITY SITUATION

Kirkuk city.669 ISIL operations also caused several civilian casualties in Kirkuk city and Rashad
subdistrict,670 as did attacks by unidentified gunmen whose victims included the son of apolice chief (south of Kirkuk city),671 the brother of a police colonel (Kirkuk city)672 and two offduty Iraqi Army soldiers (Daquq district).673 An unidentified armed group also opened fire at
the home of a local Mukhtar in the same district.674
In response to ISIL activity, the ISF continued to carry out anti-terrorism operations,675
including airstrikes on ISIL hideouts in Dibis district,676 Wadi Zghaytoun (southern Kirkuk),677
and Wadi Al-Shay678 (where ISIL Iraq branch leaders were reported to be present),679 as well as
ground raids in the same areas.680 Besides coordinating operations with security authorities in
Iraqi Kurdistan,681 in early 2024, the Iraqi Counter-Terrorism Service (CTS) for the first timesince October 2017, conducted a joint operation with Kurdish Patriotic Union of Kurdistan(PUK) forces.682
Apart from these developments, US forces conducted at least one airstrike on an Iran-backed
militia of unclear affiliation (in December 2023).683 Moreover, two PMF factions (the 16th
Brigade and the East Dijlah faction) clashed near Kirkuk airport.684

Security incidents
During the reporting period (1 February 2023 – 31 March 2024), there were 96 security
incidents recorded by ACLED in Kirkuk governorate, of which 29 were coded as battles, 47
explosions/remote violence, and 20 incidents of violence against civilians.685 Security
incidents were recorded in all governorate districts, with the highest number being
documented in Daquq and Kirkuk districts (see Figure 18). According to ACLED data, ISF andaffiliated armed groups and ISIL were involved in the majority of events coded as battles andRudaw, Police officer killed by unidentified assailants in Kirkuk, 28 December 2023, url; EPIC, ISHM: December
14 – 28, 2023, 28 December 2023, url
670
EPIC, ISHM: July 13 – 20, 2023, 20 July 2023, url; EPIC, ISHM: December 14 – 28, 2023, 28 December 2023, url
671
NINA, Assassination of the son of Suleiman Beg Police Chief, south of Kirkuk, 12 March 2024, url
672
EPIC, ISHM: ISHM: February 29 – March 7, 2024, 7 March 2024, url
673
EPIC, ISHM: March 21 – 28, 2024, 28 March 2024, url
674
EPIC, ISHM: March 7 – 14, 2024, 14 March 2024, url
675
UNSG, Implementation of resolution 2682 (2023), S/2024/96, 25 January 2024, url, para. 19; UNSG,
Implementation of resolution 2682 (2023), S/2023/700, 26 September 2023, url, para. 24
676
Rudaw, Four alleged ISIS militants arrested in Iraq, 4 September 2023, url
677
EPIC, ISHM: September 14 – 21, 2023, 21 September 2023, url
678
EPIC, ISHM: January 4 – 11, 2024, 11 January 2024, url; EPIC, ISHM: August 10 – 17, 2023, 17 August 2023, url;
EPIC, ISHM: April 13 – 20, 2023, 20 April 2023, url; EPIC, ISHM: ISHM: February 29 – March 7, 2024, 7 March 2024,
url
679
UN Security Council, Letter dated 24 July 2023 from the Chair of the Security Council Committee, S/2023/549,
25 July 2023, url, para. 50
680
Shafaq News, Three ISIS terrorists killed in clashes with CTS in Kirkuk, 14 November 2023, url; Diyaruna, ISIS
remnants on back foot in former northern Iraq stronghold, 11 July 2023, url; Shafaq News, Iraq's CTS Kills Five ISIS
Members in Kirkuk, 7 July 2023, url
681
Diyaruna, ISIS remnants on back foot in former northern Iraq stronghold, 11 July 2023, url
682
KirkukNow, First since October 2017, Kurdish commando force in joint security operation south of Kirkuk,
8 January 2024, url
683
Al-Kaabi, A., Overlap Between the Islamic Resistance in Iraq and the Popular Mobilization Forces, TWI,
12 December 2023, url
684
EPIC, ISHM: May 18 – 25, 2023, 25 May 2023, url
685
EUAA analysis based on ACLED data. ACLED, Data Export Tool, Middle East (19 April 2024), url
669

87EUROPEAN UNION AGENCY FOR ASYLUM

explosions/remote violence, while unidentified armed groups were mainly involved inincidents coded as violence against civilians.
0

10

20

30

40

50

Daquq

KirkukDibis

Al Hawiga

Battles

Remote violence

Violence against civilians

Figure 18. Security events coded as battles, explosions/remote violence and violenceagainst civilians in Kirkuk governorate between 1 February 2023 and 31 March 2024.
Breakdown by district based on ACLED data.686
For the period between 1 February 2023 and 31 March 2024, the UCDP recorded 19 events
leading to fatalities in Kirkuk governorate.687

Civilian casualties
During the reporting period, UNAMI recorded 8 civilian casualties in Kirkuk governorate. 688
For the period between 1 February 2023 and 31 March 2024, UCDP did not record any civilian
deaths in Kirkuk governorate.689

EUAA analysis based on ACLED data. ACLED, Data Export Tool, Middle East (19 April 2024), url
EUAA analysis based on UCDP data. UCDP, data covering 1 February 2023 to 31 March 2024 provided bycourtesy of UCDP by email, 22 March 2024 & 22 April 2024
688
EUAA analysis based on UNAMI data. UNAMI, Email to EUAA, 1 April 2024
689
EUAA analysis based on UCDP data. UCDP, data covering 1 February 2023 to 31 March 2024 provided bycourtesy of UCDP by email, 22 March 2024 & 22 April 2024
686
687

88

IRAQ – SECURITY SITUATION

Number of incidients and civilian casualties recorded
by UNAMI in Kirkuk governorate(1 February 2023 - 31 March 2024)
9
8
7
6
5
4
3
2
1
0

8

8
6

2

Number of incidents

Civilians killed

Civilians injured

Total civilian
casualties

Figure 19. Number of incidents and civilian casualties recorded by UNAMI in Kirkuk
governorate between 1 February 2023 and 31 March 2024.690

Conflict-related infrastructure damage and explosive remnants of war
No information on new conflict-related infrastructure damage in the reference period could befound within the time constraints of this report. As of the end of 2022, the Mine Action Review
did not report any cluster munition-contaminated areas in Kirkuk governorate.691 A likely war
remnant was reported to have killed a civilian in the Al-Faylaq area north of Kirkuk city692 while
explosive remnants of war also killed or injured civilians in the vicinity of the town of AlBashir,693 in the Bor Mountain area694

Conflict-induced displacement and return
No information could be found on new conflict-induced displacements occurring in Kirkuk
during the reference period. However, there were attempts by the Iraqi army to evict Kurdish
residents of Topzawa village and Kirkuk city’s Newroz neighbourhood.695 IOM’s Displacement
Tracking Matrix (DTM)696 statistics as of December 2023 estimate the number of IDPs
originating from Kirkuk to be 72 638.697

EUAA analysis based on UNAMI data. UNAMI, Email to EUAA, 1 April 2024
Mine Action Review, Clearing Cluster Munition Remnants 2023 [Table 1], 1 August 2023, url, p. 61
692
NINA, A civilian died in the explosion of war remnants north of Kirkuk, 15 November 2023, url
693
EPIC, ISHM: March 21 – 28, 2024, 28 March 2024, url
694
EPIC, ISHM: March 7 – 14, 2024, 14 March 2024, url
695
WKI, Kirkuk Minute January 4, 2024, 4 January 2024, url; Rudaw, Troops to withdraw from Kirkuk neighborhoodat Iraqi PM’s orders: Lawmaker, 3 January 2024, url696
Please note that IOM does not specify the drivers for these displacements, which, among others, include conflictand insecurity. However, climate-induced displacements are not included. IOM DTM, Climate-Induced
Displacement – Central and Southern Iraq (Data Collection Period: 1 – 15 June 2023), 15 December 2023, url, p. 1
697
IOM Iraq, Displacement Tracking Matrix, Master List Datasets, IDP 131 [Excel File; Sheet: Summary], January2024, url
690
691

89

EUROPEAN UNION AGENCY FOR ASYLUM

No new information could be found on returns occurring in Kirkuk during the reference period.
As of December 2023, 191 922 individuals have returned to Kirkuk. The vast majority of
returnees were recorded in Al-Hawija (Al-Hawiga) district.698

2.6. Ninewa

Map 7: Ninewa governorate with district borders, district capitals and main roads, © United
Nations.699

General description of governorate
Ninewa (or Nineveh) governorate is located in northern Iraq.700 It shares internal borders with
the KRI governorates 701 of Erbil and Dohuk, as well as Anbar and Salah al-Din governorates.
To its west, Ninewa shares an international border with Syria. The governorate comprises thefollowing districts: Mosul (Al-Mosul), Tel Afar (Telafar), Al-Hamdaniya, Al-Shikhan, Akre (Aqra),
Tel Kayf (Tilkaef), Al-Hatra, Sinjar, and Al-Ba’aj (Al-Baaj).702 Its capital is the city of Mosul.703
IOM Iraq, Displacement Tracking Matrix, Master List Datasets, Returnee 131 [Excel File; Sheet: Summary], January2024, url699
UN JAU, Iraq District Map, January 2014, url
700
UNOCHA and iMMAP, Iraq: Ninewa Governorate Reference Map 2020, 5 May 2020, url
701
Balanche, F., Iraq and Syria: Kurdish Autonomous Regions Under Threat, Groupe d’Etudes Géopolitiques,
4 March 2023, url
702
UNOCHA and iMMAP, Iraq: Ninewa Governorate Reference Map 2020, 5 May 2020, url
703
UNOCHA and iMMAP, Iraq: Ninewa Governorate Reference Map 2020, 5 May 2020, url
698

90IRAQ – SECURITY SITUATION

Several of the governorate’s territories belong to the northern Iraqi areas whose status isdisputed between the KRG and the central government,704 one of them being Sinjar district.705
Ninewa governorate’s population in 2022 was estimated at 4 133 536.706 The governorate ishome to a variety of ethnic and religious groups, including Kurds, Sunni Arabs, Turkmen,
Christians, and Yazidis.707
For further information on the governorate’s ethno-religious composition as well as its
economy, please refer to section 2.6.1 of the previous EUAA COI report: Iraq Security Situation(January 2022).

Armed actors’ presence and control
For information on the governorate’s conflict background and on the presence and areas ofcontrol of armed actors as of January 2022, including ISF, please refer to sections 2.6.2 and2.6.3 of the previous EUAA COI report: Iraq Security Situation (January 2022).
Ninewa governorate has a significant Iraqi military presence.708 The Ninewa Operations
Command and the West Ninewa Operations Command are both headquartered in Mosul709
providing operational control of the ISF at the governorate level.710
Iraqi Army divisions operating in the governorate included the 16th Division711 under the Ninewa
Operations Command712 and the newly formed713 21st Division.714 The West Ninewa Operations
Command included the infantry Brigades 15 and 20, the 6th Command of the Border Guards,
as well as PMF units.715 A number of military units and checkpoints have recently been set up
along the strategic Al-Tharthar line between Salah Al-Din and Al-Hatra.716 PMF brigades
operating in Ninewa governorate included Brigades 33,717 44 (Liwa Ansar Al-Marjaiya, based in
Al-Hatra),718 and 57.719

UNHCR Iraq, Iraq: Kurdistan Region and Northern Governorates [Map], 22 January 2023, url; USIP, Iraq’s
Provincial Council Elections: The Way Forward in Nineveh Province, 13 December 2023, url
705
HRW, Iraq: Political Infighting Blocking Reconstruction of Sinjar, 6 June 2023, url
706
Iraq, CSO, ‫ الباب الثاني‬2022‫ـ‬2023 ‫[ المجموعة االحصائية‬Statistical Collection 2022-2023, Part Two], 21 August 2023,
url, p. 8
707
USIP, Iraq’s Provincial Council Elections: The Way Forward in Nineveh Province, 13 December 2023, url
708
ISW and CTP, Salafi-Jihadi Movement Weekly Update, February 1, 2023, 1 February 2023, url
709
USDOD, Operation Inherent Resolve and other U.S. Government Activities related to Iraq & Syria, October 1,
2023 – December 31, 2023, 9 February 2024, url, p. 19710
Knights M., Almeida A., Kadhimi’s Rolling Reshuffle (Part 1): Military Command Changes, TWI, 14 September
2020, url
711
INA, A joint force launch a large-scale security operation in western Nineveh, 7 April 2023, url
712
Shafaq News, Al-Falahi commences his duties as commander of Nineveh Operations command, 1 April 2021, url
713
INA, The Commander-in-Chief agrees to form the 21st Division in Salah al-Din, 24 February 2023, url
714
Shafaq News, Nineveh: PMF arrest member linked to ISIS's 'army of Al-Asrah', 5 January 2024, url
715
Shafaq News, Iraqi Security Forces Carry Out an Inspection Operation in a Critical Territory, 5 August 2023, url
716
INA, Al-Sudani gives directions during a visit to military units, 12 February 2024, url
717
INA, A joint force launch a large-scale security operation in western Nineveh, 7 April 2023, url
718
INA, PM: An end is deserved to the existence of the international coalition in Iraq, 12 February 2024, url
719
EPIC, ISHM: May 4 – 11, 2023, 11 May 2023, url
704

91EUROPEAN UNION AGENCY FOR ASYLUM

Multiple security actors were present in the Ninewa Plains,720 including the 30th PMF Brigade(Hashd Al-Shabak),721 which controlled the town of Bartella,722 and the Iran-backed 50th PMF
Brigade (Kata’ib Babiliyoun, KB). The Ninewa Plains Protection Units (NPU), a 500-strong local
Christian regiment723 that receives orders from the Ninewa Operations Command and is partof the PMF umbrella, controlled the Christian town of Qaraqosh.724 In March 2023, local
residents repelled an attempt by KB to seize the command of an NPU base in AlHamdaniya.725 Turkish forces were also present in this region.726
Sinjar district was characterised by a multitude of armed groups. These included PKK-linked
groups and PMF units727 such as the 30th Brigade, the Yazidi-composed 80th Brigade728 (manyof whose fighters are from the pro-PKK militia Sinjar Resistance Units (YBS)),729 and the Badrand KH-backed 53rd Brigade (Kata’ib Imam Hussein, also present in Tel Afar (Telafar)).730 While
there were also other armed actors including local and federal police, the Iraqi Army, local
Asayish and local and KRG Peshmerga,731 security in most areas of Sinjar was handled by the
PMF and smaller local militias established by the PMF, with the YBS made the foremost of its
junior partners’, as assessed by International Crisis Group.732 The district saw further
recruitment efforts by PMF forces during the reference period.733
ISIL maintained small, decentralised cells in the governorate734 and had supply lines runningfrom Ninewa into Salah Al-Din, Kirkuk, and Diyala.735 The governorate’s particularities,
including its large size, permitted militants to move relatively inconspicuously.736 The group
had strongholds and hideouts in the disputed areas737 and used security gaps along the Iraqi
Kurdistan border to enable attacks and supply its cells in mountain and desert areas.738 The

Ceasefire Centre for Civilian Rights, ‘They Are in Control’: The rise of paramilitary forces and the security ofminorities in Iraq’s disputed territories, January 2022, url, p. 17721
ISW and CTP, Iran Update, December 1, 2023, 1 December 2023, url
722
Ceasefire Centre for Civilian Rights, ‘They Are in Control’: The rise of paramilitary forces and the security ofminorities in Iraq’s disputed territories, January 2022, url, p. 19
723
Beth-Addai, Y., Nineveh Plains Christians Defend Against the Babiliyoun Militia, TWI, 16 March 2023, url724
Ceasefire Centre for Civilian Rights, ‘They Are in Control’: The rise of paramilitary forces and the security ofminorities in Iraq’s disputed territories, January 2022, url, p. 17725
Beth-Addai, Y., Nineveh Plains Christians Defend Against the Babiliyoun Militia, TWI, 16 March 2023, url
726
Ceasefire Centre for Civilian Rights, ‘They Are in Control’: The rise of paramilitary forces and the security ofminorities in Iraq’s disputed territories, January 2022, url, p. 22
727
Ceasefire Centre for Civilian Rights, ‘They Are in Control’: The rise of paramilitary forces and the security ofminorities in Iraq’s disputed territories, January 2022, url, p. 25
728
Malik, H., et al., Profile: Ahrar Sinjar, TWI, 8 June 2022, url
729
KirkukNow, Shingal (Sinjar): Seven people killed in three days, 3 March 2023, url
730
Malik, H., et al., Profile: Ahrar Sinjar, TWI, 8 June 2022, url
731
KirkukNow, Shingal (Sinjar): Seven people killed in three days, 3 March 2023, url
732International Crisis Group, Iraq: Stabilising the Contested District of Sinjar, 31 May 2022, url, p. 7
733
KirkukNow, Shingal: PMF recruits locals for new brigade, 11 April 2023, url
734
UN Security Council, Letter dated 23 January 2024 from the Chair of the Security Council Committee,
S/2024/92, 29 January 2024, url, para. 49
735
ISW and CTP, Salafi-Jihadi Movement Weekly Update, April 5, 2023, 7 April 2023, url
736
ISW and CTP, Salafi-Jihadi Movement Weekly Update, February 1, 2023, 1 February 2023, url
737
Shafaq News, Kurdish Peshmerga commander reveals ISIS's hidden movement in Iraq's border areas,
13 October 2023, url
738
UNSG, Seventeenth report of the Secretary-General on the threat posed by ISIL (Da’esh) to international peaceand security and the range of United Nations efforts in support of Member States in countering the threat,
S/2023/568, 31 July 2023, url, para. 32
720

92

IRAQ – SECURITY SITUATION

group also exploited the porous Syrian-Iraqi border, through which some ISIL leaders andfighters infiltrated into the governorate.739

Recent security trends
ISIL sustained a ‘low-grade insurgency’ in the disputed areas740 and Ninewa was one of thegovernorates that saw a concentration of ISIL operations,741 although the group has reduced
its attacks in the governorate.742 During the reference period, activities attributed to ISIL
included the killing of an abducted soldier in Gwer subdistrict743 and the planting of IEDs
striking civilians in Mosul744 and Sinjar.745 In response to ISIL activity, the ISF continued to carryout anti-terrorism operations,746 including jointly with Peshmerga forces.747 Such operations
were reported in Mosul city,748 the Shanaf region749 (Al-Hamdaniyah district),750 in Al-Hatra
district,751 in the Qara Chokh mountains south of Mosul,752 and on the strategic road leading
towards the governorate’s west.753
A number of targeted attacks with casualties were reported to have been carried out by
unidentified perpetrators against civilians in Sinjar754 and Tel Afar (Telafar) districts755 andmultiple targets in the Mosul area, including civilians,756 a local mukhtar,757 and a member of
the Tribal Mobilization Forces.758 Family disputes were believed to have been behind thekilling of two young shepherds in Sinjar district in February 2023759 and a deadly shooting in a
local government building in Akre (Aqra) district in February 2024.760

UN Security Council, Letter dated 23 January 2024 from the Chair of the Security Council Committee,
S/2024/92, 29 January 2024, url, para. 52
740
ISW and CTP, Salafi-Jihadi Movement Weekly Update, April 5, 2023, 7 April 2023, url
741
UN Security Council, Letter dated 23 January 2024 from the Chair of the Security Council Committee,
S/2024/92, 29 January 2024, url, para. 49
742
ISW and CTP, Salafi-Jihadi Movement Weekly Update, February 1, 2023, 1 February 2023, url
743
EPIC, ISHM: April 27 – May 4, 2023, 4 May 2023, url
744
NINA, A civilian injured by the explosion of a device left behind by ISIS terrorists in the right side of Mosul,
25 February 2024, url
745
NINA, A shepherd killed and another one wounded when an explosive device left by ISIS exploded west of
Mosul, 9 May 2023, url
746
UNSG, Implementation of resolution 2682 (2023), S/2024/96, 25 January 2024, url, para. 19; UNSG,
Implementation of resolution 2682 (2023), S/2023/700, 26 September 2023, url, para. 24
747
Kurdistan24, Peshmerga, Iraqi forces conduct joint operation in Nineveh, 4 May 2023, url
748
EPIC, ISHM: March 16 – 30, 2023, 30 March 2023, url
749
EPIC, ISHM: May 11 – 18, 2023, 18 May 2023, url
750
Iraq Protection Cluster, Crisis Information Report (Al Adla Village, Hamdaniyah district, Ninewa governorate), last
updated 19 January 2017, url, p. 1
751
EPIC, ISHM: May 4 – 11, 2023, 11 May 2023, url
752
Diyaruna, ISIS remnants on back foot in former northern Iraq stronghold, 11 July 2023, url
753
INA, A joint force launch a large-scale security operation in western Nineveh, 7 April 2023, url
754
KirkukNow, Sinjar: Four people killed in 10 days for “unknown motives”, 6 November 2023, url; EPIC, ISHM:
March 16 – 30, 2023, 30 March 2023, url
755
NINA, A Civilian Killed In An Armed Attack West Of Mosul, 18 October 2023; NINA, The body of a fifty-year-old
civilian found in Tal Afar district, west of Mosul, 16 October 2023
756
NINA, Two civilians seriously injured by unidentified gunmen's bullets northwest of Mosul, 17 January 2024, url;
NINA, A civilian was seriously injured by unidentified gunmen's bullets south of Mosul, 15 November 2023
757
EPIC, ISHM: November 16 – 30, 2023, 30 November 2023, url
758
EPIC, ISHM: December 28, 2023 – January 4, 2024, 4 January 2024, url
759
KirkukNow, Shingal (Sinjar): Seven people killed in three days, 3 March 2023, url
760
Shafaq News, Woman shoots a man in a government building in Duhok after a family dispute, 26 February 2024,
url
739

93

EUROPEAN UNION AGENCY FOR ASYLUM

According to a representative of the human rights organisation Community PeacemakerTeams (CPT) quoted by the Rudaw news website, Turkish forces conducted 36 attacks in
Ninewa in 2023.761 Turkish airstrikes resulted in the deaths of several rural residents in Akre
(Aqra),762 while a number of individuals died in Turkish air/drone operations targeting Kurdish
Asayish and PKK-linked groups in Sinjar, including the 80th PMF Brigade763 and YBS.764

Security incidents
During the reporting period (1 February 2023 – 31 March 2024), there were 271 security
incidents recorded by ACLED in Ninewa governorate, of which 27 were coded as battles, 210
explosions/remote violence, and 34 incidents of violence against civilians.765 Security incidents
were recorded in all governorate districts, with the highest number (over 50 % of the total
number of security incidents recorded) being documented in Aqra district (see Figure 20).
According to ACLED data, Turkish forces and PKK were involved in the majority of eventscoded as battles and explosions/remote violence, while unidentified armed groups weremainly involved in incidents coded as violence against civilians.
0

20

40

60

80

100

120

140

160

180

Aqra
Al Mosul
SinjarAl HatraAl Shikhan
Telafar
Al Baaj
Tilkaef
Al Hamdaniya
Battles

Remote violence

Violence against civilians

Figure 20. Security events coded as battles, explosions/remote violence and violenceagainst civilians in Ninewa governorate between 1 February 2023 and 31 March 2024.
Breakdown by district based on ACLED data.766

Rudaw, Turkey attacked Kurdistan Region, Iraq over 1,500 times in 2023: Monitor, 21 February 2024, url
Rudaw, Turkish warplane kills two villagers in Duhok: Sources, 20 February 2024, url; Shafaq News, One person
killed in Turkish bombing east of Duhok, 20 February 2024, url
763
KirkukNow, Shingal (Sinjar): Seven people killed in three days, 3 March 2023, url
764
Reuters, Turkish drone kills three YBS fighters in Iraq - Kurdish authorities, 23 May 2023, url; KirkukNow, Shingal(Sinjar): Seven people killed in three days, 3 March 2023, url; International Crisis Group, Crisis Watch – Iraq:
February 2023 – March 2024, n.d., url
765
EUAA analysis based on ACLED data. ACLED, Data Export Tool, Middle East (19 April 2024), url
766
EUAA analysis based on ACLED data. ACLED, Data Export Tool, Middle East (19 April 2024), url
761

762

94

IRAQ – SECURITY SITUATION

For the period between 1 February 2023 and 31 March 2024, the UCDP recorded 18 events
leading to fatalities in Ninewa governorate.767

Civilian casualties
During the reporting period, UNAMI recorded 33 civilian casualties in Ninewa governorate. 768
For the period between 1 February 2023 and 31 March 2024, the UCDP recorded 2 civilian
deaths in Ninewa governorate.769

Number of incidients and civilian casualties recorded
by UNAMI in Ninewa governorate(1 February 2023 - 31 March 2024)
33

35
30
25
20

22
19

15

11

10
5
0
Number of incidents

Civilians killed

Civilians injured

Total civilian
casualties

Figure 21. Number of incidents and civilian casualties recorded by UNAMI in Ninewa
governorate between 1 February 2023 and 31 March 2024.770

Conflict-related infrastructure damage and explosive remnants of war
No information on new conflict-related infrastructure damage occurring in the reference
period could be found within the time constraints of this report. Recovery and reconstruction
efforts have started in Ninewa, but SIPRI noted that there was ‘still a long way to go’.771 The
Norwegian Refugee Council reported in May 2022 that there was still ‘widespread destructionof civilian houses’ in the town of Sinjar.772 As of the end of 2022, the Mine Action Review
estimated that 21 224 square metres of the governorate’s area were still cluster munition-

EUAA analysis based on UCDP data. UCDP, data covering 1 February 2023 to 31 March 2024 provided bycourtesy of UCDP by email, 22 March 2024 & 22 April 2024
768
EUAA analysis based on UNAMI data. UNAMI, Email to EUAA, 1 April 2024
769
EUAA analysis based on UCDP data. UCDP, data covering 1 February 2023 to 31 March 2024 provided bycourtesy of UCDP by email, 22 March 2024 & 22 April 2024
770
EUAA analysis based on UNAMI data. UNAMI, Email to EUAA, 1 April 2024
771
SIPRI, Climate change and post-conflict reconstruction in the Nineveh Plains of Iraq [Blog], 8 February 2023, url
772
NRC, Iraq: Conflict, destruction stopping displaced families from returning to Sinjar, 18 May 2022, url
767

95

EUROPEAN UNION AGENCY FOR ASYLUM

contaminated.773 Several civilians were injured in explosions of old IEDs, including in west
Mosul,774 Al-Hatra,775 and Tel Afar (Telafar) districts.776

Conflict-induced displacement and return
No information could be found on new conflict-induced displacements occurring in Ninewa
during the reference period. However, several thousand people were displaced from Sinjar
and its surroundings in early May 2022 following fighting between the Iraqi Army and YBS, a
PKK-linked predominantly Yazidi militia group.777 IOM’s Displacement Tracking Matrix (DTM)778
statistics as of December 2023 estimate the number of IDPs originating from Ninewa to be
627 719, the highest among all governorates.779
As of December 2023, 1 960 734 individuals have returned to Ninewa. The majority of
returnees were recorded in Mosul (Al-Mosul) district.780 The reference period saw somevillages in the Hassan Sham area being reopened for returnees.781 Authorities in Dohuk
governorate recorded some 4 000 IDP returns from Dohuk to Sinjar between January andearly August 2023,782 explaining that declining international humanitarian assistance had led
to a deterioration of the situation of IDPs in camps in Dohuk.783 Between late September 2023
and January 2024, 4 382 IDPs returned from areas of Dohuk and Ninewa governorates to
Ninewa’s Ba‘aj and Sinjar districts, as reported by the UN Secretary-General.784 At the sametime, stakeholders interviewed by Human Rights Watch cited the volatile security situation, alack of state compensation for destroyed homes and businesses, and a dearth of adequate
public services as obstacles to returns to Sinjar.785

Mine Action Review, Clearing Cluster Munition Remnants 2023 [Table 1], 1 August 2023, url, p. 61
EPIC, ISHM: February 2 – 9, 2023, 9 February 2023, url; NINA, A child killed when an explosive device left by
ISIS exploded in west Mosul, 28 October 2023
775
EPIC, ISHM: April 6 – 13, 2023, 13 April 2023, url; EPIC, ISHM: March 30 – April 6, 2023, 6 April 2023, url
776
EPIC, ISHM: April 27 – May 4, 2023, 4 May 2023, url
777
Al Jazeera, Estimated 3,000 people flee armed clashes in northern Iraq, 2 May 2022, url778
Please note that IOM does not specify the drivers for these displacements, which, among others, include conflictand insecurity. However, climate-induced displacements are not included. IOM DTM, Climate-Induced
Displacement – Central and Southern Iraq (Data Collection Period: 1 – 15 June 2023), 15 December 2023, url, p. 1
779
IOM Iraq, Displacement Tracking Matrix, Master List Datasets, IDP 131 [Excel File; Sheet: Summary], January2024, url780
IOM Iraq, Displacement Tracking Matrix, Master List Datasets, Returnee 131 [Excel File; Sheet: Summary], January2024, url
781
UNSG, Implementation of resolution 2682 (2023), S/2024/96, 25 January 2024, url, para. 70
782
EPIC, ISHM: July 27 – August 10, 2023, 10 August 2023, url
783
Shafaq News, 600 displaced families in Duhok seek return amid aid reduction, 21 May 2023, url
784
UNSG, Implementation of resolution 2682 (2023), S/2024/96, 25 January 2024, url, para. 70
785
HRW, Iraq: Political Infighting Blocking Reconstruction of Sinjar, 6 June 2023, url
773

774

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IRAQ – SECURITY SITUATION

2.7. Salah Al-Din

Map 8: Salah Al-Din governorate with district borders, district capitals and main roads, ©
United Nations.786

General description of governorate
Salah Al-Din (Salah Ad-Din, Saladin, Salahaddin, Salahuddin) governorate is located in northcentral Iraq and shares internal borders with Baghdad, Diyala, Sulaymaniyah, Kirkuk, Erbil,
Anbar, and Ninewa governorates. Its capital is Tikrit.787 The governorate comprises thefollowing districts: Tikrit, Al-Shirqat, Baiji (Beygee), Samarra, Balad, Al-Daur, Tooz Khurmato,
Thethar, and Fares.788 The status of Tooz Khurmato district is disputed between the KRG and
the central government.789
The governorate’s population in 2022 was estimated at 1 767 837.790 The governorate is
predominantly inhabited by Sunni Arabs,791 although it also comprises Shia Arab, Kurdish, andUNJAU, Iraq District Map, 29 January 2014, url
UNOCHA and iMMAP, Iraq: Salah Al-Din Governorate Reference Map 2020, 5 May 2020, url
788
UNOCHA, Iraq: Salah Al-Din Governorate Profile and Humanitarian Response, December 2020, url, pp. 1-2
789
UNHCR Iraq, Iraq: Kurdistan Region and Northern Governorates [Map], 22 January 2023, url
790
Iraq, CSO, ‫ الباب الثاني‬2022‫ـ‬2023 ‫[ المجموعة االحصائية‬Statistical Collection 2022-2023, Part Two], 21 August 2023,
url, p. 8791Saleem, Z.A., The King of Salah al-Din: The Power of Iraq’s Sunni Elites, LSE, January 2021, url, p. 5
786
787

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EUROPEAN UNION AGENCY FOR ASYLUM

Shia Turkmen communities,792 with Shiites constituting the majority in the towns of Balad andDujail.793
For further information on the governorate’s ethno-religious composition, please refer tosection 2.7.1 of the previous EUAA COI report: Iraq Security Situation (January 2022).

Armed actors’ presence and control
For information on the governorate’s conflict background and on the presence and areas ofcontrol of armed actors as of January 2022, please refer to sections 2.7.2 and 2.7.3 of theprevious EUAA COI report: Iraq Security Situation (January 2022).
Salah Al-Din governorate, like Ninewa and Anbar, is under the control of the Iraqi Army.794 The
Salah Al-Din Operations Command is headquartered in Tikrit, while the city of Samarra hosts
the headquarters of the Samarra Operations Command.795 Each of these commands had its
own security sectors within the governorate (e.g., Wadi Al-Tharthar falls under the Salah Al-Din
Operations Command796 while the Samarra area is under the Samarra Operations
Command797). In February 2023, Prime Minister Al-Sudani established the new 21st Division of
the Iraqi Army, which was to be deployed in Salah Al-Din.798 As of February 2024, the 1st
Regiment of the 21st Division’s 91st Brigade was stationed on the strategic Wadi Al-Tharthar line
stretching from the Salah Al-Din desert into Al-Hatra in Ninewa. A number of military units andcheckpoints have been set up along this line, which used to be known as a ‘safe corridor’ for
insurgent infiltration.799
PMF units operating in the governorate included forces of the Kirkuk and East Tigris
Operations Command,800 including PMF’s 9th, 22nd, and 88th Brigades.801 Special forces of the
Sadr-affiliated802 Saraya Al-Salam militia’s 313th Brigade (part of the Samarra Operations
Command) were involved in anti-ISIL activity.803 KH and the ISF’s CTS forces were bothpresent at Camp Speicher, a strategic outpost in the vicinity of Tikrit.804 In September 2023,
the Ministry of Interior announced the imminent complete transfer of Salah Al-Din’s security
Skelton, M. and Saleem, Z.A., Displacement and Iraq’s Political Marketplace: Addressing Political Barriers to IDP
Return, IRIS, February 2021, url, p. 46
793
Al-Shammari, I., An Independent Federal State for Sunnis in Iraq, CFRI, 14 February 2024, url; Newlines Institutefor Strategy and Policy, Intelligence Briefing: A Thousand Hezbollahs – Iraq’s Emerging Militia State, May 2021, url,
p. 48
794
New Arab (The), Transfer of security responsibilities from Iraq's army to local police stalled by challenges,
18 September 2023, url
795
USDOD, Operation Inherent Resolve and other U.S. Government Activities related to Iraq & Syria, October 1,
2023 – December 31, 2023, 9 February 2024, url, p. 19
796
Shafaq News, Military surprise operation eliminates "terrorist cell" in Saladin, 12 November 2023, url
797
Shafaq News, Iraqi Security Forces Repel Terrorist Attack in Samarra, Killing 3 Attackers, 11 May 2023, url
798
INA, The Commander-in-Chief agrees to form the 21st Division in Salah al-Din, 24 February 2023, url
799
INA, PM: An end is deserved to the existence of the international coalition in Iraq, 12 February 2024, url
800
QNA, Iraqi Forces Launch Security Operation in Salah Al-Din to Pursue ISIS Members, 15 January 2024, url;
Asharq Al-Awsat, Iraq Announces Arrest of ISIS Leader, 26 September 2023, url
801
Shafaq News, PMF "neutralize" ISIS gathering in Saladin, 24 September 2023, url; Iraqi News, PMF launches
large security operation in Salah Al-Din, 10 April 2023, url
802
Rudaw, Suspected clashes between rival Shiite factions erupt in Basra, 1 September 2022, url
803
Shafaq News, Saraya Al-Salam Brigades capture ISIS operative in Saladin, 31 December 2023, url
804
Al-Kaabi, A. and Knights, M., Kataib Hezbollah’s Escalating Feud with the Iraqi Security Forces, TWI, 19 May
2023, url
792

98

IRAQ – SECURITY SITUATION

file from the army to the local police, although it remained unclear whether this also implied awithdrawal of PMF factions.805
ISIL maintained its presence in Salah Al-Din806 where it operated in small, decentralised
cells.807 The group’s supply lines ran through mountainous areas of Salah Al-Din that weredifficult to access and patrol for the security forces. The group retained its ability to movefreely808 and operate in and around the disputed areas.809 As of mid-2023, most leaders of the
Iraqi branch of ISIL were reportedly present in the Hamrin Mountains.810 Eastern sections of thegovernorate, especially the Al-Aith area, constituted ‘hotspots’ for ISIL due to their rough andextensive terrain and proximity to the unstable borders of Kirkuk and parts of Diyala.811 In
spring 2023, ISIL set up ‘outposts’ north of Tooz Khurmato and moved unconfirmed numbersof fighters from Khanaqin (Diyala) to the Tooz Khurmato-Kifri area.812

Recent security trends
Salah Al-Din was one of the governorates that witnessed a concentration of ISIL operations813
as the group sustained a ‘low-grade insurgency’ across the disputed areas.814 The Hamrin
Mountains were among ISIL’s key zones of operation due to gaps in the presence of Iraqi and
KRG forces.815 The group’s attacks were of an asymmetrical nature,816 as it conducted most of
its operations through the use of light weaponry and explosives,817 including simple IEDs,
targeted assassinations, small-arms ambushes.818 Attacks attributed to ISIL included a thwarted
suicide attack on the PMF security directorate offices in Tikrit819 and further attacks on PMF,820

New Arab (The), Transfer of security responsibilities from Iraq's army to local police stalled by challenges,
18 September 2023, url
806
UNSG, Seventeenth report of the Secretary-General on the threat posed by ISIL (Da’esh) to international peaceand security and the range of United Nations efforts in support of Member States in countering the threat,
S/2023/568, 31 July 2023, url, para. 32
807
UN Security Council, Letter dated 23 January 2024 from the Chair of the Security Council Committee,
S/2024/92, 29 January 2024, url, para. 49
808
ISW and CTP, Salafi-Jihadi Movement Weekly Update, April 5, 2023, 7 April 2023, url
809
Netherlands (The), Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Algemeen ambtsbericht Irak [Country report Iraq], November
2023, url, p. 16
810
UN Security Council, Letter dated 24 July 2023 from the Chair of the Security Council Committee, S/2023/549,
25 July 2023, url, para. 50
811
Shafaq News, PMF "neutralize" ISIS gathering in Saladin, 24 September 2023, url
812
ISW and CTP, Salafi-Jihadi Movement Weekly Update, April 5, 2023, 7 April 2023, url
813
UN Security Council, Letter dated 23 January 2024 from the Chair of the Security Council Committee,
S/2024/92, 29 January 2024, url, para. 49; USDOD, Operation Inherent Resolve and other U.S. Government
Activities related to Iraq & Syria, October 1, 2023 – December 31, 2023, 9 February 2024, url, p. 16814
ISW and CTP, Salafi-Jihadi Movement Weekly Update, April 5, 2023, 7 April 2023, url
815
UN Security Council, Letter dated 23 January 2024 from the Chair of the Security Council Committee,
S/2024/92, 29 January 2024, url, para. 49
816
UNSG, Implementation of resolution 2682 (2023), S/2024/96, 25 January 2024, url, para. 19
817
UN Security Council, Letter dated 23 January 2024 from the Chair of the Security Council Committee,
S/2024/92, 29 January 2024, url, para. 49
818
USDOD, Operation Inherent Resolve – Lead Inspector General Report To The United States Congress, January
1, 2023 – March 31, 2023, 2 May 2023, url, p. 10
819
EPIC, ISHM: January 18 – January 25, 2024, 25 January 2024, url
820
EPIC, ISHM: January 4 – 11, 2024, 11 January 2024, url; International Crisis Group, Crisis Watch – Iraq: February
2023 – March 2024, n.d., url
805

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EUROPEAN UNION AGENCY FOR ASYLUM

Iraqi Army soldiers821 and federal police822 in various areas of the governorate, including the
Jazeera sector,823 the Al-Zarga area (eastern Salah Al-Din),824 and the Al-Qadiriyah area northof Samarra.825 Moreover, ISIL kidnapped several animal herders,826 including in the Tooz
Khurmato district,827 killing at least one abductee.828
In response to ISIL activity, the ISF continued to carry out anti-terrorism operations,829
including airstrikes on ISIL hideouts in Tooz Khurmato district,830 in the Salah Al-Din – Kirkuk
border zone831 and in the Al-Aith area.832 The ISF also conducted a number of anti-ISIL groundsecurity operations, including in the Wadi Al-Tharthar region833 and in the Al-Aith Islandarea.834
Further instances of armed clashes were reported between KH fighters and members of theCounter Terrorism Service (CTS) at Camp Speicher in March 2023835 and in a tribal conflictthat broke out in Dujail in southern Salah Al-Din in May 2023 and left three people dead,including a police colonel a PMF member, and two civilians injured.836

Security incidents
During the reporting period (1 February 2023 – 31 March 2024), there were 71 security
incidents recorded by ACLED in Salah Al-Din governorate, of which 29 were coded as battles,
33 explosions/remote violence, and 9 incidents of violence against civilians.837 Security
incidents were recorded in all governorate districts, with the highest number being
documented in Tikrit and Tooz Khurmato districts (see Figure 22). According to ACLED data,
ISF and affiliated armed groups and ISIL were involved in the majority of events coded asbattles and explosions/remote violence, while unidentified armed groups were mainly
involved in incidents coded as violence against civilians.

Shafaq News, Three Iraqi soldiers killed in an ISIS in Saladin: source, 14 January 2024, url
EPIC, ISHM: August 24 – 31, 2023, 31 August 2023, url; Shafaq News, Iraqi Security Forces Repel Terrorist
Attack in Samarra, Killing 3 Attackers, 11 May 2023, url
823
Shafaq News, Three Iraqi soldiers killed in an ISIS in Saladin: source, 14 January 2024, url
824
EPIC, ISHM: January 4 – 11, 2024, 11 January 2024, url
825
EPIC, ISHM: August 24 – 31, 2023, 31 August 2023, url
826
EPIC, ISHM: January 4 – 11, 2024, 11 January 2024, url; EPIC, ISHM: March 9 – 16, 2023, 16 March 2023, url
827
EPIC, ISHM: January 4 – 11, 2024, 11 January 2024, url
828
EPIC, ISHM: March 9 – 16, 2023, 16 March 2023, url
829
UNSG, Implementation of resolution 2682 (2023), S/2024/96, 25 January 2024, url, para. 19; UNSG,
Implementation of resolution 2682 (2023), S/2023/700, 26 September 2023, url, para. 24
830
Iraqi News, Iraqi Air Force destroys ISIS hideout in Salah Al-Din, 30 November 2023, url; Shafaq News, Iraqi
Joint Operations Command executes airstrike on ISIS sites in Saladin, 30 November 2023, url
831
EPIC, ISHM: September 14 – 21, 2023, 21 September 2023, url; Kurdistan24, Iraqi F-16 kills suspected ISIS unit in
Saladin, says military, 18 September 2023, url
832
Rudaw, Iraqi warplanes kill 3 suspected ISIS militants in Salahaddin, 30 August 2023, url
833
Shafaq News, Military surprise operation eliminates "terrorist cell" in Saladin, 12 November 2023, url
834
QNA, Iraqi Forces Launch Security Operation in Salah Al-Din to Pursue ISIS Members, 15 January 2024, url;
Asharq Al-Awsat, Iraq Announces Arrest of ISIS Leader, 26 September 2023, url; Shafaq News, PMF "neutralize"
ISIS gathering in Saladin, 24 September 2023, url
835
Al-Kaabi, A. and Knights, M., Kataib Hezbollah’s Escalating Feud with the Iraqi Security Forces, TWI, 19 May
2023, url
836
EPIC, ISHM: April 27 – May 4, 2023, 4 May 2023, url
837
EUAA analysis based on ACLED data. ACLED, Data Export Tool, Middle East (19 April 2024), url
821

822

100

IRAQ – SECURITY SITUATION

0

2

4

6

8

10

12

14

16

18

TikritTooz Khurmato
Al Daur
SamarraBeygeeBalad
Al Shirqat

Battles

Remote violence

Violence against civilians

Figure 22. Security events coded as battles, explosions/remote violence and violenceagainst civilians in Salah Al-Din governorate between 1 February 2023 and 31 March 2024.
Breakdown by district based on ACLED data.838
For the period between 1 February 2023 and 31 March 2024, the UCDP recorded 9 events
leading to fatalities in Salah Al-Din governorate.839

Civilian casualties
During the reporting period, UNAMI recorded 10 civilian casualties in Salah Al-Din
governorate. 840 For the period between 1 February 2023 and 31 March 2024, the UCDP
recorded 3 civilian deaths in Salah Al-Din governorate.841

EUAA analysis based on ACLED data. ACLED, Data Export Tool, Middle East (19 April 2024), url
EUAA analysis based on UCDP data. UCDP, data covering 1 February 2023 to 31 March 2024 provided bycourtesy of UCDP by email, 22 March 2024 & 22 April 2024
840
EUAA analysis based on UNAMI data. UNAMI, Email to EUAA, 1 April 2024
841
EUAA analysis based on UCDP data. UCDP, data covering 1 February 2023 to 31 March 2024 provided bycourtesy of UCDP by email, 22 March 2024 & 22 April 2024
838

839

101

EUROPEAN UNION AGENCY FOR ASYLUM

Number of incidients and civilian casualties recorded
by UNAMI in Salah Al-Din governorate(1 February 2023 - 31 March 2024)
12
10
10
8
8
6

5

5

Civilians killed

Civilians injured

420
Number of incidents

Total civilian
casualties

Figure 23. Number of incidents and civilian casualties recorded by UNAMI in Salah Al-Din
governorate between 1 February 2023 and 31 March 2024.842

Conflict-related infrastructure damage and explosive remnants of war
Information on new conflict-related infrastructure damage occurring in the reference period
could not be found within the time constraints of this report. As of the end of 2022, the Mine
Action Review did not report any cluster munition-contaminated areas in Salah Al-Din
governorate.843 During the reference period, several people were killed or injured in
explosions of old IEDs, including in Baiji (Beygee) district844 and in the Al-Aith region.845

Conflict-induced displacement and return
No information could be found on new conflict-induced displacements occurring in Salah AlDin during the reference period. IOM’s Displacement Tracking Matrix (DTM)846 statistics as ofDecember 2023 estimate the number of IDPs originating from Salah Al-Din to be 128 273.847
As of December 2023, 760 284 individuals have returned to Salah Al-Din. The majority of
returnees were recorded in Tikrit district.848 In November 2023, scores of displaced people
from camps in Sulaymaniyah849 and Dohuk850 governorates returned to their former areas of
EUAA analysis based on UNAMI data. UNAMI, Email to EUAA, 1 April 2024
Mine Action Review, Clearing Cluster Munition Remnants 2023 [Table 1], 1 August 2023, url, p. 61
844
EPIC, ISHM: June 15 – 22, 2023, 22 June 2023, url
845
EPIC, ISHM: September 14 – 21, 2023, 21 September 2023, url846
Please note that IOM does not specify the drivers for these displacements, which, among others, include conflictand insecurity. However, climate-induced displacements are not included. IOM DTM, Climate-Induced
Displacement – Central and Southern Iraq (Data Collection Period: 1 – 15 June 2023), 15 December 2023, url, p. 1
847
IOM Iraq, Displacement Tracking Matrix, Master List Datasets, IDP 131 [Excel File; Sheet: Summary], January2024, url848
IOM Iraq, Displacement Tracking Matrix, Master List Datasets, Returnee 131 [Excel File; Sheet: Summary], January2024, url
849
INA, 127 IDPs return to Salah al-Din and Nineveh: MDM, 21 November 2023, url; INA, 111 IDPs return from
Sulaymaniyah to their homes in Salah al-Din: Jabro, 15 November 2023, url
850
INA, 127 IDPs return to Salah al-Din and Nineveh: MDM, 21 November 2023, url
842
843

102

IRAQ – SECURITY SITUATION

residence in Yathrib in Balad district. Information on the reasons for returns could not be foundwithin the time constraints of this report.

2.8. Dohuk

Map 9: Dohuk governorate with district borders, district capitals and main roads, © United
Nations.851

General description of governorate
Dohuk (Dahuk, Duhok, Dihok) governorate is located in the far north of Iraq852 and in the northwestern part of the Kurdistan Region of Iraq (KRI).853 It has internal borders with thegovernorates of Ninewa and Erbil and shares international borders with Türkiye and Syria. The
governorate comprises the following districts: Dohuk, Amedi (Al-Amadiya), Sumel (Sumail), andZakho.854 Akre (Aqra)855 and some areas of Al-Shikhan and Semel districts,856 though officiallypart of Ninewa governorate, are de facto governed by the KRG as part of Dohuk
governorate.857 The governorate’s capital is Dohuk city.858

UNJAU, Iraq District Map, 29 January 2014, url
UNOCHA and iMMAP, Iraq: Dohuk Governorate Reference Map 2020, 5 May 2020, url
853
UNHCR Iraq, Iraq: Kurdistan Region and Northern Governorates [Map], 22 January 2023, url
854
UNOCHA and iMMAP, Iraq: Dohuk Governorate Reference Map 2020, 5 May 2020, url
855
AGO, Household Assessments and Focus Group Discussions: Akre, Kurdistan Region of Iraq – March-April
2023, 23 June 2023, url, p. 3856
Iraq, Kurdistan Region of Iraq, Population Analysis Report February 2021, 30 May 2022, url, p. 11, footnote 3
857
AGO, Household Assessments and Focus Group Discussions: Akre, Kurdistan Region of Iraq – March-April
2023, 23 June 2023, url, p. 3; Iraq, Kurdistan Region of Iraq, Population Analysis Report February 2021, 30 May
2022, url, p. 11, footnote 3
858
UNOCHA and iMMAP, Iraq: Dohuk Governorate Reference Map 2020, 5 May 2020, url
851

852

103

EUROPEAN UNION AGENCY FOR ASYLUM

The governorate’s population in 2022 was estimated at 1 432 369.859 Its residents are mainly
Kurdish,860 but the governorate is also home to communities of Arabs,861 Turkmen, Chaldeans,and Assyrians.862
For further information on the governorate’s ethno-religious composition as well as its
economy, please refer to section 2.8.1 of the previous EUAA COI report: Iraq Security Situation(January 2022).

Armed actors’ presence and control
For information on the governorate’s conflict background and on the presence and areas ofcontrol of armed actors as of January 2022, please refer to sections 2.8.2 and 2.8.3 of theprevious EUAA COI report: Iraq Security Situation (January 2022).
Dohuk governorate is controlled by the KDP, to which Peshmerga and security forces areaffiliated.863 Besides KDP Peshmerga forces,864 there was a continued presence of KDPcontrolled865 Zeravani units, a militarised police force under the command of the KRG’s
Ministry of Interior,866 and forces of the Duhok Security Directorate (Asayish).867
The presence of Peshmerga forces has been reinforced in recent years to secure the borderzones where fighting between Turkish forces and PKK occurs regularly.868 These areas havealso seen an increase in the number of military bases of Iraqi border guards.869 The presenceof the 1st Brigade of the border guards was reported in Zakho district870 and, since February
2024, on the Iraq-Türkiye border strip in Shiladze subdistrict (Amedy district).871
Turkish forces have significantly increased their military presence in the KRI in recent years872
and were setting up new bases in Dohuk governorate during the reference period.873 Most
Iraq, CSO, ‫ الباب الثاني‬2022‫ـ‬2023 ‫[ المجموعة االحصائية‬Statistical Collection 2022-2023, Part Two], 21 August 2023,
url, p. 8
860
AUK, Life in Dohuk, n.d., url
861
Balanche, F., Iraq and Syria: Kurdish Autonomous Regions Under Threat, Groupe d’Etudes Géopolitiques,
4 March 2023, url
862
Shafaq News, Minister: Most Christians and Turkmen in KRI reside in Erbil and Duhok, 9 December 2023, url
863
Rodgers, W., Iraqi Kurdistan’s House of Cards Is Collapsing, FP, 22 March 2023, url; Norway, Landinfo, Iran:
Iransk-kurdiske partier med baser i Nord-Irak –Endret situasjon høsten 2023 [Iranian-Kurdish parties with bases innorthern Iraq – changed situation in autumn 2023], 4 December 2023, url, p. 3, footnote 5864
ACLED, Regional Overview Middle East – September 2023, 5 October 2023, url
865
Bakr, M.J., The War at Home - The Need for Internal Security Sector Reform in Iraqi Kurdistan, MEI, July 2021, url,
pp. 9-10
866
Rudaw, KRG, PKK exchange blame for clashes at Duhok checkpoint, 25 January 2024, url; Shafaq News, Deathof Zeravani forces member due to electric shock near Mosul, 23 February 2024, url867
basnews, Security Forces Arrest Two Drug Dealers in Duhok, 21 February 2024, url; KirkukNow, Dohuk Asayish
Refuses to Disclose Case of Journalist Suleiman Ahmed - Lawyers Consider Federal Court, 26 January 2024, url
868
Kurdistan24, PKK militants target Peshmerga forces in Duhok province, 12 August 2023, url
869
Rudaw, Iraqi border guards deployed to northern Duhok, 23 February 2024, url
870
Shafaq News, CTG: Booby-Trapped Drone Targets Border Guards Headquarters in Kurdistan Region, 5 July
2023, url
871
Rudaw, Iraqi border guards deployed to northern Duhok, 23 February 2024, url
872
ANF, Turkish state establishes a new base in Duhok, 21 January 2024, url; Reuters, Turkey's push into Iraq risks
deeper conflict, 31 January 2023, url
873
ANF, Turkish state establishes a new base in Duhok, 21 January 2024, url; Shafaq News, Turkish artillery strikes
on PKK targets near Duhok raise concerns, 4 October 2023, url
859

104

IRAQ – SECURITY SITUATION

Turkish bases were located in a 150 km-long strip of Iraqi-Turkish borderland that reached 30
km deep into Iraqi territory.874
The PKK’s leadership maintained a foothold in northern Iraq875 and the group operated basesin Dohuk governorate.876 With the KDP reportedly lacking the military strength to contain the
PKK on its own,877 the governorate witnessed a concentration of Turkish operations878 thatinvolved shelling of PKK positions.879 Its rural mountain areas have been a traditional corezone of operations of the Turkish National Intelligence Organization (MIT).880 Meanwhile, ISIL
maintained only a ‘very limited’ presence in the KRI.881

Recent security trends
Turkish armed forces conducted ground and air operations against PKK targets in Dohukthroughout the reference period.882 According to a representative of the human rights
organisation Community Peacemaker Teams (CPT) quoted by the Rudaw news website,
Türkiye conducted 517 strikes in Dohuk in 2023.883 Turkish forces reportedely launchedmultiple airstrikes in the Metin and Gara mountains884 of Amedy district.885 Meanwhile, various
unspecified armed groups continued to conduct attacks against security forces and foreign
military bases.886 Following Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan’s re-election in late May
2023, PKK operations, including IED attacks on Turkish forces, increased in the governorate.
In June 2023, the group revoked a unilateral ceasefire it had declared in February, citing
continuing Turkish anti-PKK operations.887 The border areas of Dohuk regularly witnessedclashes,888 with the Metin area becoming a ‘focal point’ of fighting between Turkish forces
stationed there and PKK militants889 who operated tunnels and caves in the mountain.890

Reuters, Turkey's push into Iraq risks deeper conflict, 31 January 2023, url
AP, Turkey strikes Kurdish militants in Iraq again after warning of retaliation for a bombing in Ankara, 4 October
2023, url
876
USDOD, Operation Inherent Resolve – Lead Inspector General Report To The United States Congress, January
1, 2023 – March 31, 2023, 2 May 2023, url, p. 32
877
Reuters, Turkey's push into Iraq risks deeper conflict, 31 January 2023, url
878
ACLED, Regional Overview Middle East – June 2023, 6 July 2023, url
879
USDOD, Operation Inherent Resolve – Lead Inspector General Report To The United States Congress, January
1, 2023 – March 31, 2023, 2 May 2023, url, p. 32
880
ACLED, Regional Overview Middle East – June 2023, 6 July 2023, url
881
USDOD, Operation Inherent Resolve – Lead Inspector General Report To The United States Congress, January
1, 2023 – March 31, 2023, 2 May 2023, url, p. 32
882
UNSG, Implementation of resolution 2682 (2023), S/2024/96, 25 January 2024, url, para. 32; UNSG,
Implementation of resolution 2682 (2023), S/2023/700, 26 September 2023, url, para. 26; UNSG, Implementationof resolution 2631 (2022), S/2023/340, 11 May 2023, url, para. 18
883
Rudaw, Turkey attacked Kurdistan Region, Iraq over 1,500 times in 2023: Monitor, 21 February 2024, url
884
AP, Turkey launches airstrikes against Kurdish militants in Iraq and Syria after 9 soldiers were killed, 13 January2024, url; Al Jazeera, Turkey says PKK targets in north Iraq destroyed after Ankara suicide attack, 2 October 2023,
url; Rudaw, Turkey claims hitting over 30 PKK targets in Kurdistan Region, 16 September 2023, url; Rudaw, No
casualties in ‘intense’ bombing of Duhok mountains, Turkey blamed, 3 June 2023, url
885
Rudaw, No casualties in ‘intense’ bombing of Duhok mountains, Turkey blamed, 3 June 2023, url
886
Shafaq News, CTG: Booby-Trapped Drone Targets Border Guards Headquarters in Kurdistan Region, 5 July
2023, url
887
ACLED, Regional Overview Middle East – June 2023, 6 July 2023, url
888
Kurdistan24, Two artillery shells struck village near Amedi, 21 August 2023, url
889
Shafaq News, Turkish air force strikes PKK near Duhok, 1 January 2024, url
890
Shafaq News, Turkish Warplanes Conduct Airstrikes on PKK Positions in Northern Iraq's Kurdistan Region, 6 May
2023, url
874

875

105

EUROPEAN UNION AGENCY FOR ASYLUM

In May and early June 2023, Türkiye reportedly carried out more than 50 airstrikes in thespace of three weeks on PKK sites in Amedy district (Mount Metin area, Deraluk sub-district).891
Following a suicide attack in Ankara in early October 2023 for which the PKK claimed
responsibility,892 these areas experienced a further surge in Turkish airstrikes893 and artillery
attacks.894 Turkish strikes escalated again in the aftermath of deadly PKK attacks on Turkish
troops stationed in the KRI in December 2023 and January 2024,895 and intensified clashes
were reported between Turkish forces and the PKK in Shiladze and Deraluk. Civilians werecaught in the crossfire of this conflict896 as Turkish air and drone strikes left several civilians
dead or injured,897 including in the Shiladze,898 Bamarne,899 and Jumanki areas900. There wasalso a reported assault on a Kurdish political figure by Turkish intelligence operatives.901
There were reports of PKK carrying out several attacks on Peshmerga units in Amedy districtby means of rocket fire,902 armed assault,903 and a roadside IED.904 Moreover, in Zakho district,unidentified perpetrators carried out a drone attack on the 1st Brigade of the Iraqi border
guards,905 while a car exploded due to unknown causes, killing a former KDP security
official.906 KDP Peshmerga forces attacked PKK positions in September 2023 in what wasreported as ‘a rare direct confrontation’ between the two entities.907

Security incidents
During the reporting period (1 February 2023 – 31 March 2024), there were 3 441 security
incidents recorded by ACLED in Dohuk governorate, of which 622 were coded as battles,
2 816 explosions/remote violence and 3 incidents of violence against civilians.908 The vast
majority of security incidents was documented in Al Amadiya district (see Figure 24).

Shafaq News, Turkey bombs PKK sites in Duhok: +50 attacks in less than a month, 3 June 2023, url
Al Jazeera, Turkey says PKK targets in north Iraq destroyed after Ankara suicide attack, 2 October 2023, url
893
Al Jazeera, Turkey says PKK targets in north Iraq destroyed after Ankara suicide attack, 2 October 2023, url; AP,
Turkey strikes Kurdish militants in Iraq again after warning of retaliation for a bombing in Ankara, 4 October 2023,
url
894
Shafaq News, Turkish artillery strikes on PKK targets near Duhok raise concerns, 4 October 2023, url
895
CFR, Instability in Iraq, last updated 13 February 2024, url
896
Rudaw, Iraqi border guards deployed to northern Duhok, 23 February 2024, url
897
Reuters, Two civilians killed in Turkish air strike in northern Iraq, security sources say, 8 March 2024, url; Rudaw,
Turkish drone kills off-duty Peshmerga in Duhok, 5 December 2023, url; USDOD, Operation Inherent Resolve andother U.S. Government Activities related to Iraq & Syria, July 1, 2023 – September 30, 2023, 9 November 2023, url,
p. 52
898
Reuters, Two civilians killed in Turkish air strike in northern Iraq, security sources say, 8 March 2024, url
899
Rudaw, Turkish drone kills off-duty Peshmerga in Duhok, 5 December 2023, url
900
NINA, One person killed and another one injured when a Turkish plane bombed a civilian vehicle in the Jumanki
district of Dohuk, 6 August 2023, url
901
Shafaq News, Kurdish organization denounces Turkish intelligence for targeting one of its members, 19 April
2023, url
902
Rudaw, KRG, PKK exchange blame for clashes at Duhok checkpoint, 25 January 2024, url
903
Shafaq News, PKK militants attack Pershmerga unit in KRI, 12 August 2023, url
904
EPIC, ISHM: July 27 – August 10, 2023, 10 August 2023, url
905
Shafaq News, CTG: Booby-Trapped Drone Targets Border Guards Headquarters in Kurdistan Region, 5 July
2023, url
906
EPIC, ISHM: July 20 – 27, 2023, 27 July 2023, url
907
ACLED, Regional Overview Middle East – September 2023, 5 October 2023, url
908
EUAA analysis based on ACLED data. ACLED, Data Export Tool, Middle East (19 April 2024), url
891

892

106

IRAQ – SECURITY SITUATION

According to ACLED data, Turkish forces and PKK were involved in the majority of eventscoded as battles and explosions/remote violence.
0

500

1000

1500

2000

2500

3000

3500

4000

Al Amadiya

Zakho

Dohuk

SumailBattles

Remote violence

Violence against civilians

Figure 24. Security events coded as battles, explosions/remote violence and violenceagainst civilians in Dohuk governorate between 1 February 2023 and 31 March 2024.
Breakdown by district based on ACLED data.909
For the period between 1 February 2023 and 31 March 2024, the UCDP recorded 76 events
leading to fatalities in Dohuk governorate.910

Civilian casualties
During the reporting period, UNAMI recorded 12 civilian casualties in Dohuk governorate. 911
For the period between 1 February 2023 and 31 March 2024, the UCDP recorded 2 civilian
deaths in Dohuk governorate.912

EUAA analysis based on ACLED data. ACLED, Data Export Tool, Middle East (19 April 2024), url
EUAA analysis based on UCDP data. UCDP, data covering 1 February 2023 to 31 March 2024 provided bycourtesy of UCDP by email, 22 March 2024 & 22 April 2024
911
EUAA analysis based on UNAMI data. UNAMI, Email to EUAA, 1 April 2024
912
EUAA analysis based on UCDP data. UCDP, data covering 1 February 2023 to 31 March 2024 provided bycourtesy of UCDP by email, 22 March 2024 & 22 April 2024
909
910

107

EUROPEAN UNION AGENCY FOR ASYLUM

Number of incidients and civilian casualties recorded
by UNAMI in Dohuk governorate(1 February 2023 - 31 March 2024)
14

12

12
10

8

8

7
5

6
4
2
0
Number of incidents

Civilians killed

Civilians injured

Total civilian
casualties

Figure 25. Number of incidents and civilian casualties recorded by UNAMI in Dohuk governorate
between 1 February 2023 and 31 March 2024.913

Conflict-related infrastructure damage and explosive remnants of war
According to the pro-Kurdish914 Shafaq News website, there were 3 512 registered minefields
in the KRI.915 Data from the Iraqi Directorate of Mine Action (DMA) cited by Rudaw indicatedthat more than 200 square kilometres of the KRI’s territory remained contaminated withlandmines and remnants of war.916 Explosive remnants of war in the KRI comprised items
planted by the former Iraqi government’s armed forces, by Iranian forces during the Iran-Iraq
war (1980–1988), as well as remnants of the Türkiye-PKK conflict.917 As of the end of 2022, theMine Action Review stated, with reference to the Iraqi Kurdistan Mine Action Agency (IKMAA),
that the KRI had no areas registered as being contaminated by cluster munitions.918 The
Shafaq News reported that clashes between Turkish forces and the PKK had caused several
fires on agricultural lands and forests,919 quoting a Mount Metin villager as saying that mutual
shelling prevented access to farms and livestock breeding.920

Conflict-induced displacement and return
It was reported that numerous families were displaced from their homes in Dohuk governorate
due to fighting between Turkish forces and the PKK, resulting in the depopulation of entire
villages,921 as reported in the Mount Metin area in autumn 2023922 and in Deraluk in early
EUAA analysis based on UNAMI data. UNAMI, Email to EUAA, 1 April 2024
BBC News, Iraq media guide, 24 February 2023, url
915
Shafaq News, Duhok detonates 100 mines and unexploded bombs, 15 February 2023, url
916
Rudaw, Over 2,100 square km still contaminated by mines in Iraq, 23 December 2023, url
917
Shafaq News, Duhok detonates 100 mines and unexploded bombs, 15 February 2023, url
918
Mine Action Review, Clearing Cluster Munition Remnants 2023 [Table 1], 1 August 2023, url, p. 61
919
Shafaq News, Clashes between Turkish military, PKK ignite forest fires in Duhok, 20 September 2023, url;
Shafaq News, Turkish Air Force strikes PKK targets in northern Iraq's Amadiyah District, 26 August 2023, url
920
Shafaq News, Turkish artillery strikes on PKK targets near Duhok raise concerns, 4 October 2023, url
921
Rudaw, Iraqi border guards deployed to northern Duhok, 23 February 2024, url
922
Shafaq News, Turkish artillery strikes on PKK targets near Duhok raise concerns, 4 October 2023, url
913

914

108

IRAQ – SECURITY SITUATION

2024.923 However, IOM’s Displacement Tracking Matrix (DTM)924 statistics as of December 2023
did not show any figures of IDPs originating from Dohuk.925
As of 31 December 2023, IOM recorded 744 returnees in the governorate.926 No information
could be found on new returns occurring in Duhok during the reference period.

2.9. Erbil

Map 10: Erbil governorate with district borders, district capitals and main roads, © United
Nations.927

Rudaw, Iraqi border guards deployed to northern Duhok, 23 February 2024, urlPlease note that IOM does not specify the drivers for these displacements, which, among others, include conflictand insecurity. However, climate-induced displacements are not included. IOM DTM, Climate-Induced
Displacement – Central and Southern Iraq (Data Collection Period: 1 – 15 June 2023), 15 December 2023, url, p. 1
925
IOM Iraq, Displacement Tracking Matrix, Master List Datasets, IDP 131 [Excel File; Sheet: Summary], January2024, url
926
IOM Iraq, Displacement Tracking Matrix, Master List Datasets, Returnee 131 [Excel File; Sheet: Summary], January2024, url
927
UNJAU, Iraq District Map, 29 January 2014, url
923

924

109

EUROPEAN UNION AGENCY FOR ASYLUMGeneral description of governorate
Erbil (Arbil) governorate is located in northern Iraq928 and in the north-central part of theKurdistan region of Iraq (KRI).929 It has internal borders with the governorates of Dohuk,
Sulaymaniyah, Ninewa, Kirkuk, and Salah Al-Din and shares international borders with Türkiye
and Iran. It comprises the following districts: Erbil, Al-Zibar, Rawanduz, Shaqlawa, Koisinjaq(Koysinjaq), and Makhmur.930 However, most of Makhmur, including its district centre, isadministered by Ninewa governorate.931 Erbil city is both the capital of the governorate932 andof the KRI.933
The governorate’s population in 2022 was estimated at 2 055 448.934 Its inhabitants aremainly Kurdish but the governorate is also home to Arabs, Turkmen and Assyrians.935
For further information on the governorate’s ethno-religious composition as well as its
economy, please refer to section 2.9.1 of the previous EUAA COI report: Iraq Security Situation(January 2022).

Armed actors’ presence and control
For information on the governorate’s conflict background and on the presence and areas ofcontrol of armed actors as of January 2022, please refer to sections 2.9.2 and 2.9.3 of theprevious EUAA COI report: Iraq Security Situation (January 2022).
Erbil is controlled by the KDP with which the governorate’s Peshmerga and security forceswere affiliated.936 Erbil city housed the KRG’s Ministry of Peshmerga Affairs (MoPA)937 andMinistry of Interior (MoI)938 and the headquarters of the unofficially KDP-affiliated Directorate
General of Counter Terrorism (CTD) (Kurdistan CT).939 US military personnel were stationed atHarir base outside Erbil city940 and at Erbil International Airport.941 Limited numbers of Iraqi
border guards were deployed along the Iraq-Iran border.942
Most of the Iranian Kurdish opposition parties were based in KRG-controlled areas.943
Following an agreement between Iraq and Iran to disarm these groups by 19 September 2023
UNOCHA and iMMAP, Iraq: Erbil Governorate Reference Map 2020, 5 May 2020, url
UNHCR Iraq, Iraq: Kurdistan Region and Northern Governorates [Map], 22 January 2023, url
930
UNOCHA and iMMAP, Iraq: Erbil Governorate Reference Map 2020, 5 May 2020, url
931
IOM Iraq, Labour Market Profile – Makhmur, Erbil Governorate, April 2022, url, p. 4932
UNOCHA and iMMAP, Iraq: Erbil Governorate Reference Map 2020, 5 May 2020, url
933
Iraq, Kurdistan Regional Government, Facts & Figures, n.d., url
934
Iraq, CSO, ‫ الباب الثاني‬2022‫ـ‬2023 ‫[ المجموعة االحصائية‬Statistical Collection 2022-2023, Part Two], 21 August 2023,
url, p. 8
935
EPIC, ISHM Reference Guide, last revision July 2023, url
936
Rodgers, W., Iraqi Kurdistan’s House of Cards Is Collapsing, FP, 22 March 2023, url; Norway, Landinfo, Iran:
Iransk-kurdiske partier med baser i Nord-Irak –Endret situasjon høsten 2023 [Iranian-Kurdish parties with bases innorthern Iraq – changed situation in autumn 2023], 4 December 2023, url, p. 3, footnote 5937
Iraq, Kurdistan Regional Government, Ministry of Peshmerga Affairs, Contact, n.d., url
938
Iraq, Kurdistan Regional Government, Ministry of Interior, n.d., url
939
Rudaw, Unidentified drone injures two people in Sulaimani province, 9 August 2023, url
940
EPIC, ISHM: October 19 – 26, 2023, 26 October 2023, url
941
ISW and CTP, Iran Update, January 25, 2024, 25 January 2024, url, p. 12
942
EPIC, ISHM: September 14 – 21, 2023, 21 September 2023, url
943
Van Wilgenburg, W., Iran’s Pressure Campaign on Iranian Kurds Continues, TWI, 13 September 2023, url
928

929

110

IRAQ – SECURITY SITUATION

and relocate them from their bases,944 it was reported that Iranian Kurdish groups based along
the Iraq-Iran border relocated in September 2023945 after vacating their camps in Erbil’s
Halgurd and Berbzin mountains.946 According to oral sources cited by Landinfo, the PDKI
(Democratic Party of Iranian Kurdistan) fully or largely evacuated its camps and relocated its
fighters further away from the border to a camp northeast of Erbil city, although some of its
members were said to have returned in October 2023. Similarly, the Kurdistan Freedom Party(PAK) disarmed and left its two military camps for a civilian camp located northeast of Erbil city,
according to an Iranian human rights organisation quoted by Landinfo.947 Meanwhile, theKurdistan Free Life Party (PJAK), based in the Qandil mountains, refused to surrender its
weapons,948 and as of December 2023, there were no indications that it had vacated its bases,
according to Landinfo.949
The PKK continued to control territories in the Qandil mountains that lay outside of KRG
control950 but withdrew from Makhmur refugee camp in October 2023.951 The Peshmerga andthe Iraqi Army eventually agreed to split control of several bases in Makhmur that had beenabandoned by the PKK.952 Meanwhile, ISIL only had a ‘very limited’ presence in the KRI.953

Recent security trends
Throughout the reference period, Turkish forces conducted ground and air attacks against
PKK targets in the governorate,954 including in the Hakurk and Qandil regions.955 According toa representative of the human rights organisation Community Peacemaker Teams (CPT)
quoted by the Rudaw news website, Türkiye conducted 475 strikes in Erbil in 2023.956 While
Turkish anti-PKK operations were focused on Dohuk in the early months of the reference
period, Turkish airstrikes and artillery strikes in northern areas of Erbil governoratesignificantly increased in June 2023. Following Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan’s reelection in late May 2023, PKK operations, including IED attacks on Turkish forces, intensified
in Erbil. In June 2023, the group ended a ceasefire it had declared in February. 957

AP, Tehran and Baghdad reach a deal to disarm and relocate Iranian dissident groups based in north Iraq,
28 August 2023, url
945
WKI, Kurdistan’s Weekly Brief | September 26, 2023, 26 September 2023, url
946
Citadel (The), Disarmament deadline for Kurdish opposition Groups looms as backchannel negotiations
continue, 17 September 2023, url
947
Norway, Landinfo, Iran: Iransk-kurdiske partier med baser i Nord-Irak –Endret situasjon høsten 2023 [IranianKurdish parties with bases in northern Iraq – changed situation in autumn 2023], 4 December 2023, url, pp. 3-4
948
Van Wilgenburg, W., Iran’s Pressure Campaign on Iranian Kurds Continues, TWI, 13 September 2023, url
949
Norway, Landinfo, Iran: Iransk-kurdiske partier med baser i Nord-Irak –Endret situasjon høsten 2023 [IranianKurdish parties with bases in northern Iraq – changed situation in autumn 2023], 4 December 2023, url, p. 5
950
Van Wilgenburg, W., Iran’s Pressure Campaign on Iranian Kurds Continues, TWI, 13 September 2023, url
951
Shafaq News, PKK withdraws completely from Makhmour camp, 19 October 2023, url
952
Rudaw, Peshmerga, Iraqi army to share control of Makhmour military posts, 4 November 2023, url
953
USDOD, Operation Inherent Resolve – Lead Inspector General Report To The United States Congress, January
1, 2023 – March 31, 2023, 2 May 2023, url, p. 32
954
UNSG, Implementation of resolution 2682 (2023), S/2024/96, 25 January 2024, url, para. 32; UNSG,
Implementation of resolution 2682 (2023), S/2023/700, 26 September 2023, url, para. 26; UNSG, Implementationof resolution 2631 (2022), S/2023/340, 11 May 2023, url, para. 18955
Al Jazeera, Turkish air strikes target northern Iraq and Syria, 16 January 2024, url
956
Rudaw, Turkey attacked Kurdistan Region, Iraq over 1,500 times in 2023: Monitor, 21 February 2024, url
957
ACLED, Regional Overview Middle East – June 2023, 6 July 2023, url
944

111

EUROPEAN UNION AGENCY FOR ASYLUM

Turkish airstrikes reportedly also targeted the PKK in Makhmur refugee camp in October
2023,958 allegedly injuring several civilians.959 After the PKK withdrew from several military
posts in Makhmur in October 2023, clashes erupted between members of the Peshmerga andthe Iraqi Army, leaving four Peshmerga dead.960
Starting on 18 October 2023, indirect attacks on facilities housing US forces and personnel
from the international coalition against ISIL resumed after having been halted since May
2022,961 with multiple drone strikes targeting Harir air base962 and Erbil International Airport.963
The majority of attacks were claimed by the group Islamic Resistance in Iraq, which vowed toengage in operations in support of Hamas in Gaza.964
In another escalation, in late December 2023, suspected Iran-backed militants carried out
drone attacks on a key Peshmerga base in Pirmam,965 an area that is home to high-ranking
KDP cadres.966 There were also targeted attacks that left at least two Iranian Kurdish activists
from the PDKI dead or injured.967 In mid-January 2024, a ballistic missile attack claimed by
Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) killed four civilians and injured six others as it
struck a house in Erbil city. The IRGC’s claim that the building was being used by Israeli
intelligence services was rejected by the KRG.968

Security incidents
During the reporting period (1 February 2023 – 31 March 2024), there were 1 015 security
incidents recorded by ACLED in Erbil governorate, of which 45 were coded as battles, 961
explosions/remote violence, and 9 incidents of violence against civilians.969 The vast majority
of security incidents were documented in Rawanduz district. According to ACLED data,
Turkish forces and PKK were involved in the majority of events coded as battles, andexplosions/remote violence.

UNSG, Implementation of resolution 2682 (2023), S/2024/96, 25 January 2024, url, para. 32
Rudaw, Suspected Turkish drone attack targets Makhmour camp, 7 October 2023, url; Rudaw, Suspected
Turkish drone strike targets Makhmour camp, 13 October 2023, url
960
Rudaw, Peshmerga, Iraqi army to share control of Makhmour military posts, 4 November 2023, url
961
UNSG, Implementation of resolution 2682 (2023), S/2024/96, 25 January 2024, url, para. 22
962
See, for example, EPIC, ISHM: December 28, 2023 – January 4, 2024, 4 January 2024, url; ISW and CTP, Iran
Update, December 6, 2023, 6 December 2023, url; International Crisis Group, Crisis Watch – Iraq: February 2023 –March 2024, n.d., url
963
See, for example, ISW and CTP, Iran Update, January 19, 2024, 19 January 2024, url; ISW and CTP, Iran Update,
January 10, 2024, 10 January 2024, url; ISW and CTP, Iran Update, October 26, 2023, 26 October 2023, url
964
UNSG, Implementation of resolution 2682 (2023), S/2024/96, 25 January 2024, url, para. 22
965
VOA, In Major Escalation, Drones Target Key Kurdish Power Base Near Irbil, 2 January 2024, url
966
Amwaj.media, Rare attack near heart of Iraqi Kurdish power holds multiple messages, 9 January 2024, url
967
Germany, BAMF, Briefing Notes Summary, 31 December 2023, url, p. 2; Hengaw, Assassination Attempt on
Kurdish Lawyer and Political Activist Sohrab Rahmati in the Kurdistan Region, 16 November 2023, url
968
HRW, Iraq: Iranian Attack Kills Civilians in Erbil, 22 January 2024, url; Al-Monitor, How Iran chose easy targets in
Iraq's Erbil to avoid Israeli reprisal, 16 January 2024, url
969
EUAA analysis based on ACLED data. ACLED, Data Export Tool, Middle East (19 April 2024), url
958

959

112

IRAQ – SECURITY SITUATION

0

200

400

600

800

1000

Rawanduz
Shaqlawa
Al Zibar
Erbil

Makhmour
Koysinjaq

Battles

Remote violence

Violence against civilians

Figure 26. Security events coded as battles, explosions/remote violence and violenceagainst civilians in Erbil governorate between 1 February 2023 and 31 March 2024.
Breakdown by district based on ACLED data.970
For the period between 1 February 2023 and 31 March 2024, the UCDP recorded 25 events
leading to fatalities in Erbil governorate.971

Civilian casualties
During the reporting period, UNAMI recorded 38 civilian casualties in Erbil governorate. 972
For the period between 1 February 2023 and 31 March 2024, the UCDP recorded 4 civilian
deaths in Erbil governorate.973

EUAA analysis based on ACLED data. ACLED, Data Export Tool, Middle East (19 April 2024), url
EUAA analysis based on UCDP data. UCDP, data covering 1 February 2023 to 31 March 2024 provided bycourtesy of UCDP by email, 22 March 2024 & 22 April 2024
972
EUAA analysis based on UNAMI data. UNAMI, Email to EUAA, 1 April 2024
973
EUAA analysis based on UCDP data. UCDP, data covering 1 February 2023 to 31 March 2024 provided bycourtesy of UCDP by email, 22 March 2024 & 22 April 2024
970
971

113

EUROPEAN UNION AGENCY FOR ASYLUM

Number of incidients and civilian casualties recorded
by UNAMI in Erbil governorate(1 February 2023 - 31 March 2024)
38

40
35
27

30
25
20
15
10

8

11

5
0
Number of incidents

Civilians killed

Civilians injured

Total civilian
casualties

Figure 27. Number of incidents and civilian casualties recorded by UNAMI in Erbilgovernorate between 1 February 2023 and 31 March 2024.974

Conflict-related infrastructure damage and explosive remnants of war
According to the pro-Kurdish975 Shafaq News website, there were 3 512 registered minefields
in the KRI.976 Data from the Iraqi Directorate of Mine Action cited by Rudaw indicated that morethan 200 square kilometres of the KRI’s territory remained contaminated with landmines andremnants of war.977 Remnants of war in the KRI comprised items planted by the former Iraqi
government’s armed forces, by Iranian forces during the Iran-Iraq war (1980–1988), as well as
remnants from the Türkiye-PKK conflict.978 As of the end of 2022, the Mine Action Review
stated, with reference to the Iraqi Kurdistan Mine Action Agency (IKMAA), that the KRI had noareas registered as being contaminated by cluster munitions.979 Old IEDs struck a civilian
vehicle in the Sedikan area980 and killed several shepherds near Erbil city981 and in themountain areas of Haji Omaran,982 as well as three Iraqi border guards in the Kani Qirzhala
area.983

EUAA analysis based on UNAMI data. UNAMI, Email to EUAA, 1 April 2024
BBC News, Iraq media guide, 24 February 2023, url
976
Shafaq News, Duhok detonates 100 mines and unexploded bombs, 15 February 2023, url
977
Rudaw, Over 2,100 square km still contaminated by mines in Iraq, 23 December 2023, url
978
Shafaq News, Duhok detonates 100 mines and unexploded bombs, 15 February 2023, url979
Mine Action Review, Clearing Cluster Munition Remnants 2023 [Table 1], 1 August 2023, url, p. 61
980
EPIC, ISHM: March 30 – April 6, 2023, 6 April 2023, url
981
Shafaq News, Landmine Explosion in Erbil Kills Two Shepherds: Lingering Threats of ISIS Remnants, 28 March
2023, url
982
Rudaw, Landmine explosion kills shepherd on Kurdistan Region-Iran border, 18 June 2023, url
983
Rudaw, Landmine blast kills three border guards in Erbil, 10 March 2024, url
974

975

114

IRAQ – SECURITY SITUATION

Conflict-induced displacement and return
No information could be found on new conflict-induced displacements occurring in Erbil
during the reference period. IOM’s Displacement Tracking Matrix (DTM)984 statistics as ofDecember 2023 estimate the number of IDPs originating from Erbil to be 8 575 IDPs.985
As of 31 December 2023, IOM recorded 62 766 returnees in the governorate.986 No
information could be found on new returns occurring in Erbil during the reference period.

2.10. Sulaymaniyah

Map 11: Sulaymaniyah governorate with district borders, district capitals and main roads, ©
United Nations.987

Please note that IOM does not specify the drivers for these displacements, which, among others, include conflictand insecurity. However, climate-induced displacements are not included. IOM DTM, Climate-Induced
Displacement – Central and Southern Iraq (Data Collection Period: 1 – 15 June 2023), 15 December 2023, url, p. 1
985
IOM Iraq, Displacement Tracking Matrix, Master List Datasets, IDP 131 [Excel File; Sheet: Summary], January2024, url986
IOM Iraq, Displacement Tracking Matrix, Master List Datasets, Returnee 131 [Excel File; Sheet: Summary], January2024, url
987
UNJAU, Iraq District Map, 29 January 2014, url
984

115

EUROPEAN UNION AGENCY FOR ASYLUMGeneral description of governorate
Sulaymaniyah (Sulaymaniyyah, Slemani) governorate is located in north-eastern Iraq988 and in
the south-eastern part of the Kurdistan region of Iraq (KRI).989 It has internal borders with Erbil,
Kirkuk, Salah Al-Din and Diyala governorates and shares an international border with Iran tothe east. The governorate is divided into the districts of Sulaymaniyah, Pshdar, Rania, Dukan(Dokan), Sharbazher, Chamchamal, Kalar, Darbandikhan (Derbendikhan), Halabja (Halabcha),and Panjwin.990 The governorate’s capital is the city of Sulaymaniyah.991
The governorate’s population in 2022 was estimated at 2 396 206.992 Most of its residents are
Sunni Kurds, though the governorate is also home to Shia Kurds and Chaldean Christians.993
For further information on the governorate’s ethno-religious composition as well as its
economy, please refer to section 2.10.1 of the previous EUAA COI report: Iraq Security
Situation (January 2022).

Armed actors’ presence and control
For information on the governorate’s conflict background and on the presence and areas ofcontrol of armed actors as of January 2022, please refer to sections 2.10.2 and 2.10.3 of theprevious EUAA COI report: Iraq Security Situation (January 2022).
Sulaymaniyah is controlled by the PUK,994 which has its headquarters in the governorate.995
The PUK controlled the governorate’s Peshmerga and security forces.996 The Peshmerga
included PUK-controlled forces under the command of the KRG’s Ministry of Peshmerga
Affairs (MoPA) and the PUK’s unit 70 which consisted of 48 000 fighters as of 2021.997 The
PUK further maintained its own police forces (nominally under the control of the KRG’s Ministryof Interior), Asayish forces and intelligence services (nominally under the Kurdistan Region
Security Council).998The Counter-Terrorism Group (CTG), a PUK-dominated999 US-partnered1000
UNOCHA and iMMAP, Iraq: Al-Sulaymaniyah Governorate Reference Map 2020, 5 May 2020, url
UNHCR Iraq, Iraq: Kurdistan Region and Northern Governorates [Map], 22 January 2023, url
990
UNOCHA and iMMAP, Iraq: Al-Sulaymaniyah Governorate Reference Map 2020, 5 May 2020, url; UN IAU,
Sulaymaniyah Governorate Profile [Map], November 2010, url, p. 1
991
UNOCHA and iMMAP, Iraq: Al-Sulaymaniyah Governorate Reference Map 2020, 5 May 2020, url992
Iraq, CSO, ‫ الباب الثاني‬2022‫ـ‬2023 ‫[ المجموعة االحصائية‬Statistical Collection 2022-2023, Part Two], 21 August 2023,
url, p. 8
993
EPIC, ISHM Reference Guide, last revision July 2023, url
994
Rodgers, W., Iraqi Kurdistan’s House of Cards Is Collapsing, FP, 22 March 2023, url; Norway, Landinfo, Iran:
Iransk-kurdiske partier med baser i Nord-Irak –Endret situasjon høsten 2023 [Iranian-Kurdish parties with bases innorthern Iraq – changed situation in autumn 2023], 4 December 2023, url, p. 3, footnote 5995Aydoğan, B., Iraqi Kurds Face Legitimacy Issues Amid Election Deadlock and Internal Division, TWI, 7 August
2023, url
996
Rodgers, W., Iraqi Kurdistan’s House of Cards Is Collapsing, FP, 22 March 2023, url; Norway, Landinfo, Iran:
Iransk-kurdiske partier med baser i Nord-Irak –Endret situasjon høsten 2023 [Iranian-Kurdish parties with bases innorthern Iraq – changed situation in autumn 2023], 4 December 2023, url, p. 3, footnote 5
997
Bakr, M.J., The War at Home: The Need for Internal Security Sector Reform in Iraqi Kurdistan, MEI, July 2021, url,
p. 8
998
USDOS, Country Reports on Human Rights Practices for 2022 - Iraq, 20 March 2023, url, p. 2
999
USDOD, Operation Inherent Resolve – Lead Inspector General Report To The United States Congress, April 1,
2023 – June 30, 2023, 3 August 2023, url, p. 55
1000
Jamestown Foundation (The), US-Backed Proxy Strengthens Iranian Hand in Intra-Kurdish Struggle, 12 May
2023, url
988

989

116

IRAQ – SECURITY SITUATION

elite unit with intelligence capabilities,1001 was likewise based in Sulaymaniyah. In its anti-ISIL
operations, it reportedly also cooperated with the People’s Protection Units (YPG), a groupviewed by the Turkish government as a Syrian branch of the PKK.1002 Internal security forces(Asayish) engaged in anti-ISIL operations in the governorate.1003 Iraqi border guards were
deployed along the border between Iraq and Iran.1004
Three factions of the Iranian Kurdish opposition group Komala had adjacent bases near thevillage of Zirgwez southeast of the city of Sulaimaniyah.1005 Oral sources cited by Landinfo
confirmed that the Komala groups were still present at their bases in Zirgwez as of November
2023.1006
There was a reported presence of PKK members in the governorate,1007 and Turkishauthorities claimed in April 2023 that PKK activity was increasing, claiming that the group had
infiltrated security at Sulaymaniyah International Airport.1008 ISIL had only a ‘very limited’
presence in the KRI,1009 although there were several media reports of suspected ISIL members
being arrested during the reference period.1010

Recent security trends
Throughout the reference period, Turkish forces conducted operations against PKK targets in
the governorate,1011 including in Sharbazher, Chamchamal,1012 Panjwin,1013 and Pshdar
districts.1014 According to a representative of the human rights organisation Community
Peacemaker Teams (CPT), cited by the Rudaw news website, Türkiye conducted 420 strikes in
Sulaymaniyah in 2023.1015 In addition to carrying out strikes directed against the PKK,
suspected Turkish drones also targeted a convoy of Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF)1016 andTWI, Iraqi Kurdistan: Priority Issues for International Mediation, 10 July 2020, url
Rudaw, KRG deputy PM denies Turkey’s claim of YPG presence at Arbat airport during strike, 20 September
2023, url
1003
Rudaw, Sulaimani security forces arrest 30 ISIS suspects, 23 February 2024, url; Rudaw, Kurdish forces arrest
two ISIS suspects in Sulaimani, 26 August 2023, url
1004
Asharq Al-Awsat, Iranian Revolutionary Guard Amass on Iraq’s Kurdistan Border, 17 September 2023, url; INA,
Iraq deploys border guards on its borders with Iran, 14 July 2023, url
1005
Norway, Landinfo, Iran: Komala-CPI, 3 February 2021, url, p. 10
1006
Norway, Landinfo, Iran: Iransk-kurdiske partier med baser i Nord-Irak –Endret situasjon høsten 2023 [IranianKurdish parties with bases in northern Iraq – changed situation in autumn 2023], 4 December 2023, url, p. 4
1007
EPIC, ISHM: September 7 – 14, 2023, 14 September 2023, url; EPIC, ISHM: August 24 – 31, 2023, 31 August
2023, url
1008
EPIC, ISHM: April 6 – 13, 2023, 13 April 2023, url
1009
USDOD, Operation Inherent Resolve – Lead Inspector General Report To The United States Congress, January
1, 2023 – March 31, 2023, 2 May 2023, url, p. 32
1010
Rudaw, Sulaimani security forces arrest 30 ISIS suspects, 23 February 2024, url; Rudaw, Kurdish forces arrest
two ISIS suspects in Sulaimani, 26 August 2023, url; Rudaw, Iraqi intelligence arrest ‘important’ ISIS member in
Sulaimani, 18 April 2023, url
1011
UNSG, Implementation of resolution 2682 (2023), S/2024/96, 25 January 2024, url, para. 32; UNSG,
Implementation of resolution 2682 (2023), S/2023/700, 26 September 2023, url, para. 26; UNSG, Implementationof resolution 2631 (2022), S/2023/340, 11 May 2023, url, para. 18
1012
EPIC, ISHM: July 27 – August 10, 2023, 10 August 2023, url
1013
EPIC, ISHM: August 24 – 31, 2023, 31 August 2023, url; EPIC, ISHM: April 13 – 20, 2023, 20 April 2023, url
1014
EPIC, ISHM: August 31 – September 7, 2023, 7 September 2023, url
1015
Rudaw, Turkey attacked Kurdistan Region, Iraq over 1,500 times in 2023: Monitor, 21 February 2024, url
1016
ISW and CTP, Salafi-Jihadi Movement Weekly Update, April 12, 2023, 14 April 2023, url; USDOD, Operation
Inherent Resolve – Lead Inspector General Report To The United States Congress, April 1, 2023 – June 30, 2023,
3 August 2023, url, p. 56
1001

1002

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EUROPEAN UNION AGENCY FOR ASYLUM

killed several CTG members at Arbat airport where members of the Syria-based YPG werereportedly receiving training.1017 In January 2024, Turkish forces also increased attacks on the
PUK.1018
Several civilians were also reportedly killed or injured in drone strikes, including in at least twosuspected Turkish strikes in Panjwin district1019 and unidentified strikes in the same district1020
and in an area of Pshdar district near the Qandil Mountains.1021 One unattributed drone strike
hit a building in Kalar district that reportedly belonged to the Kurdistan Freedom Movement(KFM), a PKK-affiliated group, killing at least one unidentified person.1022
There were also reports of targeted killings, including incidents linked to Türkiye’s National
Intelligence Organization (MIT), which has expanded its area of operations by killingindividuals with suspected links to the PKK in Chamchamal and Sulaymaniyah districts.1023
Moreover, an alleged ‘hitman’ of the Iranian state1024 killed two members of the Kurdistan
Democratic Party of Iran (PDKI) in the border town of Qaladiza1025 (Pshdar district),1026 while amember of the Komala of Revolutionary Toilers of Iranian Kurdistan (Shorshger) faction was
assassinated in Zirgwez.1027
Deadly clashes between the Komala factions Shorshger and Komala of the Toilers of
Kurdistan (Zahmatkeshan) erupted in Zirgwez in June 2023 following heightened tensions
between the two groups.1028

Security incidents
During the reporting period (1 February 2023 – 31 March 2024), there were 127 security
incidents recorded by ACLED in Sulaymaniyah governorate, of which 23 were coded asbattles, 88 explosions/remote violence and 15 incidents of violence against civilians.1029 The
highest number of security incidents was documented in Sulaymaniyah, and Sharbazher
districts. According to ACLED data, Turkish forces and PKK were involved in the majority ofevents coded as battles and explosions/remote violence.

Rudaw, YPG members were being trained at Arbat airport during Monday strike: Turkey, 19 September 2023, urlInternational Crisis Group, Crisis Watch – Iraq: February 2023 – March 2024, n.d., url
1019
Rudaw, Family says three civilians killed in Friday drone strike, 12 August 2023, url; Shafaq News, Turkish
aircraft attack PKK sites in Duhok, 9 August 2023, url; Airwars, US-led coalition in Iraq & Syria [filter: Sulaymaniyah;
Turkish-Military], as of 4 March 2024, url
1020
Rudaw, Family says three civilians killed in Friday drone strike, 12 August 2023, url
1021
EPIC, ISHM: September 21 – 28, 2023, 28 September 2023, url
1022
Shafaq News, Unknown drone strike targets building in Kalar, 1 March 2024, url
1023
ACLED, Regional Overview Middle East – June 2023, 6 July 2023, url
1024
Rudaw, Two KDPI members killed in Sulaimani province, 7 July 2023, url
1025
Hengaw, Hengaw’s Investigation into the Assassination of Two Members of the KDPI in the Kurdistan Region of
Iraq, 7 July 2023, url
1026
Rudaw, Closure of Iranian border crossing crushes Kurdish village economy, 8 February 2020, url
1027
Rudaw, Komala blames Iran in killing of member in Sulaimani, 16 March 2024, url
1028
New Arab (The), Two fighters killed during infighting between rival Iranian Kurdish parties in N. Iraq, 23 June
2023, url; Kurdistan24, Two killed in Iranian-Kurdish opposition parties' feud in Sulaimani, 22 June 2023, url
1029
EUAA analysis based on ACLED data. ACLED, Data Export Tool, Middle East (19 April 2024), url
1017

1018

118

IRAQ – SECURITY SITUATION

0

5

10

15

20

25

30

Sulaymaniyah

Pshdar
Sharbazher
Panjwin
Chamchamal
Rania
Halabcha
Kalar

Derbendikhan
Dokan
Battles

Remote violence

Violence against civilians

Figure 28. Security events coded as battles, explosions/remote violence and violenceagainst civilians in Sulaymaniyah governorate between 1 February 2023 and 31 March
2024. Breakdown by district based on ACLED data.1030
For the period between 1 February 2023 and 31 March 2024, the UCDP recorded 22 events
leading to fatalities in Sulaymaniyah governorate.1031

Civilian casualties
During the reporting period, UNAMI recorded 10 civilian casualties in Sulaymaniyah
governorate. 1032 For the period between 1 February 2023 and 31 March 2024, the UCDP
recorded 3 civilian deaths in Sulaymaniyah governorate.1033

EUAA analysis based on ACLED data. ACLED, Data Export Tool, Middle East (19 April 2024), url
EUAA analysis based on UCDP data. UCDP, data covering 1 February 2023 to 31 March 2024 provided bycourtesy of UCDP by email, 22 March 2024 & 22 April 2024
1032
EUAA analysis based on UNAMI data. UNAMI, Email to EUAA, 1 April 2024
1033
EUAA analysis based on UCDP data. UCDP, data covering 1 February 2023 to 31 March 2024 provided bycourtesy of UCDP by email, 22 March 2024 & 22 April 2024
1030
1031

119

EUROPEAN UNION AGENCY FOR ASYLUM

Number of incidients and civilian casualties recorded
by UNAMI in Sulaymaniyah governorate(1 February 2023 - 31 March 2024)
12
10
10
8
8
6
6
4
2
2

0
Number of incidents

Civilians killed

Civilians injured

Total civilian
casualties

Figure 29. Number of incidents and civilian casualties recorded by UNAMI in Sulaymaniyah
governorate between 1 February 2023 and 31 March 2024.1034

Conflict-related infrastructure damage and explosive remnants of war
During the reference period, there were at least two separate rocket attacks on the Khor Mor
gas field in Qadir Karam subdistrict1035 (Chamchamal district).1036 One of them resulted in widescale temporary power outages.1037 According to the pro-Kurdish1038 Shafaq News website,
there were 3 512 registered minefields in the KRI.1039 Data from the Iraqi Directorate of Mine
Action cited by Rudaw indicated that more than 200 square kilometres of the KRI’s territory
remained contaminated with landmines and remnants of war.1040 Remnants of war in the KRI
comprised items planted by the former Iraqi government’s armed forces, by Iranian forces
during the Iran-Iraq war (1980–1988), and remnants from the Türkiye-PKK conflict.1041 As of theend of 2022, the Mine Action Review stated with reference to the Iraqi Kurdistan Mine Action
Agency (IKMAA) that the KRI had no areas registered as being contaminated by cluster
munitions.1042 During the reference period, several civilians were killed or injured by remnantsof war in Kalar1043 and Panjwin districts1044 and near the town of Mawat.1045

EUAA analysis based on UNAMI data. UNAMI, Email to EUAA, 1 April 2024
EPIC, ISHM: January 25 – February 1, 2024, 1 February 2024, url; EPIC, ISHM: August 24 – 31, 2023, 31 August
2023, url
1036
Rudaw, Sulaimani’s key gas field targeted by rocket, 22 June 2022, url
1037
EPIC, ISHM: January 25 – February 1, 2024, 1 February 2024, url
1038
BBC News, Iraq media guide, 24 February 2023, url
1039
Shafaq News, Duhok detonates 100 mines and unexploded bombs, 15 February 2023, url
1040
Rudaw, Over 2,100 square km still contaminated by mines in Iraq, 23 December 2023, url
1041
Shafaq News, Duhok detonates 100 mines and unexploded bombs, 15 February 2023, url
1042
Mine Action Review, Clearing Cluster Munition Remnants 2023 [Table 1], 1 August 2023, url, p. 61
1043
EPIC, ISHM: January 18 – January 25, 2024, 25 January 2024, url1044
basnews, Landmine Blast Severely Wounds Kurdish Villager in Sulaymaniyah, 27 April 2023, url; EPIC, ISHM:
March 7 – 14, 2024, 14 March 2024, url1045
basnews, Landmine Blast Severely Wounds Kurdish Villager in Sulaymaniyah, 27 April 2023, url
1034

1035

120

IRAQ – SECURITY SITUATION

Conflict-induced displacement and return
IOM’s Displacement Tracking Matrix (DTM)1046 statistics as of December 2023 did not record
any IDPs originating from Sulaymaniyah1047 or returnees living in the governorate.1048

2.11. Basrah

Map 12: Basrah governorate with district borders, district capitals and main roads, © United
Nations1049

General description of governorate
Basrah (Basra, Al-Basrah, Al-Basra) is Iraq’s southeasternmost governorate. It has internalborders with the governorates of Muthanna, Thi-Qar (Dhi Qar), and Missan1050 and sharesinternational borders with Iran to the east and Kuwait to the south. It also borders Saudi-Arabia

Please note that IOM does not specify the drivers for these displacements, which, among others, include
conflict and insecurity. However, climate-induced displacements are not included. IOM DTM, Climate-Induced
Displacement – Central and Southern Iraq (Data Collection Period: 1 – 15 June 2023), 15 December 2023, url, p. 1
1047
IOM Iraq, Displacement Tracking Matrix, Master List Datasets, IDP 131 [Excel File; Sheet: Summary], January2024, url1048
IOM Iraq, Displacement Tracking Matrix, Master List Datasets, Returnee 131 [Excel File; Sheet: Summary],
January 2024, url
1049
UNJAU, Iraq District Map, 29 January 2014, url
1050
UNOCHA and iMMAP, Iraq: Al-Basrah Governorate Reference Map 2020, 5 May 2020, url
1046

121

EUROPEAN UNION AGENCY FOR ASYLUM

at the tripoint with Kuwait.1051 The governorate’s capital is Basrah city.1052 The governorate isdivided into the following districts: Abu Al-Khaseeb, Al-Mahoudiya (Al-Midaina, Al-Madina), AlQurna (Al-Qarna), Al-Zubair, Basrah, Al-Faw, and Shatt Al-Arab.1053
Basrah governorate’s population in 2022 was estimated at 3 223 158.1054 The majority of its
residents are Shia Arab1055 and the governorate has been described as ‘a stronghold of Shiites
in southern Iraq’,1056 although it is also home to a minority of Sunni Arabs and small
communities of Mandaeans and Christians.1057
For further information on the governorate’s ethno-religious composition as well as its
economy, please refer to section 2.11.1 of the previous EUAA COI report: Iraq Security Situation(January 2022).

Armed actors’ presence and control
For information on the governorate’s conflict background and on the presence and areas ofcontrol of armed actors as of January 2022, please refer to sections 2.11.2 and 2.11.3 of theprevious EUAA COI report: Iraq Security Situation (January 2022).
Security actors in the governorate consisted of the Iraqi Army, police, PMF, and armed politicalparties1058 including the Sadrist Movement’s Saraya al-Salam1059 and the Coordination
Framework (CF)-affiliated1060 Asa’ib Ahl al-Haq (AAH).1061 The Basrah Operations Command(BasOC) is headquartered in Basrah city,1062 and its commander was also in charge of the
Badr-affiliated 1st PMF Brigade (Imam Muhammad al Jawad).1063 According to a local tribal
leader cited by Shafaq News, security forces were weak and subordinated to political interest
groups.1064 Indeed, according to Haidar Al-Ibrahimi, CEO of Peace Paradigms and an expert onpeacebuilding and tribal reconciliation who was interviewed by EUAA for an April 2023 report,
tribes in Basrah and other parts of southern Iraq ‘are heavily polarized and supported by key
armed actors and have become a key competitor to state’s security institutions’.1065

UNOCHA and iMMAP, Iraq: Al-Basrah Governorate Reference Map 2020, 5 May 2020, url; Fürtig, H., Geschichte
des Irak [History of Iraq] [Map], 2016, pp. 188-189
1052
EPIC, ISHM Reference Guide, last revision July 2023, url
1053
UN-Habitat, Basra Urban Profile, October 2020, url, p. 14; UNOCHA and iMMAP, Iraq: Al-Basrah Governorate
Reference Map 2020, 5 May 2020, url1054
Iraq, CSO, ‫ الباب الثاني‬2022‫ـ‬2023 ‫[ المجموعة االحصائية‬Statistical Collection 2022-2023, Part Two], 21 August 2023,
url, p. 81055
Skelton, M. and Saleem, Z.A., Living among the Hashd, IRIS, July 2021, url, p. 18
1056
Al-Shammari, I., An Independent Federal State for Sunnis in Iraq, CFRI, 14 February 2024, url
1057
Skelton, M. and Saleem, Z.A., Living among the Hashd, IRIS, July 2021, url, p. 18
1058
PAX, Human Security Survey: Iraq, Basra, 8 February 2024, url, p. 1
1059
Ali, S., Between Power Sharing and Power Consolidation: The Impact of Iraq’s Provincial Elections Results, TWI,
7 March 2024, url
1060
Al-Monitor, Understanding Iraq's Coordination Framework, 13 August 2022, url
1061
Shafaq News, Observers warn of potential conflict between CF and Sadrist movement in southern Iraqi cities,
11 December 2023, url
1062
USDOD, Operation Inherent Resolve and other U.S. Government Activities related to Iraq & Syria, October 1,
2023 – December 31, 2023, 9 February 2024, url, p. 191063
ISW and CTP, The Leadership and Purpose of Iraq’s Popular Mobilization Forces, 19 March 2024, url
1064
Shafaq News, How does political conflict fuel tribal disputes in Iraq?, 25 April 2023, url
1065
EUAA, Iraq: Arab tribes and customary law, April 2023, url, p. 83
1051

122

IRAQ – SECURITY SITUATION

Both the Basrah Police Command1066 and the Iraqi National Security Service (INSS) were
tasked with combating drug trafficking,1067 while the 16th Border Brigade1068 and intelligenceagencies1069 cracked down on cross-border smuggling and infiltration.1070 In late 2022, theauthorities began to fortify the southeastern section of Iraq’s border with Iran. 1071 By August
2023, over 700 towers and numerous thermal cameras had been installed along the border
between Basrah’s Al-Faw district and Sulaymaniyah governorate, according to the commanderof Iraq’s Border Guards Force.1072

Recent security trends
A survey on human security conducted by PAX1073 in Basrah every year since 20181074
assessed that ‘the general security perceptions of local communities across the districts of
Basra have improved’.1075 At the same time, the governorate has long witnessed intra-Shia
conflicts between the Sadr Movement’s Saraya Al-Salam militia and AAH over control of thegovernorate’s rich oil resources.1076
These tensions came to the fore in summer 2023 as unidentified armed individuals carried out
attacks on the office of an MP from the AAH-affiliated Sadiqoun bloc,1077 on a building complex
serving as a PMF headquarters,1078 and on the office of the Imam Ali Brigades,1079 with noreports of casualties.1080 Meanwhile, AAH allegedly carried out an attack on the residence of a
Saraya Al-Salam commander, triggering armed protests by Saraya Al-Salam.1081 Security forceswere reportedly reinforced in the governorate.1082

Rudaw, Iraq sacks Basra’s anti-narcotic head, 1 December 2022, url
NINA, 10 kilograms of crystal seized from three drug traffickers in Basra, 1 January 2024, url; INA, 5 drug dealers
held, 10 kg of hashish seized in Basra, 23 November 2023, url; INA, INSS arrests a pharmacist working in drugtrafficking in Basra, 27 March 2023, url; Diyaruna, IRGC and its proxies exploit drug trade at expense of regional
neighbours, 19 May 2023, url
1068
NINA, 17 Foreign Infiltrators, Tried To Cross The Border In Basra Sector Illegally, Arrested, 16 July 2023, url
1069
NINA, 14 Persons Of Foreign Nationality, Tried To Infiltrate Into Basra, Arrested, 24 June 2023, url; NINA, Eightforeigners who tried to infiltrate Iraqi territory were arrested in Basra, 24 June 2023, url
1070
NINA, 17 Foreign Infiltrators, Tried To Cross The Border In Basra Sector Illegally, Arrested, 16 July 2023, url;
NINA, 14 Persons Of Foreign Nationality, Tried To Infiltrate Into Basra, Arrested, 24 June 2023, url; NINA, Eightforeigners who tried to infiltrate Iraqi territory were arrested in Basra, 24 June 2023, url
1071
Diyaruna, Iraq fortifies border with Iran to curb infiltration, smuggling, 13 December 2022, url
1072
INA, Including plans to end smuggling, (INA) opens 9 files with the commander of the border guards, 9 August
2023, url1073
PAX is a Netherlands-based organisation that engages in peace work. PAX, Who we are, n.d., url
1074
PAX, Human Security Survey: Iraq, Basra, 8 February 2024, url, p. 2
1075
PAX, Human Security Survey: Iraq, Basra, 8 February 2024, url, p. 1
1076
Ali, S., Between Power Sharing and Power Consolidation: The Impact of Iraq’s Provincial Elections Results, TWI,
7 March 2024, url; Alaaldin, R., Shiite rivalries could break Iraq’s deceptive calm in 2023 [Commentary], Brookings,
1 March 2023, url
1077
EPIC, ISHM: June 22 – July 6, 2023, 6 July 2023, url; EPIC, ISHM: June 15 – 22, 2023, 22 June 2023, url
1078
EPIC, ISHM: June 22 – July 6, 2023, 6 July 2023, url
1079
NINA, Targeting the office of the Imam Ali Brigades, north of Basra, with gunfire, 12 August 2023, url
1080
EPIC, ISHM: June 22 – July 6, 2023, 6 July 2023, url; EPIC, ISHM: June 15 – 22, 2023, 22 June 2023, url; NINA,
Targeting the office of the Imam Ali Brigades, north of Basra, with gunfire, 12 August 2023, url
1081
EPIC, ISHM: June 22 – July 6, 2023, 6 July 2023, url
1082
New Arab (The), Iraq: Sadr supporters shut down rival party's headquarters after 'insults' against leader's father,
16 July 2023, url
1066
1067

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EUROPEAN UNION AGENCY FOR ASYLUM

Tensions between the Sadrist Movement and factions of the Coordination Framework (CF)escalated again in the run-up to the provincial council elections1083 held in December 2023,1084
which saw an AAH-supported candidate running for the governorship against the Sadr-aligned
incumbent governor Asaad Al-Eidani.1085 In early November, several people were killed or
injured in a gunfight1086 between AAH and Sadrist militia members, possibly prompted by theassassination of a Sadr supporter by AAH militants.1087 This was followed by a rocket propelled
grenade (RPG) attack on the Basrah main office of Nouri al-Maliki’s State of Law coalition,1088 a
group affiliated with the CF.1089 After the elections, armed fighting re-erupted in late December
2023 and flared up again in February1090 and March 2024, with AAH and PMF facilities being
targeted.1091 The Media Line news agency1092 quoted Basrah residents as saying that the police
were unable to intervene during the clashes.1093
Meanwhile, several armed attacks were carried out by unidentified perpetrators against
civilians,1094 including a gun attack on a residential house in Al-Hartha area that left one
woman dead and several family members injured.1095 Especially from September 2023
onwards, there were multiple reports of armed tribal disputes,1096 with clashes leaving several
people injured in the Tamimiya,1097 Al-Deir (Al-Zwain),1098 and Khor Al-Zubair areas.1099 At least
one woman was killed in an alleged family dispute,1100 and there were reports of unspecified

Shafaq News, Observers warn of potential conflict between CF and Sadrist movement in southern Iraqi cities,
11 December 2023, url
1084
Reuters, Iraq's ruling Shi'ite alliance leads in provincial elections -initial results, 19 December 2023, url
1085
Shafaq News, Observers warn of potential conflict between CF and Sadrist movement in southern Iraqi cities,
11 December 2023, url
1086
EPIC, ISHM: November 2 – 9, 2023, 9 November 2023, url; NINA, Five people killed and wounded in an armed
conflict in Basra, 8 November 2023, url
1087
EPIC, ISHM: November 2 – 9, 2023, 9 November 2023, url
1088
EPIC, ISHM: November 30 – December 7, 2023, 7 December 2023, url; UNSG, Implementation of resolution
2682 (2023), S/2024/96, 25 January 2024, url, para. 7
1089
UNSG, Implementation of resolution 2682 (2023), S/2024/96, 25 January 2024, url, para. 7
1090
Media Line (The), Daily Clashes Between Iran-Backed Militias in Iraq Kill Over 200 Fighters, 21 February 2024,
url
1091
Shafaq News, Basra: Explosive device near AAH headquarters; gunfire targets government buildings, 17 March
2024, url
1092
The Media Line is a US news agency covering the Middle East. Media Line (The), About Us, n.d., url
1093
Media Line (The), Daily Clashes Between Iran-Backed Militias in Iraq Kill Over 200 Fighters, 21 February 2024,
url
1094
NINA, A woman was killed and others from one family were injured in an armed attack in Basra, 3 January2024, url; NINA, An unknown person opens fire on shops and cars in Al-Zubair, Basra, 13 December 2023, url
1095
NINA, A woman was killed and others from one family were injured in an armed attack in Basra, 3 January2024, url
1096
Media Line (The), Daily Clashes Between Iran-Backed Militias in Iraq Kill Over 200 Fighters, 21 February 2024,
url; NINA, Arresting those accused of firing gunshots at a tribal dispute in Basra, 8 March 2024; NINA, An armed
tribal conflict north of Basra resolved, 19 January 2024, url; NINA, Resolving an armed tribal conflict and arresting
those responsible south of Basra, 15 November 2023, url; NINA, Two people injured in a tribal dispute and two of
its instigators arrested in Basra, 10 November 2023, url; NINA, Resolving an armed tribal conflict and arresting 10 ofits perpetrators north of Basra, 28 October 2023, url; Al-Sharqiya, A fierce tribal conflict in Basra, 8 September
2023, url; NINA, 2 Suspects Arrested For Shooting A Citizen North Of Basra, 15 July 2023, url
1097
Al-Sharqiya, A fierce tribal conflict in Basra, 8 September 2023, url
1098
NINA, 2 Suspects Arrested For Shooting A Citizen North Of Basra, 15 July 2023, url
1099
NINA, Two people injured in a tribal dispute and two of its instigators arrested in Basra, 10 November 2023, url
1100
NINA, Basra police reveal the murder of a woman in the north of the governorate, 25 December 2023, url
1083

124

IRAQ – SECURITY SITUATION‘quarrels’1101 and violent crime,1102 although the Basrah police chief was quoted as saying thatthe crime rate in 2023 was 16 % lower than in 2022.1103
In a further development, following the public burning of a copy of the Quran by a right-winggroup in Copenhagen in July 2023, protesters in Basrah city attacked the premises of theDanish Refugee Council (DRC), with no casualties reported.1104

Security incidents
During the reporting period (1 February 2023 – 31 March 2024), there were 108 security
incidents recorded by ACLED in Basrah governorate, of which 55 were coded as battles, 14
explosions/remote violence, and 39 incidents of violence against civilians.1105 The highest
number of security incidents was documented in Basrah and Al Zubair districts. According to
ACLED data, unidentified armed groups and unidentified tribal militias were involved in the
majority of events coded as battles and violence against civilians.
0

10

20

30

40

50

60

BasrahAl Zubair
Al Qurna
Abu Al Khaseeb
Al Midaina
Shat Al Arab

Battles

Remote violence

Violence against civilians

Figure 30. Security events coded as battles, explosions/remote violence and violenceagainst civilians in Basrah governorate between 1 February 2023 and 31 March 2024.
Breakdown by district based on ACLED data.1106

NINA, /10/ persons accused creating a quarrel arrested north of Basra, 1 January 2024, url
Shafaq News, Basra man faces tribal pressure after suing robbers, 3 March 2024, url; NINA, Interior Ministry:
The Killer of a truck Driver arrested in Basra, 19 July 2023, url
1103
Al-Sharqiya, Crime rate in Basra decreased by 16%, 31 December 2023, url
1104
AP, Protesters try to storm Baghdad’s Green Zone over the burning of Quran and Iraqi flag in Denmark, 22 July
2023, url
1105
EUAA analysis based on ACLED data. ACLED, Data Export Tool, Middle East (19 April 2024), url
1106
EUAA analysis based on ACLED data. ACLED, Data Export Tool, Middle East (19 April 2024), url
1101

1102

125

EUROPEAN UNION AGENCY FOR ASYLUM

For the period between 1 February 2023 and 31 March 2024, the UCDP did not record any
events resulting in fatalities in Basrah governorate.1107

Civilian casualties
During the reporting period, UNAMI recorded 12 civilian casualties in Basrah governorate. 1108
For the period between 1 February 2023 and 31 March 2024, the UCDP did not record any
civilian deaths in Basrah governorate.1109

Number of incidients and civilian casualties recorded
by UNAMI in Basrah governorate(1 February 2023 - 31 March 2024)
14

12

12
10

8

8

6

6

Civilians killed

Civilians injured

6420
Number of incidents

Total civilian
casualties

Figure 31. Number of incidents and civilian casualties recorded by UNAMI in Basrah
governorate between 1 February 2023 and 31 March 2024.1110

Conflict-related infrastructure damage and explosive remnants of war
No information on new conflict-related infrastructure damage occurring in the reference
period could be found within the time constraints of this report. As of the end of 2022, thehead of the Directorate for Mine Action (DMA)’s Regional Mine Action Centre-South wasquoted as saying that 1 237 000 000 square metres of the governorate’s area were
contaminated with mines, cluster munitions and remnants of war,1111 whilst the Mine Action
Review estimated the area contaminated with cluster munitions specifically at 46 497 041
square metres.1112 During the reference period, there were reports of several individuals being

EUAA analysis based on UCDP data. UCDP, data covering 1 February 2023 to 31 March 2024 provided bycourtesy of UCDP by email, 22 March 2024 & 22 April 2024
1108
EUAA analysis based on UNAMI data. UNAMI, Email to EUAA, 1 April 2024
1109
EUAA analysis based on UCDP data. UCDP, data covering 1 February 2023 to 31 March 2024 provided bycourtesy of UCDP by email, 22 March 2024 & 22 April 2024
1110
EUAA analysis based on UNAMI data. UNAMI, Email to EUAA, 1 April 2024
1111
Al-Sharqiya, Basra most contaminated with war remnants, 17 December 2022, url
1112
Mine Action Review, Clearing Cluster Munition Remnants 2023 [Table 1], 1 August 2023, url, p. 61
1107

126

IRAQ – SECURITY SITUATION

killed or injured by old IEDs in the southern Safwan subdistrict1113 and in the South Rumaila
area.1114

Conflict-induced displacement and return
IOM’s Displacement Tracking Matrix (DTM)1115 statistics as of December 2023 did not record
any IDPs originating from Basrah1116 or returnees living in the governorate.1117

2.12. Karbala

Map 13: Karbala governorate with district borders, district capitals and main roads, ©
United Nations.1118

EPIC, ISHM: August 31 – September 7, 2023, 7 September 2023, url; NINA, Two children were injured in a
military remnant explosion in a Safwan farm, west of Basra, 18 July 2023, url
1114
EPIC, ISHM: December 14 – 28, 2023, 28 December 2023, url; NINA, Two children killed and their third brotherwounded in a mine explosion in the Rumaila area, west of Basra, 11 September 2023, url; EPIC, ISHM: April 27 –May 4, 2023, 4 May 2023, url1115
Please note that IOM does not specify the drivers for these displacements, which, among others, include conflictand insecurity. However, climate-induced displacements are not included. IOM DTM, Climate-Induced
Displacement – Central and Southern Iraq (Data Collection Period: 1 – 15 June 2023), 15 December 2023, url, p. 1
1116
IOM Iraq, Displacement Tracking Matrix, Master List Datasets, IDP 131 [Excel File; Sheet: Summary], January2024, url
1117
IOM Iraq, Displacement Tracking Matrix, Master List Datasets, Returnee 131 [Excel File; Sheet: Summary], January2024, url
1118
UNJAU, Iraq District Map, 29 January 2014, url
1113

127

EUROPEAN UNION AGENCY FOR ASYLUMGeneral description of governorate
Karbala (Kerbala, Kerbela) governorate is located in central Iraq,1119 southwest of Baghdad.1120 It
has internal borders with Anbar, Najaf, and Babil governorates and is divided into thefollowing districts: Ain Al-Tamur, Al-Hindiya, and Karbala.1121 The capital of the governorate is
Karbala city.1122 The governorate’s population in 2022 was estimated at 1 350 5771123 and the
majority of its inhabitants are Shia Arab.1124
For further information on the governorate’s ethno-religious composition as well as its
economy, please refer to section 2.12.1 of the previous EUAA COI report: Iraq Security
Situation (January 2022).

Armed actors’ presence and control
For information on the governorate’s conflict background and on the presence and areas ofcontrol of armed actors as of January 2022, please refer to sections 2.12.2 and 2.12.3 of theprevious EUAA COI report: Iraq Security Situation (January 2022).
In 2023, the Iraqi Army transferred the governorate’s security responsibilities to the local
police.1125 The Karbala Operations Command is headquartered in Karbala city.1126 PMFs
operating in the governorate included the Liwa al-Tafuf (13th PMF Brigade), which ran a training
centre in Karbala,1127 the Harakat Al-Nujaba (HAN) (whose fighters were also deployed inseveral other governorates to man positions and checkpoints and to participate in the fightagainst ISIL),1128 and possibly the 37th1129 and 41st PMF Brigades.1130 The existence of a major KH
complex in Ain Al-Tamr district for the production of rocket artillery, as claimed by security
expert Michael Knights, had not been officially confirmed as of May 2023.1131 The PMF
reportedly played the most active role among all security actors in protecting the Arbaeen
pilgrimage.1132

UNOCHA and iMMAP, Iraq: Kerbala Governorate Reference Map 2020, 5 May 2020, url
EPIC, ISHM Reference Guide, last revision July 2023, url
1121
UNOCHA and iMMAP, Iraq: Kerbala Governorate Reference Map 2020, 5 May 2020, url
1122
EPIC, ISHM Reference Guide, last revision July 2023, url
1123
Iraq, CSO, ‫ الباب الثاني‬2022‫ـ‬2023 ‫[ المجموعة االحصائية‬Statistical Collection 2022-2023, Part Two], 21 August 2023,
url, p. 8
1124
EPIC, ISHM Reference Guide, last revision July 2023, url
1125
New Arab (The), Transfer of security responsibilities from Iraq's army to local police stalled by challenges,
18 September 2023, url
1126
USDOD, Operation Inherent Resolve and other U.S. Government Activities related to Iraq & Syria, October 1,
2023 – December 31, 2023, 9 February 2024, url, p. 19
1127
TWI, Profile: Liwa al-Tafuf (13th PMF Brigade), 3 February 2024, url
1128
Meir Amit Intelligence and Terrorism Information Center (The), The Nujaba Movement – the Movement of the
Noble Ones: One of the dominant pro-Iranian militias in Iraq, 14 May 2023, url, p. 10
1129
NINA, A fighter in the Popular Mobilization killed in an explosive device explosion in the Anbar desert, 27 May
2023
1130
NINA, The Popular Mobilization carries out a pre-emptive security operation on the Baghdad-Samarra road,2 September 2023
1131
Rudolf, I., Tracing the Role of the Violent Entrepreneurs in the Iraqi Post-Conflict Economy, New Lines Institutefor Strategy and Policy, May 2023, url, p. 8
1132
AGSIW, Identity and Power Politics: Iraq’s Popular Mobilization Forces on the Arbaeen Pilgrimage, 24 October
2023, url
1119

1120

128

IRAQ – SECURITY SITUATION

Recent security trends
During the reference period, the 2nd1133 and 6th Brigades of the Energy Police1134 carried out
several operations to combat petroleum smuggling,1135 while a number of alleged drug dealers
were arrested in anti-drug trafficking operations conducted by the governorate’s Directorate
for Combating Narcotics and Psychotropic Substances,1136 the 5th Brigade of the Rapid
Response Division Command,1137 and the Karbala Intelligence and Security Directorate.1138 In
February 2023, police also carried out a campaign to search farms and desert areas forwanted persons and illegal weapons, arresting several individuals and seizing ammunitionsand various types of weapons.1139
In December 2023, an operation by the Karbala police command to arrest three wanted gangmembers led to an exchange of gunfire in which an officer was injured.1140 Meanwhile, amember of the 37th PMF Brigade was killed in an IED explosion in the desert area between
Karbala and Anbar.1141 In another case, a decapitated body was found, with no details
regarding the motive behind the killing.1142
Arrangements to ensure security during the 2023 Arbaeen pilgrimage included the stationingof security forces along the pilgrimage routes,1143 with 20 000 PMFs reportedly deployed tosecure the area between the Iraq-Iran border and Karbala city. Moreover, some 3 000 PMF
intelligence operatives infiltrated the ranks of pilgrims, according to the PMF chief of staff.1144
No information could be found on security-related incidents around Arbaeen in 2023.

Security incidents
During the reporting period (1 February 2023 – 31 March 2024), there were 11 security
incidents recorded by ACLED in Basrah governorate, of which 5 were coded as battles, 1
explosions/remote violence, and 5 incidents of violence against civilians.1145 All incidents
occurred in Karbala district.
INA, (3) Accused of smuggling petroleum products arrested in Salah al-Din and Karbala, 9 February 2024, url
NINA, (3) persons accused of smuggling petroleum products arrested and two vehicles seized in Babylon and
Karbala, 10 March 2024, url; INA, (3) Accused of smuggling petroleum products arrested in Salah al-Din and
Karbala, 9 February 2024, url; NINA, Three persons accused of smuggling petroleum derivatives arrested and theirvehicles seized in Babylon and Karbala, 1 October 2023
1135
NINA, (3) persons accused of smuggling petroleum products arrested and two vehicles seized in Babylon and
Karbala, 10 March 2024, url; INA, (3) Accused of smuggling petroleum products arrested in Salah al-Din and
Karbala, 9 February 2024, url; NINA, Three persons accused of smuggling petroleum derivatives arrested and theirvehicles seized in Babylon and Karbala, 1 October 2023
1136
NINA, The Rapid Response Division arrests two people accused of drug trafficking in Karbala, 3 March 2024, url;
NINA, Karbala police arrest a dangerous drug dealer, 14 January 2024, url
1137
NINA, The Rapid Response Division arrests two people accused of drug trafficking in Karbala, 3 March 2024, url
1138
NINA, Intelligence forces arrest a dangerous terrorist element south of Baghdad, 1 March 2023
1139
NINA, Karbala police finds large quantities of weapons and equipment, 10 February 2023, url
1140
NINA, Gang members arrested after an armed clash in Karbala, 26 December 2023
1141
NINA, A fighter in the Popular Mobilization killed in an explosive device explosion in the Anbar desert, 27 May
2023
1142
NINA, A Decapitated Body Found and Perpetrator Arrested in Karbala, 9 February 2023
1143
National (The), Millions flock to Iraqi city of Karbala for Arbaeen pilgrimage, 6 September 2023, url
1144
AGSIW, Identity and Power Politics: Iraq’s Popular Mobilization Forces on the Arbaeen Pilgrimage, 24 October
2023, url
1145
EUAA analysis based on ACLED data. ACLED, Data Export Tool, Middle East (19 April 2024), url
1133

1134

129

EUROPEAN UNION AGENCY FOR ASYLUM

For the period between 1 February 2023 and 31 March 2024, UCDP did not record any events
resulting in fatalities in Karbala governorate.1146

Civilian casualties
During the reporting period, UNAMI did not record any civilian casualties in Karbala
governorate. 1147 For the period between 1 February 2023 and 31 March 2024, UCDP did notrecord any civilian deaths in Karbala governorate.1148

Conflict-related infrastructure damage and explosive remnants of war
No information on new conflict-related infrastructure damage occurring in the reference
period could be found within the time constraints of this report. As of the end of 2022, theMine Action Review estimated the area contaminated with cluster munitions at 141 910 square
metres.1149

Conflict-induced displacement and return
IOM’s Displacement Tracking Matrix (DTM)1150 statistics as of December 2023 did not record
any IDPs originating from Karbala1151 or returnees living in the governorate.1152

EUAA analysis based on UCDP data. UCDP, data covering 1 February 2023 to 31 March 2024 provided bycourtesy of UCDP by email, 22 March 2024 & 22 April 2024
1147
EUAA analysis based on UNAMI data. UNAMI, Email to EUAA, 1 April 2024
1148
EUAA analysis based on UCDP data. UCDP, data covering 1 February 2023 to 31 March 2024 provided bycourtesy of UCDP by email, 22 March 2024 & 22 April 2024
1149
Mine Action Review, Clearing Cluster Munition Remnants 2023 [Table 1], 1 August 2023, url, p. 61
1150
Please note that IOM does not specify the drivers for these displacements, which, among others, include conflictand insecurity. However, climate-induced displacements are not included. IOM DTM, Climate-Induced
Displacement – Central and Southern Iraq (Data Collection Period: 1 – 15 June 2023), 15 December 2023, url, p. 1
1151
IOM Iraq, Displacement Tracking Matrix, Master List Datasets, IDP 131 [Excel File; Sheet: Summary], January2024, url1152
IOM Iraq, Displacement Tracking Matrix, Master List Datasets, Returnee 131 [Excel File; Sheet: Summary], January2024, url
1146

130

IRAQ – SECURITY SITUATION

2.13. Missan

Map 14: Missan governorate with district borders, district capitals and main roads, © United
Nations.1153

General description of governorate
Missan (Maysan) governorate is located in southeast Iraq and has borders with Wassit, Basrah,
and Thi-Qar governorates, as well as with Iran to the east. The governorate is divided into six
districts: Ali Al-Gharbi, Al-Mijar Al-Kabir (Al Mejar Al Kabir), Al-Maimouna, Al-Kahla, Amarah(Al Amara), and Qal’at Salih (Qalat Saleh). The capital is Amarah.1154
For 2022, the Iraqi CSO estimated the governorate’s population at 1 233 053.1155

UNJAU, Iraq District Map, 29 January 2014, url
UNOCHA and iMMAP, Iraq: Maysan Governorate Reference Map 2020, 5 May 2020, url
1155
Iraq, CSO, ‫ الباب الثاني‬2022‫ـ‬2023 ‫[ المجموعة االحصائية‬Statistical Collection 2022-2023, Part Two], 21 August 2023,
url, p. 8
1153

1154

131

EUROPEAN UNION AGENCY FOR ASYLUM

The vast majority of Missan’s population is composed of Shia Arabs. Missan is also home to aSunni minority, as well as small communities of Christians and Mandeans.1156 Moreover, Faily
Kurdish communities1157 and Black Iraqis reportedly existed in Missan governorate.1158
For further information on the ethno-religious composition and economy in Missan, pleaserefer to section 2.13 of the previous EUAA COI report: Iraq Security Situation (January 2022).

Armed actors’ presence and control
For information on the conflict background, please refer to section 2.13.2 of the previous
EUAA COI report: Iraq Security Situation (January 2022).
In the reference period, the ISF was present in Missan governorate1159 and, according to a
February 2024 US Department of Defence (USDOD) report, the Missan Operation Commandof the ISF had its headquarters in Amarah.1160
Furthermore, local sources indicated the presence of PMF in Missan governorate.1161 Other
Shiite political forces with armed militias, such as the rival groups of Muqtada Al-Sadr and the
Asa’ib Ahl Al-Haq (AAH), were present in Missan and other southern Iraqi governorates, where
they maintained their strongholds. The Sadr movement, although weakened by opposing
forces such as AAH, reportedly still maintained control over some areas and economic sectors
in Missan governorate, particularly the health sector.1162

Recent security trends
In February 2024, tensions between the Sadr movement and AAH escalated in Missan,
resulting in armed clashes. The escalation was provoked by the killing of Naji al-Kaabi, asenior AAH member, by unidentified armed men in Missan governorate,1163 which, according toan Al-Arab article, was attributed to the Sadr movement.1164

EPIC, ISHM Reference Guide, last revision July 2023, url
UNHCR, Statelessness and Risks of Statelessness in Iraq: Faili Kurd and Bidoon Communities, September 2022,
url, p. 10
1158
Atlantic Council, Black Iraqis have been invisible for a long time. Their vibrant culture and struggle must berecognized., 24 March 2023, url
1159
France, OFPRA, Irak: Veille sécuritaire du 1er juillet 2022 au 30 juin 2023 [Iraq: Security monitoring, 1 July 2022
to 30 June 2023], 20 September 2023, url, p. 11
1160
USDOD, Operation Inherent Resolve and other U.S. Government Activities related to Iraq & Syria, October 1,
2023 – December 31, 2023, 9 February 2024, url, p. 19
1161
NINA, ‫ القبض على أحد المروجين لحزب البعث المنحل في محافظة ميسان‬.. ‫[ الحشد الشعبي‬The Popular Mobilization Forces
arrested a person promoting the dissolved Baath Party in Missan governorate], 4 February 2024, url; Al-Mirbad,‫[ الحشد الشعبي في ميسان يستذكر "قادة النصر" احتفاء بمنجز الشهداء‬PMU commemorate ‘leaders of victory’ in Missan incelebration of achievements of martyrs], 3 January 2024, url; Al-Mirbad, ‫هيئة الحشد في ميسان تنظم وقفة ضد األوضاع الراهنة‬‫[ في غزة‬PMU in Missan organize a protest against current situation in Gaza], 20 October 2023, url
1162
Al-Arab, ‫[ األمن في مدن عراقية رهين حالة العداء بين مقتدى الصدر وقيس الخزعلي‬The security in Iraqi cities depends on
hostilities between Muqtada Al-Sadr and Qais Al-Khazali], 6 February 2024, url
1163
Sky News Arabia, ‫[ اغتيال قيادي بارز في ميليشيا "عصائب أهل الحق" بالعراق‬Prominent leader of Asa’ib Ahl Al-Haq militia
killed], 4 February 2024, url; Shafaq News, Assassination of senior Asaib Ahl al-Haq leader in Maysan, 4 February
2024, url; EPIC, ISHM: February 1 – 8, 2024, 8 February 2024, url
1164
Al-Arab, ‫[ األمن في مدن عراقية رهين حالة العداء بين مقتدى الصدر وقيس الخزعلي‬The security in Iraqi cities depends on
hostilities between Muqtada Al-Sadr and Qais Al-Khazali], 6 February 2024, url
1156
1157

132

IRAQ – SECURITY SITUATION

Sources also reported tribal clashes in Missan governorate.1165 According to Middle East based
researcher and analyst Haley Bobseine, who was consulted for an April 2023 EUAA report,
Missan was one of the Iraqi governorates with the highest number of tribal disputes.1166 Water
shortages have reportedly led to conflicts between tribes living in the border regions ofMissan and Wassit governorates, leading to violent clashes in the past.1167 According to apolice officer in the governorate cited in an August 2023 Al-Araby Al-Jadeed article, clan
conflicts have been a major issue for the governorate.1168
Moreover, in the reference period, a number of attacks carried out by unidentified
perpetrators on civilians and individuals of certain profiles or on their houses 1169, including
teachers,1170 a private security agent,1171 a hospital director,1172 government officials,1173 a memberof parliament,1174 and a former member of parliament,1175 were reported in Missan governorate.
Furthermore, sources indicated that drug criminality, including clashes between ISF and drugtraffickers, was an issue in Missan governorate.1176 ISF carried out a number of operations

Shafaq News, ‫[ قتيالن وجريحان بنزاع عشائري "عنيف" في محافظة ميسان‬One person killed and two injured in ‘violent’tribal clash in Missan governorate], 18 June 2023, url; Shafaq News, ‫[ مقتل شيخ عشيرة في نزاع جنوبي العراق‬Tribal leader
killed in conflict in southern Iraq], 18 August 2023, url; INA, ‫[ شرطة ميسان تعقد مؤتمرا أمنيا للحد من النزاعات العشائرية‬Missan
Police holds security conference to reduce tribal conflicts], 22 October 2023, url; Al-Araby Al-Jadeed, ‫ تهديدات‬:‫العراق‬‫[ عشائرية تالحق األطباء‬Iraq: Tribal threats haunt doctors], 25 August 2023, url
1166
EUAA, Iraq: Arab tribes and customary law [comment made by Middle East based researcher and analyst Haley
Bobseine, who was consulted for the report], April 2023, url, p. 82
1167
E-International Relations, Water Scarcity and Environmental Peacebuilding: A Lens on Southern Iraq, 18 May
2023, url, p. 2
1168
Al-Araby Al-Jadeed, ‫ تهديدات عشائرية تالحق األطباء‬:‫[ العراق‬Iraq: Tribal threats haunt doctors], 25 August 2023, url
1169
Shafaq News, ‫[ استهداف منزل نائب سابق بمحافظة ميسان‬Targeting home of former member of parliament in Missan
governorate], 9 February 2024, url; Shafaq News, 6 February 2024, ‫استهداف منزل موظف حكومي بديوان محافظة ميسان‬‫ فيديو‬..‫[ بعبوة ناسفة‬Targeting of government official’s house in Missan governorate with explosive device: video],
6 February 2024, url; Shafaq News, ‫ مسلحون يهاجمون منزل مدير مستشفى في ميسان‬..‫[ أصابع االتهام تشير لسلفه‬Predecessor
accused: Armed men attack home of hospital director in Missan], 29 January 2024, url; Shafaq News, Attack on
Maysan governor’s residence in southern Iraq raises security concerns, 7 October 2023, url; Elbalad, ‫ انفجار‬.. ‫العراق‬‫[ عبوة ناسفة بمحافظة ميسان‬Iraq: Detonation of explosive device in Missan governorate], 10 February 2023, url
1170
Al-Mirbad, ‫[ تعرض سيارات مدرسين في العمارة إلطالق نار من قبل مجهولين‬Unknown gunmen attack cars of teachers inAmarah], 19 February 2024, url
1171
Al-Mirbad, ‫[ في ميسان مقتل مواطن يعمل حارسا بمولدة أهلية‬Civilian working as security agent for private electric generator
killed], 13 May 2023, url
1172
Shafaq News, ‫ مسلحون يهاجمون منزل مدير مستشفى في ميسان‬..‫[ أصابع االتهام تشير لسلفه‬Predecessor accused: Armed men
attack home of hospital director in Missan], 29 January 2024, url
1173
Shafaq News, 6 February 2024, ‫ فيديو‬..‫[ استهداف منزل موظف حكومي بديوان محافظة ميسان بعبوة ناسفة‬Targeting ofgovernment official’s house in Missan governorate with explosive device: video], 6 February 2024, url; Shafaq
News, Attack on Maysan governor’s residence in southern Iraq raises security concerns, 7 October 2023, url
1174
NINA, ‫[ تعرض نائب الى محاولة اغتيال في العمارة‬Assassination attempt of member of parliament in Amarah city],
5 February 2023, url
1175
Shafaq News, ‫[ استهداف منزل نائب سابق بمحافظة ميسان‬Targeting home of former member of parliament in Missan
governorate], 9 February 2024, url
1176
Netherlands (The), Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Algemeen ambtsbericht Irak [Country report Iraq], November
2023, url, p. 17; Al-Sharqiya, ‫[ اشتباكات في ميسان مع تجار مخدرات‬Clashes in Missan with drug traffickers], 12 February
2024, url; Baghdad Today, ‫ كغم من المخدرات بعد اشتباك مع تجارها في ميسان‬4 ‫[ قوة أمنية تضبط‬Security force seizes 4
kilogram of drugs in Missan after clash with drug traffickers], 11 February 2024, url; Al-Sumaria, ..‫بعد اشتباك مسلح‬‫[ اإلطاحة بشبكة لتجارة المخدرات في ميسان‬After an armed clash, a drug trafficking network was overthrown in Missan],19 January 2024, url; INA, ‫[ مقتل احد أخطر المتهمين بتجارة المخدرات بعد االشتباك معه في ميسان‬After clashes in Missan, mostdangerous men accused of drug trafficking killed], 28 July 2023, url; Baghdad Today, "‫ متهمين "أساسيين‬3 ‫القبض على‬‫[ بتجارة المخدرات في ميسان‬Arrest of 3 ‘main’ suspects of drug trafficking in Missan], 20 March 2023, url
1165

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EUROPEAN UNION AGENCY FOR ASYLUM

against organised crime groups in the areas of drugs and smuggling, as well as against
unidentified tribal groups.1177

Security incidents
During the reporting period (1 February 2023 – 31 March 2024), there were 130 security
incidents recorded by ACLED in Missan governorate, of which 50 were coded as battles, 10
explosions/remote violence, and 70 incidents of violence against civilians.1178 The majority of
security incidents were documented in Al Kahla district. According to ACLED data, unidentified
armed groups were involved in the majority of events coded as explosions/remote violence,and violence against civilians. Tribal militias were the most encountered actor in events coded
as battles.
0

20

40

Battles

Remote violence

60

80

100

Al Kahla
Al Mejar Al Kabir
Al Maimouna
Qalat Saleh
Al Amara
Ali Al Gharbi

Violence against civilians

Figure 32. Security events coded as battles, explosions/remote violence and violenceagainst civilians in Missan governorate between 1 February 2023 and 31 March 2024.
Breakdown by district based on ACLED data.
For the period between 1 February 2023 and 31 March 2024, the UCDP did not record any
events resulting in fatalities in Missan governorate.1179

France, OFPRA, Irak: Veille sécuritaire du 1er juillet 2022 au 30 juin 2023 [Iraq: Security monitoring, 1 July 2022
to 30 June 2023], 20 September 2023, url, p. 11
1178
EUAA analysis based on ACLED data. ACLED, Data Export Tool, Middle East (19 April 2024), url
1179
EUAA analysis based on UCDP data. UCDP, data covering 1 February 2023 to 31 March 2024 provided bycourtesy of UCDP by email, 22 March 2024 & 22 April 2024
1177

134

IRAQ – SECURITY SITUATION

Civilian casualties
During the reporting period, UNAMI recorded 1 civilian casualty in Missan governorate.1180 For
the period between 1 February 2023 and 31 March 2024, the UCDP did not record any civilian
deaths in Missan governorate.1181

Conflict-related infrastructure damage and explosive remnants of war
Information on conflict-related infrastructure damage in the reference period could not befound within the time constraints of this report.
As of the end of 2022, around 955 962 square metres of Missan governorate’s area werereported to be cluster munition-contaminated.1182 In August 2023 and September 2023, twocases of civilians killed by landmine explosions were reported in the border area of Missan
governorate.1183 Further relevant information on explosive remnants of war could not be foundwithin the time constraints of this report.

Conflict-induced displacement and return
As of December 2023, IOM’s Displacement Tracking Matrix (DTM)1184 did not document any
displacement from Missan governorate to other parts of the country or within Missan
governorate.1185
As of December 2023, IOM has not documented any returns to Missan governorate.1186

EUAA analysis based on UNAMI data. UNAMI, Email to EUAA, 1 April 2024
EUAA analysis based on UCDP data. UCDP, data covering 1 February 2023 to 31 March 2024 provided bycourtesy of UCDP by email, 22 March 2024 & 22 April 2024
1182
Mine Action Review, Clearing Cluster Munition Remnants 2023 [Table 1], 1 August 2023, url, p. 61
1183
NINA, ‫[ مصرع شاب بإنفجار لغم ارضي في منطقة حدودية بميسان‬Young man killed in landmine explosion in border area of
Missan], 22 August 2023, url; Shafaq News, Afghan visitor killed by landmine in Maysan, 3 September 2023, url1184
Please note that IOM does not specify the drivers for these displacements, which, among others, include conflictand insecurity. However, climate-induced displacements are not included. IOM DTM, Climate-Induced
Displacement – Central and Southern Iraq (Data Collection Period: 1 – 15 June 2023), 15 December 2023, url, p. 1
1185
IOM Iraq, Displacement Tracking Matrix, Master List Datasets, IDP 131 [Excel File; Sheet: Summary], January2024, url1186
IOM Iraq, Displacement Tracking Matrix, Master List Datasets, Returnee 131 [Excel File; Sheet: Summary], January2024, url
1180
1181

135

EUROPEAN UNION AGENCY FOR ASYLUM

2.14. Muthanna

Map 15: Basrah governorate with district borders, district capitals and main roads, © United
Nations.1187

General description of governorate
Muthanna (Al-Muthanna) governorate is located in south-western Iraq and has borders with
Najaf, Qadissiya, Thi-Qar, and Basrah governorates and an international border with Saudi
Arabia.1188 It is the country’s second largest governorate and mostly consists of desert and dry
land.1189 The governorate is divided into four districts: Al-Samawa (Samawa, Samawah), AlKhidhir (Al-Khithir), Al-Rumaitha, and Al-Salman. The capital of Muthanna is the town of AlSamawa in the governorate’s north.1190

UNJAU, Iraq District Map, 29 January 2014, url
UNOCHA and iMMAP, Iraq: Muthanna Governorate Reference Map 2020, 5 May 2020, url
1189
UNICEF, WASHing back hope for the people of southern Iraq, 18 April 2021, url
1190
UNOCHA and iMMAP, Iraq: Muthanna Governorate Reference Map 2020, 5 May 2020, url
1187

1188

136

IRAQ – SECURITY SITUATION

For 2022, the Iraqi CSO estimated the governorate’s population at 902 480.1191 The northernareas around the Euphrates River are more densely populated than the desert districts in thegovernorate’s south.1192
The majority of Muthanna’s inhabitants are Shia Arabs.1193 Bidoon communities reportedly
existed in Muthanna governorate.1194 For further information on the ethno-religious
composition and economy in Muthanna, please refer to section 2.14 of the previous EUAA COI
report: Iraq Security Situation (January 2022).

Armed actors’ presence and control
For information on the conflict background, please refer to section 2.14.2 of the previous
EUAA COI report: Iraq Security Situation (January 2022).
As of July 2023, EPIC reported that there was some competition around dominance between
Shiite groups in the otherwise rather peaceful Muthanna governorate.1195
In early 2023, the Iraqi Army transferred security authority/duties in Muthanna governorate to
the police.1196 Moreover, sources indicated a PMF presence in Muthanna governorate.1197

Recent security trends
The Muthanna police command in February 2024 was reported as saying that the governorate
had a stable security situation.1198 According to EPIC, hostilities between Shia groups andmilitias, including the Sadr movement and the Islamic Supreme Council of Iraq (ISCI), which
had been created after Saddam Hussein was overthrown, had calmed down and ‘peace
returned’ in Muthanna governorate in recent years. Muthanna was not affected by the ISIL
incursion and, according to EPIC, is ‘one of the safest’ Iraqi governorates.1199
In a May 2023 report, the UN Secretary-General reported on continued attacks, in the first halfof 2023, on Iraqi contracted convoys transporting supplies for the international coalition
against ISIL. The attacks targeted a number of governorates, including Muthanna, however,causing no casualties. The attacks, which were carried out by the International Resistance andIraq, CSO, ‫ الباب الثاني‬2022‫ـ‬2023 ‫[ المجموعة االحصائية‬Statistical Collection 2022-2023, Part Two], 21 August 2023,
url, p. 8
1192
EPIC, ISHM Reference Guide, last revision July 2023, url
1193
EPIC, ISHM Reference Guide, last revision July 2023, url
1194
UNHCR, Statelessness and Risks of Statelessness in Iraq: Faili Kurd and Bidoon Communities, September 2022,
url, p. 23; Stateless Journey, Statelessness in Iraq, November 2019, url, p. 2
1195
EPIC, ISHM Reference Guide, last revision July 2023, url
1196
New Arab (The), Transfer of security responsibilities from Iraq's army to local police stalled by challenges,
18 September 2023, url
1197
Al-Mirbad, ‫ حاجا وحاجة‬90 ‫[ هيئة الحشد الشعبي في المثنى تستعد لتفويج‬PMU in Muthanna starts preparations for sending 90
men and women to pilgrimage], 23 May 2023, url; NINA, ‫استخبارات الحشد تلقي القبض على احد عناصر “الحركة المولوية ” في‬‫[ المثنى‬PMU intelligence arrests member of ‘Mawlawi movement’ in Muthanna], 7 February 2024, url; Al-Masdar
Online, )‫[ الحشد الشيعي العراقي يبدأ مشروع زراعة مليون نخلة في بادية على الحدود مع السعودية والكويت (تعديل‬Iraq’s PMU starts palm
tree planting project in desert area bordering Saudi-Arabia and Kuwait (edited)], 22 March 2023, url
1198
Al-Mirbad, ‫ المحافظة تشهد حالة من االستقرار األمني‬:‫[ قيادة شرطة المثنى‬Muthanna Police Command: Governorate witnesses
stable security situation], 18 February 2024, url
1199
EPIC, ISHM Reference Guide, last revision July 2023, url
1191

137

EUROPEAN UNION AGENCY FOR ASYLUM

the group Revenge for Muhandis, resumed in January 2023 for the first time since August2022.1200 Water shortages have reportedly led to conflicts between tribes in Muthanna,1201 as
well as between tribes in Muthanna and Thi-Qar governorate and Muthanna and Al-Qadissiya
governorate.1202
Moreover, sources indicated that drug criminality was an issue in Muthanna governorate in thereference period.1203

Security incidents
During the reporting period (1 February 2023 – 31 March 2024), there were 26 security
incidents recorded by ACLED in Muthanna governorate, of which 18 were coded as battles, 3
explosions/remote violence, and 5 incidents of violence against civilians.1204 The majority of
security incidents were documented in Al Samawa district. According to ACLED data, ISF
forces and smugglers (coded as either ‘Actor1’ or ‘Actor2’) were involved in the majority ofevents coded as battles.

UNSG, Implementation of resolution 2631 (2022), S/2023/340, 11 May 2023, url, para. 17
Al-Quds Al-Arabi, ‫ الجفاف يُنذر بنزوح جماعي وصراع عشائري على المياه‬:‫[ المثنى العراقية‬Iraq’s Al-Muthanna governorate:
Drought heralds mass displacement and tribal conflict over water resources], 3 October 2023, url; Jummar, ‘Thereis little water left’: Tribes of Al-Muthanna Fight over Groundwater, 16 July 2023, url
1202
E-International Relations, Water Scarcity and Environmental Peacebuilding: A Lens on Southern Iraq, 18 May
2023, url, p. 2
1203
INA, ‫ القبض على تاجر مخدرات في المثنى‬:‫[ وكالة االستخبارات‬Intelligence Agency: Drug dealer was captured in
Muthanna], 15 January 2024, url; Baghdad Today, ‫[ تفكيك شبكة لتجارة المخدرات وإلقاء القبض على أفرادها في المثنى‬Drug
trafficking network dismantled and member arrested in Muthanna], 14 November 2023, url; NINA, ‫االستخبارات تطيح‬‫[ بثالثة من تجار ومروجي المخدرات في محافظتي المثنى والنجف‬Intelligence catches three drug dealers und traffickers in Najaf
and Muthanna governorates], 2 October 2023, url; Rudaw, Iraq busts captagon lab in Muthanna, 16 July 2023, url;
NINA, ‫) كيلو غرامات من مادة الكريستال في محافظة المثنى‬5( ‫[ القبض على ثالثة تجار مخدرات بحوزتهم‬Three drug dealers arrested
in possession of 5 kilogram of crystal in Muthanna governorate], 9 May 2023, url
1204
EUAA analysis based on ACLED data. ACLED, Data Export Tool, Middle East (19 April 2024), url
1200
1201

138

IRAQ – SECURITY SITUATION

0

2

4

6

8

10

12

14

16

18

Al Samawa

Al Kdidhir

Al Salman

Al Rumaitha

Battles

Remote violence

Violence against civilians

Figure 33. Security events coded as battles, explosions/remote violence and violenceagainst civilians in Muthanna governorate between 1 February 2023 and 31 March 2024.
Breakdown by district based on ACLED data.
For the period between 1 February 2023 and 31 March 2024, the UCDP did not record any
events resulting in fatalities in Muthanna governorate.1205

Civilian casualties
During the reporting period, UNAMI recorded 5 civilian casualties in Muthanna
governorate.1206 Between 1 February 2023 and 31 March 2024, UCDP did not record any
civilian deaths in Muthanna governorate.1207

EUAA analysis based on UCDP data. UCDP, data covering 1 February 2023 to 31 March 2024 provided bycourtesy of UCDP by email, 22 March 2024 & 22 April 2024
1206
EUAA analysis based on UNAMI data. UNAMI, Email to EUAA, 1 April 2024
1207
EUAA analysis based on UCDP data. UCDP, data covering 1 February 2023 to 31 March 2024 provided bycourtesy of UCDP by email, 22 March 2024 & 22 April 2024
1205

139

EUROPEAN UNION AGENCY FOR ASYLUM

Number of incidients and civilian casualties recorded
by UNAMI in Muthanna governorate(1 February 2023 - 31 March 2024)
6

5

5

5
4
3
3
2
2
1
0
Number of incidents

Civilians killed

Civilians injured

Total civilian
casualties

Figure 34. Number of incidents and civilian casualties recorded by UNAMI in Muthanna
governorate between 1 February 2023 and 31 March 2024.1208

Conflict-related infrastructure damage and explosive remnants of war
As of the end of 2022, around 81 790 909 square metres of Muthanna governorate’s area
were reported to be cluster munition-contaminated.1209 According to the 2023 Mine Action
Review, Muthanna was one of the three most cluster munition contaminated governorates in
Iraq.1210 Further relevant information on explosive remnants of war could not be found within
the time constraints of this report.

Conflict-induced displacement and return
As of December 2023, IOM’s Displacement Tracking Matrix (DTM)1211 did not document any
displacement from Muthanna governorate to other parts of the country or within Muthanna
governorate.1212
As of December 2023, IOM had not documented any returns to Muthanna governorate.1213

EUAA analysis based on UNAMI data. UNAMI, Email to EUAA, 1 April 2024
Mine Action Review, Clearing Cluster Munition Remnants 2023 [Table 1], 1 August 2023, url, p. 61
1210
Mine Action Review, Clearing Cluster Munition Remnants 2023, 1 August 2023, url, p. 66
1211
Please note that IOM does not specify the drivers for these displacements, which, among others, include conflictand insecurity. However, climate-induced displacements are not included. IOM DTM, Climate-Induced
Displacement – Central and Southern Iraq (Data Collection Period: 1 – 15 June 2023), 15 December 2023, url, p. 1
1212
IOM Iraq, Displacement Tracking Matrix, Master List Datasets, IDP 131 [Excel File; Sheet: Summary], January2024, url1213
IOM Iraq, Displacement Tracking Matrix, Master List Datasets, Returnee 131 [Excel File; Sheet: Summary], January2024, url
1208

1209

140

IRAQ – SECURITY SITUATION

2.15. Najaf

Map 16: Najaf governorate with district borders, district capitals and main roads, © United
Nations.1214

General description of governorate
Najaf (Al-Najaf, An-Najaf) governorate is located in the southwest of Iraq. It has internalborders with the governorates of Anbar, Babil, Kerbala, Qadissiya, and Muthanna and shares
an international border with Saudi Arabia to the south.1215 It is divided into the following
districts: Al-Najaf, Al-Kufa, and Al-Manathira.1216 The governorate’s capital is Najaf city, and theother major city in the governorate is Al-Kufa. Both cities – along with Karbala city – areconsidered important holy sites among Shia Muslims.1217

UNJAU, Iraq District Map, 29 January 2014, url
UNOCHA and iMMAP, Iraq: Al-Najaf Governorate Reference Map 2020, 5 May 2020, url
1216
UNOCHA and iMMAP, Iraq: Al-Najaf District Reference Map 2020, 15 July 2020, url; UNOCHA and iMMAP, Iraq:
Al-Najaf Governorate Reference Map 2020, 5 May 2020, url
1217
EPIC, ISHM Reference Guide, last revision July 2023, url
1214

1215

141

EUROPEAN UNION AGENCY FOR ASYLUM

The governorate’s population in 2022 was estimated at 1 630 8071218 and the majority of its
inhabitants are Shia Arab.1219
For further information on the governorate’s ethno-religious composition as well as its
economy, please refer to section 2.15.1 of the previous EUAA COI report: Iraq Security
Situation (January 2022).

Armed actors’ presence and control
For information on the governorate’s conflict background and on the presence and areas ofcontrol of armed actors as of January 2022, please refer to sections 2.15.2 and 2.15.3 of theprevious EUAA COI report: Iraq Security Situation (January 2022).
As of the end of 2023, Najaf did not have a provincial operations command of its own.1220 In
2023, the security responsibilities for the governorate were transferred from the Iraqi Army tothe local police.1221 Apart from the Najaf Police Command,1222 security actors operating in thegovernorate included the Najaf Intelligence and Security Directorate1223 and PMF units such as
the Abbas Combat Division1224 (26th PMF Brigade)1225 and the 2nd PMF Brigade.1226

Recent security trends
The governorate has been described as ‘relatively peaceful’ in recent years.1227 During thereference period, it witnessed armed attacks on several offices of the Dawa party bysupporters of the Sadrist Movement (mid-July 2023)1228 and unidentified militants (early
December 2023),1229 as well as an attack on an AAH office in Najaf city amid rising tensions
between Muqtada al-Sadr and rival militias in February 2024, with no reported casualties.1230
Moreover, the day of the provincial council elections1231 on 18 December 2023, unidentified
individuals attacked three1232 or four1233 voting centres in Najaf city and Al-Kufa with IEDs andIraq, CSO, ‫ الباب الثاني‬2022‫ـ‬2023 ‫[ المجموعة االحصائية‬Statistical Collection 2022-2023, Part Two], 21 August 2023,
url, p. 8
1219
EPIC, ISHM Reference Guide, last revision July 2023, url
1220
USDOD, Operation Inherent Resolve and other U.S. Government Activities related to Iraq & Syria, October 1,
2023 – December 31, 2023, 9 February 2024, url, p. 19
1221
New Arab (The), Transfer of security responsibilities from Iraq's army to local police stalled by challenges,
18 September 2023, url
1222
NINA, A force from the Popular Mobilization Forces carries out a security operation in the Najaf desert,
12 January 2024, url
1223
NINA, Three drug dealers arrested with a kilogram of crystal in Najaf, 2 March 2024
1224
Salami, M., The Role of Militias in Iraq: Evaluating their Impact and Strategies for Mitigation, CFRI, 21 February
2024, url
1225
TWI, How the United States Should View Iraq’s Shrine Militias, 5 February 2021, url
1226
NINA, A force from the Popular Mobilization Forces carries out a security operation in the Najaf desert,
12 January 2024, url
1227
EPIC, ISHM Reference Guide, last revision July 2023, url
1228
EPIC, ISHM: July 13 – 20, 2023, 20 July 2023, url
1229
EPIC, ISHM: November 30 – December 7, 2023, 7 December 2023, url
1230
EPIC, ISHM: February 15 – 22, 2024, 22 February 2024, url
1231Çalışkan, S., 2023 Iraqi Provincial Elections: Analyzing Mosul's Political Landscape, TWI, 28 December 2023, url
1232
ISW and CTP, Iran Update, December 18, 2023, 18 December 2023, url
1233
EPIC, ISHM: December 14 – 28, 2023, 28 December 2023, url
1218

142

IRAQ – SECURITY SITUATION

grenades,1234 with none of the attacks resulting in human casualties.1235 Najaf city also
witnessed several attacks by unidentified perpetrators that targeted civilians, including an IED
attack on a civilian vehicle,1236 a grenade thrown at a house that resulted in several civilians
being injured,1237 and a gun attack on an individual who had only just been released frompolice detention, leaving him severely injured.1238 Meanwhile, an armed clash between two
tribes in Al-Haydariyah subdistrict left a young girl injured.1239
A number of alleged drug dealers were arrested in anti-drug trafficking operations carried out
by the Najaf Intelligence and Security Directorate,1240 while the 2nd PMF Brigade and the Najaf
Police Command conducted at least two ‘pre-emptive’ security operations in the desert sectorof the governorate.1241

Security incidents
During the reporting period (1 February 2023 – 31 March 2024), there were 30 security
incidents recorded by ACLED in Najaf governorate, of which 14 were coded as battles, 8
explosions/remote violence, and 8 incidents of violence against civilians.1242 The majority of
security incidents were documented in Al Najaf district. According to ACLED data, unidentified
armed groups were involved in the majority of events coded as explosions/remote violenceand violence against civilians.

EPIC, ISHM: December 14 – 28, 2023, 28 December 2023, url; ISW and CTP, Iran Update, December 18, 2023,
18 December 2023, url
1235
EPIC, ISHM: December 14 – 28, 2023, 28 December 2023, url
1236
EPIC, ISHM: June 22 – July 6, 2023, 6 July 2023, url
1237
EPIC, ISHM: June 15 – 22, 2023, 22 June 2023, url
1238
Shafaq News, Unknown assailants attack a detainee released on bail outside a police station in Najaf, 9 March
2023, url
1239
EPIC, ISHM: December 7 – 14, 2023, 14 December 2023, url
1240
NINA, Three drug dealers arrested with a kilogram of crystal in Najaf, 2 March 2024; NINA, Intelligence
Directorate arrested a dangerous terrorist and six drug dealers in Babylon and Najaf, 28 January 2024, url; NINA,
Four drug traffickers arrested in the provinces of Baghdad and Najaf, 16 January 2024, url
1241
NINA, A force from the Popular Mobilization Forces carries out a security operation in the Najaf desert,
12 January 2024, url; NINA, A Joint Force Carries Out A Preemptive Operation In The Desert Of Najaf, 19 May 2023,
url
1242
EUAA analysis based on ACLED data. ACLED, Data Export Tool, Middle East (19 April 2024), url
1234

143

EUROPEAN UNION AGENCY FOR ASYLUM

0

5

10

15

20

Al Najaf

Al Kufa

Al Manathera

Battles

Remote violence

Violence against civilians

Figure 35. Security events coded as battles, explosions/remote violence and violenceagainst civilians in Najaf governorate between 1 February 2023 and 31 March 2024.
Breakdown by district based on ACLED data.
For the period between 1 February 2023 and 31 March 2024, the UCDP did not record any
events resulting in fatalities in Najaf governorate.1243

Civilian casualties
During the reporting period, UNAMI recorded 6 civilian casualties in Najaf governorate. 1244
For the period between 1 February 2023 and 31 March 2024, UCDP did not record any civilian
deaths in Najaf governorate.1245

EUAA analysis based on UCDP data. UCDP, data covering 1 February 2023 to 31 March 2024 provided bycourtesy of UCDP by email, 22 March 2024 & 22 April 2024
1244
EUAA analysis based on UNAMI data. UNAMI, Email to EUAA, 1 April 2024
1245
EUAA analysis based on UCDP data. UCDP, data covering 1 February 2023 to 31 March 2024 provided bycourtesy of UCDP by email, 22 March 2024 & 22 April 2024
1243

144

IRAQ – SECURITY SITUATION

Number of incidients and civilian casualties recorded
by UNAMI in Najaf governorate(1 February 2023 - 31 March 2024)
7

6

6

5

5
4

3

3
2

1

1
0
Number of incidents

Civilians killed

Civilians injured

Total civilian
casualties

Figure 36. Number of incidents and civilian casualties recorded by UNAMI in Najaf
governorate between 1 February 2023 and 31 March 2024.1246

Conflict-related infrastructure damage and explosive remnants of war
No information on new conflict-related infrastructure damage occurring in the reference
period could be found within the time constraints of this report. As of the end of 2022, theMine Action Review estimated the area contaminated with cluster munitions at 3 700 442
square metres.1247 Several civilians were killed or injured by explosive remnants in the AlAskari neighbourhood of Najaf city1248 and in the Al-Shabaka area near the Iraqi-Saudi
border.1249

Conflict-induced displacement and return
IOM’s Displacement Tracking Matrix (DTM)1250 statistics as of December 2023 did not record
any IDPs originating from Najaf1251 or returnees living in the governorate.1252

EUAA analysis based on UNAMI data. UNAMI, Email to EUAA, 1 April 2024
Mine Action Review, Clearing Cluster Munition Remnants 2023 [Table 1], 1 August 2023, url, p. 61
1248
EPIC, ISHM: April 13 – 20, 2023, 20 April 2023, url
1249
NINA, A child injured by a war projectile explosion, west of Najaf, 1 February 2023, url
1250
Please note that IOM does not specify the drivers for these displacements, which, among others, include
conflict and insecurity. However, climate-induced displacements are not included. IOM DTM, Climate-Induced
Displacement – Central and Southern Iraq (Data Collection Period: 1 – 15 June 2023), 15 December 2023, url, p. 1
1251
IOM Iraq, Displacement Tracking Matrix, Master List Datasets, IDP 131 [Excel File; Sheet: Summary], January2024, url1252
IOM Iraq, Displacement Tracking Matrix, Master List Datasets, Returnee 131 [Excel File; Sheet: Summary],
January 2024, url
1246
1247

145

EUROPEAN UNION AGENCY FOR ASYLUM

2.16. Qadissiya

Map 17: Qadissiya governorate with district borders, district capitals and main roads, ©
United Nations.1253

General description of governorate
Qadissiya governorate, officially Diwaniya governorate,1254 was renamed ‘Qadissiya’(Qadisiyah) in 1976 before this decision was reverted in 2008.1255 However, the name
Qadissiya is still used, including by the authorities.1256 The governorate is located in southern
central Iraq and has borders with Babil, Wassit, Thi-Qar, Muthanna, and Najaf governorates. It
is divided into the following districts: Diwaniya (Al Diwaniya), Afak (Afaq), Shamiya (AlShamiya), and Al-Hamza. The capital city is Diwaniya.1257

UNJAU, Iraq District Map, 29 January 2014, url
Iraq, Diwaniya Governorate [main page], n.d., url
1255
EPIC, ISHM Reference Guide, last revision July 2023, url
1256
University of Al-Qadisiyah, Main Page, n. d., url; Iraq, CSO, 2018 ‫[ الموجز االحصائي القادسية‬Statistical Summary AlQadissiya 2018], n.d., url; Iraq, Rasheed Bank, ‫[ فروع المصرف في محافظة القادسية‬Bank branches in Qadissiya
governorate], n.d., url
1257
UNOCHA and iMMAP, Iraq: Al-Qadissiya Governorate Reference Map 2020, 5 May 2020, url
1253

1254

146

IRAQ – SECURITY SITUATION

For 2022, the Iraqi Central Statistical Organization (CSO) estimated the governorate’s
population at 1 430 714.1258
The majority of Qadissiya governorate’s inhabitants are Shia Arabs.1259 Roma live in isolated
villages in the governorate.1260 Moreover, Bidoon communities reportedly existed in thegovernorate.1261 For further information on the governorate’s ethno-religious composition andeconomy, please refer to section 2.16.1 of the previous EUAA COI report: Iraq Security
Situation (January 2022).

Armed actors’ presence and control
For information on the conflict background and the presence and areas of control of armed
actors as of January 2022, please refer to section 2.16.2 and 2.16.3 of the previous EUAA COI
report: Iraq Security Situation (January 2022).
In September 2022, the PMF carried out raids in the southern governorates, including
Qadissiya, arresting a number of individuals with alleged ties to various groups, including the
Baath party and the Tishreen movement.1262 In July 2023, the PMF raided the local premises of
the Iraqi journalist syndicate in Qadissiya, prompting wide condemnation by journalists, as wellas on social media.1263
Armed groups, including the Ashab Al-Kahf,1264 were also reported to be active in thegovernorate during the reporting period.1265
According to the CEO of Peace Paradigms, Haidar Al-Ibrahimi, an expert on peacebuilding
and tribal reconciliation who was interviewed by EUAA for an April 2023 report on tribes in
Iraq, tribes in southern Iraq, including in Qadissiya, ‘are heavily polarized and supported by
key armed actors and have become a key competitor to state’s security institutions’.1266
Further information on the presence and areas of control of armed actors in Qadissiya
governorate in the reference period could not be found within the time constraints of thisreport.

Iraq, CSO, ‫ الباب الثاني‬2022‫ـ‬2023 ‫[ المجموعة االحصائية‬Statistical Collection 2022-2023, Part Two], 21 August 2023,
url, p. 8
1259
EPIC, ISHM Reference Guide, last revision July 2023, url
1260
MRG, Roma: Profile, last updated November 2017, url; RID, Working Paper No. 9 - Roma in Iraq and Syria On the
Margins of IDP Protection, December 2021, url, pp. 5, 9
1261
UNHCR, Statelessness and Risks of Statelessness in Iraq: Faili Kurd and Bidoon Communities, September 2022,
url, p. 23; Stateless Journey, Statelessness in Iraq, November 2019, url, p. 2
1262
Al-Araby Al-Jadeed, Iraq: the PMF state [‫ دولة "الحشد الشعبي‬:‫]"العراق‬, 19 September 2022, url
1263
Al-Arab, The Popular Mobilization Forces occupy Journalist’s Syndicate in Diwaniya [ ‫الحشد الشعبي يحتل نقابة‬‫]الصحافيين في الديوانية‬, 13 July 2023, url
1264
UNSG, Implementation of resolution 2682 (2023), S/2023/700, 26 September 2023, url, para. 25
1265
UNSG, Implementation of resolution 2682 (2023), S/2024/96, 25 January 2024, url, para. 20; UNSG,
Implementation of resolution 2682 (2023), S/2023/700, 26 September 2023, url, para. 25; UNSG, Implementationof resolution 2631 (2022), S/2023/340, 11 May 2023, url, para. 17
1266
EUAA, Iraq: Arab tribes and customary law, April 2023, url, p. 83
1258

147

EUROPEAN UNION AGENCY FOR ASYLUM

Recent security trends
According to reports of the UN Secretary-General, several attacks on convoys of ‘Iraqi
companies contracted to carry supplies for the international counter-Da’esh [ISIL] coalition’
were reported in a number of governorates, including Qadissiya, in 2023, causing nocasualties.1267 The attacks, which were carried out by Ashab Al-Kahf,1268 the International
Resistance, and the group Revenge for Muhandis,1269 resumed in the first quarter of 2023 forthe first time since August 2022.1270
Water shortages have reportedly led to conflicts between tribes in Qadissiya and Muthanna
governorates.1271
Further relevant information on recent security trends could not be found within the time
constraints of this report.

Security incidents
During the reporting period (1 February 2023 – 31 March 2024), there were 20 security
incidents recorded by ACLED in Qadissiya governorate, of which 11 were coded as battles, 6
explosions/remote violence, and 3 incidents of violence against civilians.1272 The majority of
security incidents were documented in Al Diwaniya district. According to ACLED data,
unidentified armed groups and Iraqi police forces were involved in the majority of eventscoded as battles, and explosions/remote violence.

UNSG, Implementation of resolution 2682 (2023), S/2024/96, 25 January 2024, url, para. 20; UNSG,
Implementation of resolution 2682 (2023), S/2023/700, 26 September 2023, url, para. 25; UNSG, Implementationof resolution 2631 (2022), S/2023/340, 11 May 2023, url, para. 17
1268
UNSG, Implementation of resolution 2682 (2023), S/2023/700, 26 September 2023, url, para. 25
1269
UNSG, Implementation of resolution 2631 (2022), S/2023/340, 11 May 2023, url, para. 17
1270
UNSG, Implementation of resolution 2631 (2022), S/2023/340, 11 May 2023, url, para. 17
1271
E-International Relations, Water Scarcity and Environmental Peacebuilding: A Lens on Southern Iraq, 18 May
2023, url, p. 2
1272
EUAA analysis based on ACLED data. ACLED, Data Export Tool, Middle East (19 April 2024), url
1267

148

IRAQ – SECURITY SITUATION

0

2

4

6

8

10

12

14

16

18

Al Diwaniya

Afaq

Al HamzaAl Shamiya

Battles

Remote violence

Violence against civilians

Figure 37. Security events coded as battles, explosions/remote violence and violenceagainst civilians in Qadissiya governorate between 1 February 2023 and 31 March 2024.
Breakdown by district based on ACLED data.
For the period between 1 February 2023 and 31 March 2024, the UCDP did not record any
events resulting in fatalities in Qadissiya governorate.1273

Civilian casualties
During the reporting period, UNAMI recorded 1 civilian casualty in Qadissiya governorate.1274
For the period between 1 February 2023 and 31 March 2024, UCDP did not record any civilian
deaths in Qadissiya governorate.1275

Conflict-related infrastructure damage and explosive remnants of war
At the end of 2022, there were reportedly no cluster munition-contaminated areas in
Qadissiya governorate.1276 However, two cases of explosive remnants of war detonations werereported during the referece period, resulting in the death of a child and injuries to othercivilians, 1277 one in the Umm Al-Abbassiyat neighbourhood in the Al-Shafi'iya area1278 and the

EUAA analysis based on UCDP data. UCDP, data covering 1 February 2023 to 31 March 2024 provided bycourtesy of UCDP by email, 22 March 2024 & 22 April 2024
1274
EUAA analysis based on UNAMI data. UNAMI, Email to EUAA, 1 April 2024
1275
EUAA analysis based on UCDP data. UCDP, data covering 1 February 2023 to 31 March 2024 provided bycourtesy of UCDP by email, 22 March 2024 & 22 April 2024
1276
Mine Action Review, Clearing Cluster Munition Remnants 2023 [Table 1], 1 August 2023, url, p. 61
1277
NINA, One child killed and five others injured by ERW explosion in Diwaniya [ ‫ اطفال بانفجار احد‬/٦/ ‫وفاة واصابة‬‫]المخلفات الحربية في الديوانية‬, 18 August 2023, url; NINA, Young man injured by ERW explosion in Diwaniya [ ‫اصابة شاب‬‫]بانفجار احد المخلفات الحربية القديمة في الديوانية‬, url
1278
NINA, One child killed and five others injured by ERW explosion in Diwaniya [ ‫ اطفال بانفجار احد‬/٦/ ‫وفاة واصابة‬‫]المخلفات الحربية في الديوانية‬, 18 August 2023, url
1273

149

EUROPEAN UNION AGENCY FOR ASYLUM

other in the Al-Nouriya neighbourhood of the governorate.1279 Further relevant information on
explosive remnants of war could not be found within the time constraints of this report.

Conflict-induced displacement and return
IOM’s Displacement Tracking Matrix (DTM),1280 as of December 2023, did not document any
displacements from Qadissiya governorate in other parts of the country or within Qadissiya
governorate.1281
As of December 2023, no returns to Qadissiya governorate were documented by IOM.1282

2.17. Thi-Qar

Map 18: Thi-Qar governorate with district borders, district capitals and main roads, ©
United Nations.1283

General description of governorate
Thi-Qar (Dhi-Qar) governorate is located in southern Iraq and has borders with Wassit, Missan,
Basrah, Muthanna, and Qadissiya governorates. The capital is Nasiriya (Nassriyah). The
governorate is divided into five districts: Al-Jubayish (Al-Chibayish), Al-Nasiriya (Nassriyah), AlShatra, Suq Al-Shuyukh (Suq Al Shoyokh), and Al-Rifa’i (Al Rifai).1284

NINA, Young man injured by ERW explosion in Diwaniya [‫]اصابة شاب بانفجار احد المخلفات الحربية القديمة في الديوانية‬, urlPlease note that IOM does not specify the drivers for these displacements, which, among others, include
conflict and insecurity. However, climate-induced displacements are not included. IOM DTM, Climate-Induced
Displacement – Central and Southern Iraq (Data Collection Period: 1 – 15 June 2023), 15 December 2023, url, p. 1
1281
IOM Iraq, Displacement Tracking Matrix, Master List Datasets, IDP 131 [Excel File; Sheet: Summary], January2024, url
1282
IOM Iraq, Displacement Tracking Matrix, Master List Datasets, Returnee 131 [Excel File; Sheet: Summary],
January 2024, url
1283
UNJAU, Iraq District Map, 29 January 2014, url
1284
UNOCHA and iMMAP, Iraq: Thi-Qar Governorate Reference Map 2020, 5 May 2020, url
1279

1280

150

IRAQ – SECURITY SITUATION

For 2022, the Iraqi Central Statistical Organization (CSO) estimated the governorate’s
population at 2 321 851.1285
The majority of Thi-Qar’s population is Shia Arab. There is also a Sunni minority and there arecommunities of Marsh Arabs, and small Assyrian, Chaldean Christian, and Mandean
communities.1286 Moreover, there was a presence of Black Iraqis1287 and Bidoon
communities.1288 For further information on the ethno-religious composition and economy in
Thi-Qar, please refer to section 2.17.1 of the previous EUAA COI report: Iraq Security Situation(January 2022).

Armed actors’ presence and control
For information on the conflict background and the presence and areas of control of armed
actors as of January 2022, please refer to section 2.17.2 of the previous EUAA COI report: Iraq
Security Situation (January 2022).
Shiite political forces with armed militias such as the rival groups of Muqtada Al-Sadr’s Saraya
Al-Salam1289 and the Asa’ib Ahl Al-Haq (AAH) were present in Thi-Qar1290 and other southern
Iraqi governorates, where they maintained their strongholds.1291 The PMF’s Kata’ib Sayyid AlShuhada (KSS) reportedly maintained an office in Suq Al-Shuyukh (Suq Al Shoyokh) district.1292
According to a January 2024 Shafaq News article, AAH previously had headquarters in thegovernorate’s Al-Rifa’i (Al Rifai) district.1293
The ISF were also present in Thi-Qar governorate.1294 In February 2023, Al-Mirbad reported
that the governorate’s police command had started the implementation of a broad security
plan in Al-Shatra district with the aim of establishing the rule of law in the face of tribal conflicts
and armed clashes.1295 In 2023, it was reported that the Iraqi army had transferred security
responsibilities in Thi-Qar governorate to the police.1296 In January 2024, Shafaq News
Iraq, CSO, ‫ الباب الثاني‬2022‫ـ‬2023 ‫[ المجموعة االحصائية‬Statistical Collection 2022-2023, Part Two], 21 August 2023,
url, p. 8
1286
EPIC, ISHM Reference Guide, last revision July 2023, url
1287
Atlantic Council, Black Iraqis have been invisible for a long time. Their vibrant culture and struggle must berecognized, 24 March 2023, url
1288
UNHCR, Statelessness and Risks of Statelessness in Iraq: Faili Kurd and Bidoon Communities, September 2022,
url, p. 11; Stateless Journey, Statelessness in Iraq, November 2019, url, p. 2
1289
Shafaq News, Saraya al-Salam Expels Two Members Over Disobedience in Dhi Qar, 11 May 2023, url
1290
Shafaq News, ‫ حصيلة جديدة الشتباكات "العصائب والتيار" في ذي قار‬..‫[ نشر سيطرات أمنية غير رسمية‬Deployment of unofficial
security checks: new result of clashes between the Asa’ib and the Tayyar in Thi-Qar], 21 January 2024, url
1291
Al-Arab, ‫[ األمن في مدن عراقية رهين حالة العداء بين مقتدى الصدر وقيس الخزعلي‬The security in Iraqi cities depends on
hostilities between Muqtada Al-Sadr and Qais Al-Khazali], 6 February 2024, url
1292
Al-Mirbad, ‫[ كتائب سيد الشهداء تدين االعتداء على مكتبها الخدمي في ذي قار‬Sayyid al-Shuhada Brigades condemn the attackon their service office in Thi-Qar], 29 February 2024, url; Shafaq News, An RPG damages a PMF headquarters in
Dhi Qar, 29 February 2024, url
1293
Shafaq News, ‫[ انفجار يستهدف مقرا سابقا للعصائب جنوبي العراق‬Explosion targets former Asa’ib headquarters insouthern Iraq], 29 January 2024, url
1294
Al-Mirbad, ‫[ تنفيذ خطة أمنية واسعة في قضاء الشطرة شمال ذي قار‬Implementation of broad security plan in Al-Shatra
district, north of Thi-Qar], 17 February 2023, url; Berghof Foundation, PPO, Climate change effects on conflict
dynamics in Iraq: Study of Makhmur, Tal Afar, and Al-Rifai districts, 6 October 2023, url, p. 23
1295
Al-Mirbad, ‫[ تنفيذ خطة أمنية واسعة في قضاء الشطرة شمال ذي قار‬Implementation of broad security plan in Al-Shatra
district, north of Thi-Qar], 17 February 2023, url
1296
New Arab (The), Transfer of security responsibilities from Iraq's army to local police stalled by challenges,
18 September 2023, url
1285

151

EUROPEAN UNION AGENCY FOR ASYLUM

reported that the Iraqi Ministry of the Interior had announced that it would soon take over the
security agenda in the governorate from the Ministry of Defence.1297
According to the CEO of Peace Paradigms, Haidar Al-Ibrahimi, an expert on peacebuilding
and tribal reconciliation who was interviewed by EUAA for an April 2023 report on tribes in
Iraq, tribes in Thi-Quar and other parts of southern Iraq, ‘have become a key competitor tostate’s security institutions’ and ‘are heavily polarized and supported by key armed actors’.1298
In October 2023, the Berghof Foundation reported that tribal dynamics were salient in Al-Rifa’i(Al Rifai) district, where the tribes Bani Rikab and Al-Shuwaylat were the most prominent.1299
According to a local official in Thi-Qar cited by Al-Araby Al-Jadeed in a May 2023 article, asignificant number of persons involved in the governorate’s tribal conflicts were affiliated withfactions of the PMF.1300

Recent security trends
In July 2023, EPIC reported that Thi-Qar, like much of Iraq’s southern governorates, whichwere not affected by the ISIL incursion, was ‘relatively safe’.1301
According to Middle East based researcher and analyst Haley Bobseine, who was consulted
for an April 2023 EUAA report, there have been cases of temporary closure of schools as aresult of tribal clashes because it could be dangerous for children to go to school or crosstown.1302 Water shortages have reportedly led to conflicts between tribes in Thi-Qar andMuthanna governorates.1303 Clashes between tribes and tribal violence were reported in all the
districts of the governorate, namely Al-Shatra,1304 Al-Nasiriya,1305 Suq Al-Shuyukh (Suq

Shafaq News, Iraqi Interior Ministry to take over security in Dhi Qar, Samarra, 7 January 2024, url
EUAA, Iraq: Arab tribes and customary law, April 2023, url, p. 83
1299
Berghof Foundation, PPO, Climate change effects on conflict dynamics in Iraq: Study of Makhmur, Tal Afar, andAl-Rifai districts, 6 October 2023, url, p. 19
1300
Al-Araby Al-Jadeed, ‫[ النزاعات العشائرية… التهديد األمني األول في ذي قار العراقية‬Tribal conflicts: the most important
security threat Iraqi Thi-Qar], 6 May 2023, url
1301
EPIC, ISHM Reference Guide, last revision July 2023, url
1302
EUAA, Iraq: Arab tribes and customary law, April 2023, url, p. 82
1303
E-International Relations, Water Scarcity and Environmental Peacebuilding: A Lens on Southern Iraq, 18 May
2023, url, p. 2
1304
International Crisis Group, Crisis Watch – Iraq: February 2023 – March 2024, n.d., url; Shafaq News, ‫"استخدمت‬‫ القوات األمنية توقف نزاعا عشائريا عنيفا في ذي قار‬.."‫‘[ القوة‬Use of Force’: Security forces stop violent tribal clash in Thi-Qar],
20 May 2023, url
1305International Crisis Group, Crisis Watch – Iraq: February 2023 – March 2024, n.d., url; Al-Mirbad, ‫وصول تعزيزات‬‫[ أمنية للسيطرة على النزاع العشائري في ذي قار‬Security reinforcements arrive to control the tribal conflict in Thi-Qar],
4 March 2024, url; Al-Sumaria, ‫ مقتل ثالثة أشقاء بنزاع عشائري‬..‫[ في الناصرية‬Nasiriya: Three brothers killed in tribal
conflict], 4 October 2023, url; New Arab (The), Two killed, six injured in violent tribal conflict in Iraq, 30 September
2023, url; Shafaq News, ‫ قوة عسكرية كبيرة تدخل إصالح ذي قار للسيطرة على نزاع عشائري‬..‫[ استخدمت فيه الهاونات‬Use of mortars:
Large military force enters Islah district in Thi-Qar to control a tribal conflict], 26 September 2023, url; Shafaq News,‫ عودة التوتر األمني في قضاء االصالح بسبب تجدد النزاع بين الرميض وآل عمر‬..‫[ ذي قار‬Thi Qar: Security tensions back in Islah
district due to renewed conflict between the tribes Al-Rumaid and Omar], 18 July 2023, url; Shafaq News, ‫قتلوا ضابطا‬‫ قائد شرطة ذي قار يقتحم معقل "آل رميض" جنوبي العراق‬.."‫[ بطريقة "اإلعدام‬Officer killed using ‘execution method’: Thi Qar
police chief storms Al-Rumayd stronghold in southern Iraq], 13 April 2023, url
1297

1298

152

IRAQ – SECURITY SITUATIONAl Shoyokh),1306 Al-Rifa’i (Al Rifai),1307 and Al-Jubayish (Al Chibayish).1308 Tribal clashes in thegovernorate were reported, for example, between the Atab and Hatem clans, between the
Omar and Rumayd clans,1309 between the Al-Awwad and Al-Sayed Taher clans,1310 between the
Hajam and Albu Ziyad clans,1311 between members of the Bani Sa’id (Bani Saeed) clan1312 andbetween the Bani Rikab and Al-Shuwaylat tribes.1313 Some of the clashes reportedly resulted incasualties.1314
Over the course of the reference period, sources reported recurrent tensions and clashes in
the Al-Islah area of Al-Nasiriya district between the Omar and Rumayd clans.1315 The ISF
reportedly intervened and conducted several security operations in order to contain the

Shafaq News, ‫ أشخاص بنزاع عشائري طاحن جنوبي ذي قار‬7 ‫[ قتل وإصابة‬Seven people killed and injured in fierce
fighting between tribes south of Thi-Qar], 30 November 2023, url; Al-Mirbad, ‫اصابات مختلفة في تجدد نزاع عشائري مسلح‬‫[ جنوب ذي قار‬Various injuries in renewed armed tribal conflict south of Thi-Qar], 30 November 2023, url; Shafaq
News, ‫[ انفجار يهز موقع "صالة الجمعة" الصدرية في ذي قار‬An explosion shakes Sadrist ‘Friday Prayer’ site in Dhi Qar],
17 March 2023, url
1307
International Crisis Group, Crisis Watch – Iraq: February 2023 – March 2024, n.d., url; EPIC, ISHM: April 13 – 20,
2023, 20 April 2023, url; Shafaq News, How does political conflict fuel tribal disputes in Iraq?, 25 April 2023, url
1308
Shafaq News, ‫ أشخاص جنوبي العراق‬6 ‫[ مقتل معلم يفجر نزاعا عشائريا عنيفا ويودي بحياة‬Killing of teacher sparks violent
tribal conflict and kills six people in southern Iraq], 5 January 2024, url; Al Jazeera, ‫ ما قصة النزاع‬..‫بين قتيل وجريح‬‫ العشائري في محافظة ذي قار العراقية؟‬14 [14 casualties: What’s the story behind the tribal conflict in Thi-Qar governorate?],15 April 2023, url
1309
Al-Araby Al-Jadeed, ‫[ النزاعات العشائرية… التهديد األمني األول في ذي قار العراقية‬Tribal conflicts: the most important
security threat Iraqi Thi-Qar], 6 May 2023, url; International Crisis Group, Crisis Watch – Iraq: February 2023 –March 2024, n.d., url
1310International Crisis Group, Crisis Watch – Iraq: February 2023 – March 2024, n.d., url; Shafaq News, ‫"استخدمت‬‫ القوات األمنية توقف نزاعا عشائريا عنيفا في ذي قار‬.."‫‘[ القوة‬Use of Force’: Security forces stop violent tribal clash in Thi-Qar],
20 May 2023, url
1311
Shafaq News, ‫ أشخاص بنزاع عشائري طاحن جنوبي ذي قار‬7 ‫[ قتل وإصابة‬Seven people killed and injured in fierce fighting
between tribes south of Thi-Qar], 30 November 2023, url
1312
Shafaq News, ‫[ انفجار يهز موقع "صالة الجمعة" الصدرية في ذي قار‬An explosion shakes Sadrist ‘Friday Prayer’ site in Dhi
Qar], 17 March 2023, url1313
Berghof Foundation, PPO, Climate change effects on conflict dynamics in Iraq: Study of Makhmur, Tal Afar, andAl-Rifai districts, 6 October 2023, url, p. 19
1314
International Crisis Group, Crisis Watch – Iraq: February 2023 – March 2024, n.d., url; Al-Mirbad, ‫وصول تعزيزات‬‫[ أمنية للسيطرة على النزاع العشائري في ذي قار‬Security reinforcements arrive to control the tribal conflict in Thi-Qar],
4 March 2024, url; New Arab (The), Two killed, six injured in violent tribal conflict in Iraq, 30 September 2023, url;
Shafaq News, ‫ قائد شرطة ذي قار يقتحم معقل "آل رميض" جنوبي العراق‬.."‫[ قتلوا ضابطا بطريقة "اإلعدام‬Officer killed using‘execution method’: Thi Qar police chief storms Al-Rumayd stronghold in southern Iraq], 13 April 2023, url; AlSumaria, ‫ مقتل ثالثة أشقاء بنزاع عشائري‬..‫[ في الناصرية‬Nasiriya: Three brothers killed in tribal conflict], 4 October 2023, url;
New Arab (The), Two killed, six injured in violent tribal conflict in Iraq, 30 September 2023, url; Shafaq News, ‫مقتل‬‫ أشخاص جنوبي العراق‬6 ‫[ معلم يفجر نزاعا عشائريا عنيفا ويودي بحياة‬Killing of teacher sparks violent tribal conflict and kills six
people in southern Iraq], 5 January 2024, url
1315International Crisis Group, Crisis Watch – Iraq: February 2023 – March 2024, n.d., url; New Arab (The), Twokilled, six injured in violent tribal conflict in Iraq, 30 September 2023, url; Shafaq News, ‫ عودة التوتر األمني في‬..‫ذي قار‬‫[ قضاء االصالح بسبب تجدد النزاع بين الرميض وآل عمر‬Thi Qar: Security tensions back in Islah district due to renewed
conflict between the tribes Al-Rumaid and Omar], 18 July 2023, url; Shafaq News, ‫ قائد‬.."‫قتلوا ضابطا بطريقة "اإلعدام‬‫[ شرطة ذي قار يقتحم معقل "آل رميض" جنوبي العراق‬Officer killed using ‘execution method’: Thi Qar police chief storms AlRumayd stronghold in southern Iraq], 13 April 2023, url
1306

153

EUROPEAN UNION AGENCY FOR ASYLUM

security situation in light of these1316 and other tribal conflicts.1317 On March 4, 2024, authorities
reportedly imposed an ‘indefinite’ curfew in Al-Islah following tribal clashes.1318
According to the abovementioned Berghof Foundation report, mild tensions between the Bani
Rikab and Al-Shuwaylat clans have escalated into clashes in recent years, creating an‘atmosphere of instability and mistrust’. According to interviewees and focus groups consulted
for the report, access to water was a driving force behind the conflicts. However, they
indicated that these conflicts, which had increased in the previous years, had decreased in
2023 due to increased rainfall. They also indicated that such conflicts are usually ‘effectively
and quickly resolved by tribal authorities, or security and administrative actors’.1319
In the context of an escalation of hostilities between the Sadr movement and AAH in early
2024, the Nasiriya hospital reportedly became the scene of an armed conflict between thetwo factions.1320 According to an Al-Arab article, AAH forces attempted to enter the hospitaland were prevented by Sadrist fighters, leading to an armed clash and the intervention of the
ISF.1321
Moreover, in the reference period, a KSS headquarters in Suq Al-Shuyukh (Suq Al Shoyokh)
district1322 and a headquarters of a Sadrist faction in the city of Nasiriya were targeted byunknown gunmen, without causing any casualties.1323
Furthermore, a number of attacks were carried out by unidentified perpetrators against
civilians of certain profiles or against their houses or vehicles, including against a lawyer,1324
Al-Mirbad, ‫[ وصول تعزيزات أمنية للسيطرة على النزاع العشائري في ذي قار‬Security reinforcements arrive to control thetribal conflict in Thi-Qar], 4 March 2024, url; NINA, ‫فرقة الرد السريع تنفذ عملياتها األمنية شرق الناصرية للحد من الخالفات العشائرية‬[Rapid Response Division carries out security operations east of Nasiriyah to reduce tribal disputes], 6 March 2024,
url; Shafaq News, ‫ قائد شرطة ذي قار يقتحم معقل "آل رميض" جنوبي العراق‬.."‫[ قتلوا ضابطا بطريقة "اإلعدام‬Officer killed using‘execution method’: Thi Qar police chief storms Al-Rumayd stronghold in southern Iraq], 13 April 2023, url; Shafaq
News, ‫ قوة عسكرية كبيرة تدخل إصالح ذي قار للسيطرة على نزاع عشائري‬..‫[ استخدمت فيه الهاونات‬Use of mortars: Large militaryforce enters Islah district in Thi-Qar to control a tribal conflict], 26 September 2023, url
1317
NINA, ‫[ شرطة ذي قار تنفذ حملة مداهمة الحدى القرى على خلفية نزاع عشائري‬Dhi Qar police carry out a raid on a village
against the backdrop of a tribal dispute], 23 December 2023, url; Al-Mirbad, ‫اصابات مختلفة في تجدد نزاع عشائري مسلح‬‫[ جنوب ذي قار‬Various injuries in renewed armed tribal conflict south of Thi-Qar], 30 November 2023, url; Shafaq
News, ‫ القوات األمنية توقف نزاعا عشائريا عنيفا في ذي قار‬.."‫‘[ "استخدمت القوة‬Use of Force’: Security forces stop violent tribal
clash in Thi-Qar], 20 May 2023, url; International Crisis Group, Crisis Watch – Iraq: February 2023 – March 2024,
n.d., url
1318
Crisis24, Iraq: Officials implement indefinite curfew in Al Islah District, Dhi Qar Governorate, March 4, 4 March
2024, url
1319
Berghof Foundation, PPO, Climate change effects on conflict dynamics in Iraq: Study of Makhmur, Tal Afar, andAl-Rifai districts, 6 October 2023, url, pp. 20-21
1320
Shafaq News, ‫ حصيلة جديدة الشتباكات "العصائب والتيار" في ذي قار‬..‫[ نشر سيطرات أمنية غير رسمية‬Deployment of unofficial
security checks: new result of clashes between the Asa’ib and the Tayyar in Thi-Qar], 21 January 2024, url
1321
Al-Arab, ‫[ األمن في مدن عراقية رهين حالة العداء بين مقتدى الصدر وقيس الخزعلي‬The security in Iraqi cities depends on
hostilities between Muqtada Al-Sadr and Qais Al-Khazali], 6 February 2024, url; Shafaq News, ‫اشتباك مسلح بين‬‫[ "العصائب والتيار" في محيط مستشفى الناصرية والقوات األمنية تتدخل‬Armed clash between AAH and the Sadrist movement in
the surroundings of the Nasiriya hospital and intervention of security forces], 21 January 2021, url
1322
Al-Mirbad, ‫[ كتائب سيد الشهداء تدين االعتداء على مكتبها الخدمي في ذي قار‬Sayyid al-Shuhada Brigades condemn the attackon their service office in Thi-Qar], 29 February 2024, url; Shafaq News, An RPG damages a PMF headquarters in
Dhi Qar, 29 February 2024, url
1323
Shafaq News, ‫[ انفجار يهز موقع "صالة الجمعة" الصدرية في ذي قار‬An explosion shakes Sadrist ‘Friday Prayer’ site in Dhi
Qar], 17 March 2023, url
1324
Al-Mirbad, ‫لمحام وسط الناصرية‬‫[ احتراق مركبة تعود‬Vehicle of lawyer was burned in the centre of Nasiriya],ٍ
22 November 2023, url
1316

154

IRAQ – SECURITY SITUATION

the leader of a sports club,1325 a cashier,1326 a supporter of a local election candidate,1327 ahuman resources leader of the education department of Al-Shatra district,1328 and a tribal
leader,1329 some of which caused civilian casualties.1330
In November 2023, the Netherlands Ministry of Foreign Affairs reported that drug criminalityand drug-related violence were a visible issue in Thi-Qar governorate.1331

Security incidents
During the reporting period (1 February 2023 – 31 March 2024), there were 163 security
incidents recorded by ACLED in Thi-Qar governorate, of which 78 were coded as battles, 38
explosions/remote violence, and 47 incidents of violence against civilians.1332 The majority of
security incidents were documented in Al-Nasiriya district. According to ACLED data,
unidentified armed groups and unidentified tribal militias were involved in the majority ofevents coded as battles and violence against civilians.

Al-Mirbad, ‫[ استهداف مركبة "رئيس نادي رياضي" بعبوة صوتية وسط الناصرية‬Car of ‘leader of sports club’ attacked withsonic device in the centre of Nasiriya], 19 February 2024, url
1326
Al-Mirbad, ‫[ استهداف منزل شخص برمانة صوتية وسط الناصرية‬Individual’s home attacked by sonic weapon in centre of
Nasiriya], 28 December 2023, url
1327
Shafaq News, ‫[ ذي قار تمسي على عبوتين ناسفتين وعجلة محترقة‬Destruction in Thi-Qar due to two explosive devices andburning tire], 17 November 2023, url
1328
Al-Mirbad, ‫[ مقتل شخص يعمل موظفا في قضاء الشطرة شمال ذي قار‬Employee killed in Al-Shatra district north of Thi-Qar],
30 April 2023, url
1329
Al-Mirbad, ‫[ استهداف منزل شيخ برمانة صوتية شمال ذي قار‬House of tribal leader attacked with sonic weapon in ThiQar], 25 October 2023, url
1330
Al-Mirbad, ‫[ مقتل شخص يعمل موظفا في قضاء الشطرة شمال ذي قار‬Employee killed in Al-Shatra district north of Thi-Qar],
30 April 2023, url; Al-Mirbad, ‫[ مقتل شخص يعمل روحانيا وسط الناصرية‬Spiritual worker killed in the centre of Nasiriya],
9 December 2023, url
1331
Netherlands (The), Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Algemeen ambtsbericht Irak [Country report Iraq], November
2023, url, p. 17
1332
EUAA analysis based on ACLED data. ACLED, Data Export Tool, Middle East (19 April 2024), url
1325

155

EUROPEAN UNION AGENCY FOR ASYLUM

0

10

20

30

40

50

60

70

80

Al Nasiriya

Al Rifai

Suq Al Shoyokh

Al Shatra

Al Chibayish

Battles

Remote violence

Violence against civilians

Figure 38. Security events coded as battles, explosions/remote violence and violenceagainst civilians in Thi-Qar governorate between 1 February 2023 and 31 March 2024.
Breakdown by district based on ACLED data.
For the period between 1 February 2023 and 31 March 2024, UCDP recorded one event
leading to fatalities in Thi-Qar governorate.1333

Civilian casualties
During the reporting period, UNAMI recorded 2 civilian casualties in Thi-Qar governorate.1334
For the period between 1 February 2023 and 31 March 2024, UCDP did not record any civilian
deaths in Thi-Qar governorate.1335

Conflict-related infrastructure damage and explosive remnants of war
In the context of the above-mentioned escalation of hostilities between the Sadr movement
and AAH in February 2024, the Nasiriya hospital reportedly became the scene of an armed
conflict.1336 Further information on conflict-related infrastructure damage in the reference
period could not be found within the time constraints of this report.

EUAA analysis based on UCDP data. UCDP, data covering 1 February 2023 to 31 March 2024 provided bycourtesy of UCDP by email, 22 March 2024 & 22 April 2024
1334
UNAMI, Email to EUAA, 1 April 2024
1335
EUAA analysis based on UCDP data. UCDP, data covering 1 February 2023 to 31 March 2024 provided bycourtesy of UCDP by email, 22 March 2024 & 22 April 2024
1336
Al-Arab, ‫[ األمن في مدن عراقية رهين حالة العداء بين مقتدى الصدر وقيس الخزعلي‬The security in Iraqi cities depends on
hostilities between Muqtada Al-Sadr and Qais Al-Khazali], 6 February 2024, url; Shafaq News, ‫اشتباك مسلح بين‬‫[ "العصائب والتيار" في محيط مستشفى الناصرية والقوات األمنية تتدخل‬Armed clash between AAH and the Sadrist movement in
the surroundings of the Nasiriya hospital and intervention of security forces], 21 January 2021, url
1333

156

IRAQ – SECURITY SITUATIONAs of the end of 2022, around 44 887 183 square metres of Thi-Qar governorate’s area werereported to be cluster munition-contaminated.1337 According to the 2023 Mine Action Review,Thi-Qar was one of the three most cluster munition-contaminated governorates in Iraq.1338 In
the reference period, incidents of civilian casualties in Thi-Qar caused by explosions of ERW
were reported,1339 for example in Nasiriya city1340 and in the Abu Ghar area of Thi Qar’s
southern desert region.1341 Further relevant information on explosive remnants of war could not
be found within the time constraints of this report.

Conflict-induced displacement and return
As of December 2023, IOM’s Displacement Tracking Matrix (DTM)1342 documented nodisplacements from Thi-Qar governorate to other parts of the country or within Thi-Qar
governorate.1343
As of December 2023, IOM has not documented any returns to Thi-Qar governorate.1344

Mine Action Review, Clearing Cluster Munition Remnants 2023 [Table 1], 1 August 2023, url, p. 61
Mine Action Review, Clearing Cluster Munition Remnants 2023, 1 August 2023, url, p. 66
1339
Shafaq News, ‫[ انفجار يقتل شخصا ويصيب آخر من "البدو" جنوبي العراق‬Explosion kills a ‘Bedouin’ and injures anotherperson in southern Iraq], 16 July 2023, url; Al-Mirbad, ‫[ إصابة امرأة وطفلتها بانفجار لغم أرضي في بادية ذي قار‬Woman andher child injured in landmine explosion in Thi-Qar desert], 9 January 2023, url
1340
Shafaq News, ‫[ انفجار يقتل شخصا ويصيب آخر من "البدو" جنوبي العراق‬Explosion kills a ‘Bedouin’ and injures anotherperson in southern Iraq], 16 July 2023, url
1341
Al-Mirbad, ‫[ إصابة امرأة وطفلتها بانفجار لغم أرضي في بادية ذي قار‬Woman and her child injured in landmine explosion in
Thi-Qar desert], 9 January 2023, url1342
Please note that IOM does not specify the drivers for these displacements, which, among others, include
conflict and insecurity. However, climate-induced displacements are not included. IOM DTM, Climate-Induced
Displacement – Central and Southern Iraq (Data Collection Period: 1 – 15 June 2023), 15 December 2023, url, p. 1
1343
IOM Iraq, Displacement Tracking Matrix, Master List Datasets, IDP 131 [Excel File; Sheet: Summary], January2024, url1344
IOM Iraq, Displacement Tracking Matrix, Master List Datasets, Returnee 131 [Excel File; Sheet: Summary],
January 2024, url
1337

1338

157

EUROPEAN UNION AGENCY FOR ASYLUM

2.18. Wassit

Map 19: Wassit governorate with district borders, district capitals and main roads, © United
Nations.1345

General description of governorate
Wassit (Wasit) shares an international border with Iran to the east. It borders the governorates
Diyala, Baghdad, Babil, Qadissiya, Thi-Qar and Missan.1346 According to more recent sources,
the governorate is divided into five districts,1347 while an older source lists the following six
districts.1348 Al-Aziziya (Al-Azezia), Badra, Al-Kut, Al-Suwaira, Al-Namaniya (Al-Numaniyah), and
Al-Hai (Al-Hay) – with Al-Azezia treated as a sub-district of Al-Suwaira when five districts arelisted. The capital of the governorate is Kut.1349
For 2022, the Iraqi Central Statistical Organization (CSO) estimated the governorate’s
population at 1 527 911.1350

UNJAU, Iraq District Map, 29 January 2014, url
UNOCHA and iMMAP, Iraq: Wassit Governorate Reference Map 2020, 5 May 2020, url
1347
UNOCHA and iMMAP, Iraq: Wassit Governorate Reference Map 2020, 5 May 2020, url; UNOCHA, Iraq: National
Reference Map [Map], 28 September 2021, url
1348
UN IAU, Wassit Governorate Profile [Map], November 2010, url, p. 1
1349
UNOCHA and iMMAP, Iraq: Wassit Governorate Reference Map 2020, 5 May 2020, url
1350
Iraq, CSO, ‫ الباب الثاني‬2022‫ـ‬2023 ‫[ المجموعة االحصائية‬Statistical Collection 2022-2023, Part Two], 21 August 2023,
url, p. 8
1345

1346

158

IRAQ – SECURITY SITUATION

The majority of Wassit’s inhabitants are Shia Arab,1351 but there were also communities of Feyli
Kurds1352 in Badra district and east of the capital Kut.1353 Bidoon communities, who fled Kuwait
following Iraq’s invasion in 1990 were also reported to exist.1354
For information on the economy in Wassit, please refer to section 2.18.1 of the previous EUAA
COI report: Iraq Security Situation (January 2022).

Armed actors’ presence and control
For information on the conflict background and the presence and areas of control of armed
actors as of January 2022, please refer to sections 2.18.2 and 2.18.3 of the previous EUAA
COI report: Iraq Security Situation (January 2022).
In 2023, the police force took over responsibility over the security of the governorate from the
Iraqi army.1355
According to an article by Al-Mirbad, the PMF’s Al-Abbas Combat Division1356 was present in
Wassit governorate.1357 Furthermore, Shafaq News reported that the PMF’s Saraya Al-Salam
had a headquarters in the centre of Al-Kut city1358 and that the PMF’s Harakat Al-Nujaba (HAN)
had a camp in Taj Al-Din sub-district of the governorate.1359
Further information on the presence and areas of control of armed actors in Wassit
governorate in the reference period could not be found within the time constraints of thisreport.

Recent security trends
According to EPIC, Wassit governorate was reatively calm as it was not affected by the ISIL
occupation.1360 In the reference period, sporadic security-related incidents were reported in
Wassit governorate. These included sporadic tribal clashes, resulting in casualties, for

EPIC, ISHM Reference Guide, last revision July 2023, url
UNHCR, Statelessness and Risks of Statelessness in Iraq: Faili Kurd and Bidoon Communities, September 2022,
url, pp. 10, 12, 18
1353
EPIC, ISHM Reference Guide, last revision July 2023, url
1354
UNHCR, Statelessness and Risks of Statelessness in Iraq: Faili Kurd and Bidoon Communities, September 2022,
url, p. 11; Stateless Journey, Statelessness in Iraq, November 2019, url, p. 2
1355
New Arab (The), Transfer of security responsibilities from Iraq's army to local police stalled by challenges,
18 September 2023, url
1356
TWI, The al-Abbas Combat Division Model: Reducing Iranian Influence in Iraq's Security Forces, 22 August 2017,
url
1357
Al-Mirbad, ‫[ فرقة العباس القتالية تعلن عن تنفيذ مشاريع للسكن في واسط‬Al-Abbas Combat Division announces
implementation of housing projects in Wassit], 13 June 2023, url
1358
Shafaq News, ‫[ اشتباك وتبادل إطالق نار بين مجموعة من ’سرايا السالم‘ وقوة أمنية في واسط‬Clashes and exchange of fire
between Saraya Al-Salam and ISF in Wassit], 14 January 2024, url
1359
Shafaq News, ‫ هجمات على ’كتائب حزب هللا‘ في العراق‬3 ‫[ قصف يطال معسكرا لـ’النجباء‘ في واسط والبنتاغون يتبنى شن‬Airstriketargets ‘Al-Nujaba’ camp in Wassit, and the Pentagon claims launching 3 attacks on ‘Kata’ib Hezbollah’ in Iraq],
26 December 2023, url
1360
EPIC, ISHM Reference Guide, last revision July 2023, url
1351

1352

159

EUROPEAN UNION AGENCY FOR ASYLUM

example in1361 and around the city of Kut,1362 and in the governorate’s Sayyid Al-Shuhada subdistrict.1363 A clash between Saraya Al-Salam and the ISF was also reported in the city of Kut. It
was reportedly caused when a member of the security forces attempted to search the vehicleof Saraya Al-Salam members at a checkpoint.1364 In one incident, a HAN camp in Taj Al-Din
sub-district was targeted by a drone strike carried out by unknown perpetrators.1365
Further relevant information on recent security trends could not be found within the time
constraints of this report.

Security incidents
During the reporting period (1 February 2023 – 31 March 2024), 16 security incidents wererecorded by ACLED in Wassit governorate, of which 7 were coded as battles, 3
explosions/remote violence, and 6 incidents of violence against civilians.1366 The majority of
security incidents were documented in Al Kut district. According to ACLED data, unidentified
armed groups were involved in the majority of events coded as battles and violence against
civilians.

Shafaq News, ‫ مقتل شخص بهجوم مسلح في واسط‬..‫[ بسبب خالفات مالية وعشائرية‬Because of financial and tribal disputes:
Individual killed in armed attack in Wassit], 23 February 2024, url
1362
Shafaq News, ‫ نزاع عشائري شارك فيه العشرات وتسبب بمقتل شخص‬..‘‫[ ’مشاجرة واسط‬Wassit: Dozens participate in tribal
clashes, which led to killing of one person], 21 January 2024, url
1363
Shafaq News, ‫[ قتيل وجرحى بنزاع مسلح في واسط‬One person killed and others injured as a result of armed clash in
Wassit], 2 May 2023, url; Shafaq News, ‫[ الداخلية توقف مدير شرطة وآمر فوج بسبب استعراض عشائري مسلح في واسط‬Armedtribal parade in Wassit leads to arrest of police director and regiment commander by Ministry for Internal Affairs],
5 May 2023, url
1364
Shafaq News, ‫[ اشتباك وتبادل إطالق نار بين مجموعة من ’سرايا السالم‘ وقوة أمنية في واسط‬Clashes and exchange of fire
between Saraya Al-Salam and ISF in Wassit], 14 January 2024, url
1365
Shafaq News, ‫ هجمات على ’كتائب حزب هللا‘ في العراق‬3 ‫[ قصف يطال معسكرا لـ’النجباء‘ في واسط والبنتاغون يتبنى شن‬Airstriketargets ‘Al-Nujaba’ camp in Wassit, and the Pentagon claims launching 3 attacks on ‘Kata’ib Hezbollah’ in Iraq],
26 December 2023, url
1366
EUAA analysis based on ACLED data. ACLED, Data Export Tool, Middle East (19 April 2024), url
1361

160

IRAQ – SECURITY SITUATION

0

2

4

6

8

10

12

Al KutAl HaiAl Suwaira

Badra

Battles

Remote violence

Violence against civilians

Figure 39. Security events coded as battles, explosions/remote violence and violenceagainst civilians in Wassit governorate between 1 February 2023 and 31 March 2024.
Breakdown by district based on ACLED data.
For the period between 1 February 2023 and 31 March 2024, UCDP did not record any events
resulting in fatalities in Wassit governorate.1367

Civilian casualties
During the reporting period, UNAMI recorded 2 civilian casualties in Wassit governorate.1368
For the period between 1 February 2023 and 31 March 2024, UCDP did not record any civilian
deaths in Wassit governorate.1369

Conflict-related infrastructure damage and explosive remnants of war
Information on conflict-related infrastructure damage in the reference period could not befound within the time constraints of this report.
As of the end of 2022, Mine Action review had not documented any cluster munition
contaminated area in Wassit governorate.1370 However, in January 2023, Al-Mirbad reported
that a member of the security forces was injured in Zurbatiyah city by an ERW explosion.1371

EUAA analysis based on UCDP data. UCDP, data covering 1 February 2023 to 31 March 2024 provided bycourtesy of UCDP by email, 22 March 2024 & 22 April 2024
1368
UNAMI, Email to EUAA, 1 April 2024
1369
EUAA analysis based on UCDP data. UCDP, data covering 1 February 2023 to 31 March 2024 provided bycourtesy of UCDP by email, 22 March 2024 & 22 April 2024
1370
Mine Action Review, Clearing Cluster Munition Remnants 2023 [Table 1], 1 August 2023, url, p. 61
1371
Al-Mirbad, ‫[ إصابة منتسب أمني بانفجار لغم حربي في واسط‬Member of security forces was injured by a mine explosion in
Wassit], 12 January 2023, url
1367

161

EUROPEAN UNION AGENCY FOR ASYLUM

Conflict-induced displacement and return
As of December 2023, IOM’s Displacement Tracking Matrix (DTM)1372 did not document any
displacement from Wassit governorate to other parts of the country or within Wassit
governorate.1373
As of December 2023, IOM has not documented any returns to Wassit governorate.1374

Please note that IOM does not specify the drivers for these displacements, which, among others, include
conflict and insecurity. However, climate-induced displacements are not included. IOM DTM, Climate-Induced
Displacement – Central and Southern Iraq (Data Collection Period: 1 – 15 June 2023), 15 December 2023, url, p. 1
1373
IOM Iraq, Displacement Tracking Matrix, Master List Datasets, IDP 131 [Excel File; Sheet: Summary], January2024, url1374
IOM Iraq, Displacement Tracking Matrix, Master List Datasets, Returnee 131 [Excel File; Sheet: Summary],
January 2024, url
1372

162

IRAQ – SECURITY SITUATION

Annex 1: Bibliography
Public sources
AA (Anadolu Agency), 2nd drone targeting US-led coalition base near Iraq's Erbil airport shot
down in last 24 hours, 12 January 2024, https://www.aa.com.tr/en/middle-east/2nd-dronetargeting-us-led-coalition-base-near-iraqs-erbil-airport-shot-down-in-last-24-hours/3106711,
accessed 28 March 2024
ACAPS, Humanitarian Access Overview, July 2023,
https://www.acaps.org/fileadmin/Data_Product/Main_media/20230705_ACAPS_Global_Analy
sis_Hub_Humanitarian_Access_Overview.pdf, accessed 2 April 2024
ACAPS, Who we are, n.d., https://www.acaps.org/en/about-us/who-we-are, accessed 2 April
2024
ACLED (Armed Conflict Location & Event Data Project), Conflict Exposure, n.d.,
https://acleddata.com/conflict-exposure/, accessed 2 April 2024
ACLED (Armed Conflict Location and Event Data Project), Curated Data Files, Iraq, data
covering 1 February 2023 to 26 January 2024, as of 26 January 2024,
https://acleddata.com/curated-data-files/, accessed 28 March 2024
ACLED (Armed Conflict Location and Event Data Project), Regional Overview Middle East –June 2023, 6 July 2023, https://acleddata.com/2023/07/06/regional-overview-middle-eastjune-2023/, accessed 21 March 2024
ACLED (Armed Conflict Location and Event Data Project), Regional Overview Middle East –September 2023, 5 October 2023, https://acleddata.com/2023/10/05/regional-overviewmiddle-east-september-2023/, accessed 21 March 2024
ACLED (Armed Conflict Location & Event Data Project), The Muqawama and Its Enemies
Shifting Patterns in Iran-Backed Shiite Militia Activity in Iraq, 23 May 2023,
https://acleddata.com/2023/05/23/the-muqawama-and-its-enemies-shifting-patterns-in-iranbacked-shiite-militia-activity-in-iraq/, accessed 5 April 2024
AFP (Agence France-Presse), Up to 500 IS fighters still active in Iraq: military, 12 March 2023,
https://www.dowjones.com/professional/factiva/, accessed 28 March 2024
AGO (Aid Gate Organization), Household Assessments and Focus Group Discussions: Akre,
Kurdistan Region of Iraq – March-April 2023, 23 June 2023, available at:https://reliefweb.int/attachments/3e625613-8943-471e-8b2cf1aa03b275ad/servlet.FileDownload.pdf, accessed 21 March 2024
AGSIW (The Arab Gulf States Institute in Washington), Identity and Power Politics: Iraq’s
Popular Mobilization Forces on the Arbaeen Pilgrimage, 24 October 2023,

163

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https://agsiw.org/identity-and-power-politics-iraqs-popular-mobilization-forces-on-the-arbaeenpilgrimage/, accessed 2 April 2024
AI (Amnesty International), Amnesty International Report 2022/23; The State of the World's
Human Rights; Iraq 2022, 27 March 2023, https://www.amnesty.org/en/location/middle-eastand-north-africa/iraq/report-iraq/, accessed 25 March 2024
Airwars, US-led coalition in Iraq & Syria [filter: Sulaymaniyah; Turkish-Military], as of 4 March
2024, https://airwars.org/civilian-casualties/?end_date=2024-0319&search=sulaymaniyah&start_date=2023-02-01&belligerent=turkish-military, accessed
4 March 2024
Airwars, US-led coalition in Iraq & Syria [filter: US forces, US-led coalition; incidents with civilian
harm allegations], as of 11 March 2024, https://airwars.org/civiliancasualties/?order=desc&orderby=alleged_fatalities&start_date=2023-0201&country=iraq&civilian_harm_reported=yes&belligerent=us-forces,coalition, accessed
11 March 2024
Airwars, Who we are, n.d., https://airwars.org/about/team/, accessed 2 April 2024
Al Ibrahimi H., Interview with EUAA, 3 November 2022, originally cited in EUAA, COI Report,
Iraq: Arab tribes and customary law, April 2023,
https://coi.euaa.europa.eu/administration/easo/PLib/2023_04_EUAA_COI_Report_Iraq_Arab_tribes_and_customary_law.pdf, accessed 9 April 2024
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New Arab (The), Two killed in Iraq strike blamed on Turkey, 21 February 2024,
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New Arab (The), US drones remain active over Iraq's airspace despite fragile ceasefire, 1
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199

EUROPEAN UNION AGENCY FOR ASYLUMNINA (National Iraqi News Agency), 10 kilograms of crystal seized from three drug traffickers in
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NINA (National Iraqi News Agency), 14 Persons Of Foreign Nationality, Tried To Infiltrate Into
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NINA (National Iraqi News Agency), 17 Foreign Infiltrators, Tried To Cross The Border In Basra
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NINA (National Iraqi News Agency), A Child Killed And His Father Injured In An IED Explosion
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NINA (National Iraqi News Agency), A child killed when an explosive device left by ISIS
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NINA (National Iraqi News Agency), A civilian died in the explosion of war remnants north of
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NINA (National Iraqi News Agency), A civilian injured by the explosion of a device left behindby ISIS terrorists in the right side of Mosul, 25 February 2024,
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NINA (National Iraqi News Agency), A Civilian Killed in An Armed Attack West Of Mosul,
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200

IRAQ – SECURITY SITUATIONNINA (National Iraqi News Agency), A doctor assassinated in Baquba, 22 February 2023,
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NINA (National Iraqi News Agency), A farmer killed by unknown gunmen in Diyala,
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NINA (National Iraqi News Agency), A fighter in the Popular Mobilization killed in an explosive
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NINA (National Iraqi News Agency), A Fisherman Killed And Another Wounded In An ISIS
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NINA (National Iraqi News Agency), A force from the Popular Mobilization Forces carries out asecurity operation in the Najaf desert, 12 January 2024,
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NINA (National Iraqi News Agency), A Joint Force Carries Out A Preemptive Operation In The
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NINA (National Iraqi News Agency), A shepherd killed and another one wounded when an
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NINA (National Iraqi News Agency), A woman was killed and others from one family were
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NINA (National Iraqi News Agency), An armed tribal conflict north of Basra resolved,
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NINA (National Iraqi News Agency), An unknown person opens fire on shops and cars in AlZubair, Basra, 13 December 2023, https://ninanews.com/Website/News/Details?Key=1095257,
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NINA (National Iraqi News Agency), Arresting those accused of firing gunshots at a tribal
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NINA (National Iraqi News Agency), Assassination of the son of Suleiman Beg Police Chief,south of Kirkuk, 12 March 2024, https://ninanews.com/Website/News/Details?key=1112677,
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201

EUROPEAN UNION AGENCY FOR ASYLUMNINA (National Iraqi News Agency), Basra police reveal the murder of a woman in the north of
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NINA (National Iraqi News Agency), Eight foreigners who tried to infiltrate Iraqi territory werearrested in Basra, 24 June 2023, https://ninanews.com/Website/news/Details?key=1061232,
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NINA (National Iraqi News Agency), Gang members arrested after an armed clash in Karbala,
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NINA (National Iraqi News Agency), Intelligence Directorate arrested a dangerous terrorist andsix drug dealers in Babylon and Najaf, 28 January 2024,
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NINA (National Iraqi News Agency), Karbala police arrest a dangerous drug dealer, 14 January2024, https://ninanews.com/Website/News/Details?Key=1100857, accessed 2 April 2024
NINA (National Iraqi News Agency), Karbala police finds large quantities of weapons andequipment, 10 February 2023, https://ninanews.com/Website/News/Details?key=1032536,
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NINA (National Iraqi News Agency), One child killed and five others injured by ERW explosion
in Diwaniya [‫ اطفال بانفجار احد المخلفات الحربية في الديوانية‬/٦/ ‫]وفاة واصابة‬, 18 August 2023,
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NINA (National Iraqi News Agency), One person killed and another one injured when a Turkish
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202

IRAQ – SECURITY SITUATIONNINA (National Iraqi News Agency), Resolving an armed tribal conflict and arresting 10 of its
perpetrators north of Basra, 28 October 2023,
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NINA (National Iraqi News Agency), Resolving an armed tribal conflict and arresting those
responsible south of Basra, 15 November 2023,
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NINA (National Iraqi News Agency), Targeting the office of the Imam Ali Brigades, north of
Basra, with gunfire, 12 August 2023,
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NINA (National Iraqi News Agency), The assassination of a civilian in Al-Khalis, in Diyala,
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NINA (National Iraqi News Agency), The body of a civilian found in Baquba, 23 May 2023,
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NINA (National Iraqi News Agency), The body of a fifty-year-old civilian found in Tal Afar
district, west of Mosul, 16 October 2023, available by subscription at:https://www.dowjones.com/professional/factiva/, accessed 6 March 2024
NINA (National Iraqi News Agency), The body of a young man found mysteriously killed in
Diyala, 26 July 2023, available by subscription at:https://www.dowjones.com/professional/factiva/, accessed 6 March 2024
NINA (National Iraqi News Agency), The Popular Mobilization carries out a pre-emptive
security operation on the Baghdad-Samarra road, 2 September 2023, available bysubscription at: https://www.dowjones.com/professional/factiva/, accessed 2 April 2024
NINA (National Iraqi News Agency), The Rapid Response Division arrests two people accusedof drug trafficking in Karbala, 3 March 2024,
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NINA (National Iraqi News Agency), Three drug dealers arrested with a kilogram of crystal in
Najaf, 2 March 2024, available by subscription at:https://www.dowjones.com/professional/factiva/, accessed 2 April 2024
NINA (National Iraqi News Agency), Three persons accused of smuggling petroleum
derivatives arrested and their vehicles seized in Babylon and Karbala, 1 October 2023,
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NINA (National Iraqi News Agency), Two children killed and their third brother wounded in amine explosion in the Rumaila area, west of Basra, 11 September 2023,
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203

EUROPEAN UNION AGENCY FOR ASYLUMNINA (National Iraqi News Agency), Two children were injured in a military remnant explosion
in a Safwan farm, west of Basra, 18 July 2023,
https://ninanews.com/Website/news/Details?key=1065649, accessed 2 April 2024
NINA (National Iraqi News Agency), Two civilians seriously injured by unidentified gunmen'sbullets northwest of Mosul, 17 January 2024,
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NINA (National Iraqi News Agency), Two people injured in a tribal dispute and two of its
instigators arrested in Basra, 10 November 2023,
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NINA (National Iraqi News Agency), Young man injured by ERW explosion in Diwaniya [ ‫اصابة‬‫]شاب بانفجار احد المخلفات الحربية القديمة في الديوانية‬,https://www.ninanews.com/Website/News/Details?key=1102457, accessed 3 April 2024
NINA (National Iraqi News Agency), ‫استخبارات الحشد تلقي القبض على احد عناصر “الحركة المولوية ” في المثنى‬[PMU intelligence arrests member of ‘Mawlawi movement’ in Muthanna], 7 February 2024,
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NINA (National Iraqi News Agency), ‫[ استشهاد احد عناصر الحشد الشعبي شمال الحلة‬A member of the
Popular Mobilization Forces killed in north of Hilla], 13 July 2023,
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NINA (National Iraqi News Agency), ‫[ اصابة ثالثة اشخاص بنزاع عشائري جنوب الحلة‬Three people injuredin tribal conflict south of Hilla], 1 December 2023,
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NINA (National Iraqi News Agency), ‫[ اصابة ثالثة اشخاص بنزاع عشائري في بابل‬Three people injured intribal conflict in Babil], 20 October 2023,
https://www.ninanews.com/Website/News/Details?key=1084978, accessed 28 March 2024
NINA (National Iraqi News Agency), ‫[ اصابة ستة اشخاص بنزاع عشائري شمال الحلة‬Six people injured intribal conflict north of Hilla], 5 November 2023,
https://www.ninanews.com/Website/News/Details?key=1088113, accessed 28 March 2024
NINA (National Iraqi News Agency), ‫االستخبارات تطيح بثالثة من تجار ومروجي المخدرات في محافظتي المثنى‬‫[ والنجف‬Intelligence catches three drug dealers und traffickers in Najaf and Muthanna
governorates], 2 October 2023,
https://www.ninanews.com/Website/News/Details?key=1080917, accessed 28 March 2024
NINA (National Iraqi News Agency), ‫ القبض على أحد المروجين لحزب البعث المنحل في محافظة‬.. ‫الحشد الشعبي‬‫[ ميسان‬The Popular Mobilization Forces arrested a person promoting the dissolved Baath Partyin Missan governorate], 4 February 2024,
https://www.ninanews.com/Website/News/Details?key=1104748, accessed 28 March 2024
NINA (National Iraqi News Agency), ‫) كيلو غرامات من مادة الكريستال‬5( ‫القبض على ثالثة تجار مخدرات بحوزتهم‬‫[ في محافظة المثنى‬Three drug dealers arrested in possession of 5 kilogram of crystal in Muthanna

204

IRAQ – SECURITY SITUATION

governorate], 9 May 2023, https://www.ninanews.com/Website/News/Details?key=1052365,
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NINA (National Iraqi News Agency), ‫[ تعرض نائب الى محاولة اغتيال في العمارة‬Assassination attempt ofmember of parliament in Amarah city], 5 February 2023,
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NINA (National Iraqi News Agency), ‫رئيس المجلس االعلى االسالمي العراقي يدين االعتداء االمريكي ضد مقرات‬‫[ الحشد الشعبي‬Head of Iraqi Islamic Supreme Council condemns US attack on headquarters of thePMU], 26 December 2023, https://www.ninanews.com/Website/News/Details?key=1097525,
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NINA (National Iraqi News Agency), ‫[ شرطة ذي قار تنفذ حملة مداهمة الحدى القرى على خلفية نزاع عشائري‬Dhi
Qar police carry out a raid on a village against the backdrop of a tribal dispute], 23 December
2023, https://www.ninanews.com/Website/News/Details?key=1096938, accessed 3 April 2024
NINA (National Iraqi News Agency), ‫فرقة الرد السريع تنفذ عملياتها األمنية شرق الناصرية للحد من الخالفات العشائرية‬[Rapid Response Division carries out security operations east of Nasiriyah to reduce tribal
disputes], 6 March 2024, https://www.ninanews.com/Website/News/Details?key=1111497,
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NINA (National Iraqi News Agency), ‫[ مصرع شاب بإنفجار لغم ارضي في منطقة حدودية بميسان‬Young man
killed in landmine explosion in border area of Missan], 22 August 2023,
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NINA (National Iraqi News Agency), ‫[ وفاة شخص نتيجة انفجار لغم ارضي شمال الحلة‬Death of Individual bylandmine explosion north of Hilla], 3 August 2023,
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Shafaq News, ‫ نزاع عشائري شارك فيه العشرات وتسبب بمقتل شخص‬..‘‫[ ’مشاجرة واسط‬Wassit: Dozens
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https://shafaq.com/ar/%D8%A3%D9%85%D9%80%D9%86/%D9%85%D8%B4%D8%A7%D8%A
C%D8%B1%D8%A9-%D9%88%D8%A7%D8%B3%D8%B7-%D9%86%D8%B2%D8%A7%D8%B9%D8%B9%D8%B4%D8%A7-%D8%B1%D9%8A-%D8%B4%D8%A7%D8%B1%D9%83%D9%81%D9%8A%D9%87-%D8%A7%D9%84%D8%B9%D8%B4%D8%B1%D8%A7%D8%AA%D9%88%D8%AA%D8%B3%D8%A8%D8%A8-%D8%A8%D9%85%D9%82%D8%AA%D9%84%D8%B4%D8%AE%D8%B5, accessed 3 April 2024
Shafaq News, 6 February 2024, ‫ فيديو‬..‫استهداف منزل موظف حكومي بديوان محافظة ميسان بعبوة ناسفة‬[Targeting of government official’s house in Missan governorate with explosive device: video],
6 February 2024,
https://shafaq.com/ar/%D8%A3%D9%85%D9%80%D9%86/%D8%A7%D8%B3%D8%AA%D9%8
7%D8%AF%D8%A7%D9%81-%D9%85%D9%86%D8%B2%D9%84%D9%85%D9%88%D8%B8%D9%81-%D8%AD%D9%83%D9%88%D9%85%D9%8A%D8%A8%D8%AF%D9%8A%D9%88%D8%A7%D9%86%D9%85%D8%AD%D8%A7%D9%81%D8%B8%D8%A9%D9%85%D9%8A%D8%B3%D8%A7%D9%86-%D8%A8%D8%B9%D8%A8%D9%88%D8%A9%D9%86%D8%A7%D8%B3%D9%81%D8%A9-%D9%81%D9%8A%D8%AF%D9%8A%D9%88,
accessed 28 March 2024
Shafaq News, 600 displaced families in Duhok seek return amid aid reduction, 21 May 2023,
https://shafaq.com/en/Kurdistan/600-displaced-families-in-Duhok-seek-return-amid-aidreduction, accessed 13 March 2024
Shafaq News, Afghan visitor killed by landmine in Maysan, 3 September 2023,
https://shafaq.com/en/Iraq-News/Afghan-visitor-killed-by-landmine-in-Maysan, accessed
28 March 2024
Shafaq News, Al-Falahi commences his duties as commander of Nineveh Operationscommand, 1 April 2021, https://shafaq.com/en/Iraq-News/Al-Falahi-commences-his-duties-ascommander-of-Nineveh-Operations-command, accessed 6 March 2024

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Shafaq News, An RPG damages a PMF headquarters in Dhi Qar, 29 February 2024,
https://shafaq.com/en/Iraq/An-RPG-damages-a-PMF-headquarters-in-Dhi-Qar, accessed 3 April
2024
Shafaq News, Assassination of senior Asaib Ahl al-Haq leader in Maysan, 4 February 2024,
https://shafaq.com/en/Iraq-News/Assassination-of-senior-Asaib-Ahl-al-Haq-leader-in-Maysan,accessed 28 March 2024
Shafaq News, Attack on Maysan governor’s residence in southern Iraq raises security
concerns, 7 October 2023, https://shafaq.com/en/Iraq-News/Attack-on-Maysan-governor-sresidence-in-southern-Iraq-raises-security-concerns, accessed 28 March 2024
Shafaq, Baghdad: A Metropolis city struggles with population surges and traffic woes, 8February 2024, https://www.rudaw.net/english/middleeast/iraq/130120246, accessed 5 April
2024
Shafaq News, Basra man faces tribal pressure after suing robbers, 3 March 2024,
https://shafaq.com/en/Iraq/Basra-man-faces-tribal-pressure-after-suing-robbers, accessed
2 April 2024
Shafaq News, Basra: Explosive device near AAH headquarters; gunfire targets governmentbuildings, 17 March 2024, https://shafaq.com/en/Iraq/Basra-Explosive-device-near-AAHheadquarters-gunfire-targets-government-buildings, accessed 2 April 2024
Shafaq News, Clashes between Turkish military, PKK ignite forest fires in Duhok,
20 September 2023, https://shafaq.com/en/Kurdistan/Clashes-between-Turkish-military-PKKin-Duhok-ignite-forest-fires-in-Duhok, accessed 21 March 2024
Shafaq News, CTG: Booby-Trapped Drone Targets Border Guards Headquarters in Kurdistan
Region, 5 July 2023, https://shafaq.com/en/Kurdistan/CTG-Booby-Trapped-Drone-TargetsBorder-Guards-Headquarters-in-Kurdistan-Region, accessed 21 March 2024
Shafaq News, Death of Zeravani forces member due to electric shock near Mosul,
23 February 2024, https://shafaq.com/en/Kurdistan/Death-of-Zeravani-forces-member-due-toelectric-shock-near-Mosul, accessed 21 March 2024
Shafaq News, Diyala implements extensive security plan in al-Waqf bassin, 22 May 2023,
https://shafaq.com/en/Iraq-News/Diyala-implements-extensive-security-plan-in-al-Waqf-bassin,
accessed 6 March 2024
Shafaq News, Duhok detonates 100 mines and unexploded bombs, 15 February 2023,
https://shafaq.com/en/Kurdistan/Duhok-detonates-100-mines-and-unexploded-bombs,
accessed 21 March 2024
Shafaq News, Ending tension between Saraya al-Sadr and Kataib Hezbollah that almost
sparked an armed clash south of Baghdad (photos + video), 9 April 2023,
https://shafaq.com/ar/%D8%A3%D9%85%D9%80%D9%86/%D9%86%D9%87%D8%A7%D8%AA%D9%88%D8%AA%D9%8A%D8%B1-%D8%A8%D9%8A%D9%86%D8%B3%D8%B1%D8%A7%D9%8A%D8%A7-%D8%A7%D9%84%D8%B5%D8%AF%D8%B1215

EUROPEAN UNION AGENCY FOR ASYLUM%D9%88%D9%83%D8%AA%D8%A7-%D8%A8-%D8%AD%D8%B2%D8%A8%D8%A7%D9%84%D9%84%D9%87-%D9%83%D8%A7%D8%AF-%D9%8A%D9%81%D8%AC%D8%B1-%D8%B5%D8%AF%D8%A7%D9%85%D8%A7%D9%85%D8%B3%D9%84%D8%AD%D8%A7-%D8%AC%D9%86%D9%88%D8%A8%D9%8A%D8%A8%D8%BA%D8%AF%D8%A7%D8%AF-%D8%B5%D9%88%D8%B1, accessed 5 April
2024
Shafaq News, Explosive device injures senior Iraqi army officers in Diyala, 18 September 2023,
https://shafaq.com/en/Iraq-News/Explosive-device-injures-senior-Iraqi-army-officers-in-Diyala,accessed 6 March 2024
Shafaq News, How does political conflict fuel tribal disputes in Iraq?, 25 April 2023,
https://www.shafaq.com/en/Report/How-does-political-conflict-fuel-tribal-disputes-in-Iraq,
accessed 3 April 2024
Shafaq News, Iraqi forces destroy ISIS hideouts in Diyala, 5 February 2024,
https://shafaq.com/en/Iraq-News/Iraqi-forces-destroy-ISIS-hideouts-in-Diyala, accessed
6 March 2024
Shafaq News, Iraqi Interior Ministry to take over security in Dhi Qar, Samarra, 7 January 2024,
https://shafaq.com/en/Iraq/Iraqi-Interior-Ministry-to-take-over-security-in-Dhi-Qar-Samarra,
accessed 3 April 2024
Shafaq News, Iraqi Joint Operations Command executes airstrike on ISIS sites in Saladin,
30 November 2023, https://shafaq.com/en/Iraq/Iraqi-Joint-Operations-Command-executesairstrike-on-ISIS-sites-in-Saladin, accessed 12 March 2024
Shafaq News, Iraqi Security at Risk: the conflict between Asa'ib Ahl al-Haq and Saraya AlSalam, 22 February 2024, https://shafaq.com/en/Report/Iraqi-Security-at-Risk-the-conflictbetween-Asa-ib-Ahl-al-Haq-and-Saraya-Al-Salam, accessed 5 April 2024
Shafaq News, Iraqi Security Forces Carry Out an Inspection Operation in a Critical Territory,
5 August 2023, https://shafaq.com/en/Iraq/Iraqi-Security-Forces-Carry-Out-an-InspectionOperation-in-a-Critical-Territory, accessed 13 March 2024
Shafaq News, Iraqi Security Forces Repel Terrorist Attack in Samarra, Killing 3 Attackers,
11 May 2023, https://shafaq.com/en/Iraq/Iraqi-Security-Forces-Repel-Terrorist-Attack-inSamarra-Killing-3-Attackers, accessed 12 March 2024
Shafaq News, Iraq's CTS Kills Five ISIS Members in Kirkuk, 7 July 2023,
https://shafaq.com/en/Iraq-News/Iraq-s-CTS-Kills-Five-ISIS-Members-in-Kirkuk, accessed
6 March 2024
Shafaq News, Iraq's Federal Court rejects lawsuit challenging nomination for Parliament
Speaker, published by Hatha Alyoum, 28 February 2024,
https://english.hathalyoum.net/articles/104346-iraqs-federal-court-rejects-lawsuit-challengingnomination-for-parliament, accessed 29 February 2024

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Shafaq News, Kurdish organization denounces Turkish intelligence for targeting one of its
members, 19 April 2023, https://shafaq.com/en/Kurdistan/Kurdish-organization-denouncesTurkish-intelligence-for-targeting-one-of-its-members, accessed 21 March 2024
Shafaq News, Kurdish Peshmerga commander reveals ISIS's hidden movement in Iraq's
border areas, 13 October 2023, https://api.shafaq.com/en/Iraq-News/Kurdish-Peshmergacommander-reveals-ISIS-s-hidden-movement-in-Iraq-s-border-areas, accessed 6 March 2024
Shafaq News, Landmine Explosion in Erbil Kills Two Shepherds: Lingering Threats of ISIS
Remnants, 28 March 2023, https://shafaq.com/en/Kurdistan/Landmine-Explosion-in-Erbil-KillsTwo-Shepherds-Lingering-Threats-of-ISIS-Remnants, accessed 21 March 2024
Shafaq News, Military surprise operation eliminates "terrorist cell" in Saladin, 12 November
2023, https://shafaq.com/en/Iraq/Military-surprise-operation-eliminates-terrorist-cell-in-Saladin,
accessed 12 March 2024
Shafaq News, Minister: Most Christians and Turkmen in KRI reside in Erbil and Duhok,
9 December 2023, https://shafaq.com/en/Kurdistan/Minister-Most-Christians-and-Turkmen-inKRI-reside-in-Erbil-and-Duhok, accessed 21 March 2024
Shafaq News, Ministry of Planning reveals Iraq's population estimates for 2023, 6 December
2023, https://www.shafaq.com/en/Iraq/Ministry-of-Planning-reveals-Iraq-s-populationestimates-for-2023, accessed 5 April 2024
Shafaq News, Nineveh: PMF arrest member linked to ISIS's 'army of Al-Asrah', 5 January 2024,
https://shafaq.com/en/Iraq-News/Nineveh-PMF-arrest-member-linked-to-ISIS-s-army-of-AlAsrah, accessed 12 March 2024
Shafaq News, Observers warn of potential conflict between CF and Sadrist movement insouthern Iraqi cities, 11 December 2023, https://shafaq.com/en/Report/Observers-warn-ofpotential-conflict-between-CF-and-Sadrist-movement-in-southern-Iraqi-cities, accessed 2 April
2024
Shafaq News, One person killed in Turkish bombing east of Duhok, 20 February 2024,
https://shafaq.com/en/Kurdistan/One-person-killed-in-Turkish-bombing-east-of-Duhok,
accessed 13 March 2024
Shafaq News, PKK militants attack Pershmerga unit in KRI, 12 August 2023,
https://shafaq.com/en/Kurdistan/PKK-militants-attack-Pershmerga-unit-in-KRI, accessed
21 March 2024
Shafaq News, PKK withdraws completely from Makhmour camp, 19 October 2023,
https://shafaq.com/en/Kurdistan/PKK-withdraws-completely-from-Makhmour-camp, accessed
21 March 2024
Shafaq News, PMF "neutralize" ISIS gathering in Saladin, 24 September 2023,
https://shafaq.com/en/Iraq/PMF-neutralize-ISIS-gathering-in-Saladin, accessed 12 March 2024

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Shafaq News, Saraya Al-Salam Brigades capture ISIS operative in Saladin, 31 December 2023,
https://shafaq.com/en/Iraq-News/Saraya-Al-Salam-Brigades-capture-ISIS-operative-in-Saladin,
accessed 12 March 2024
Shafaq News, Saraya al-Salam Expels Two Members Over Disobedience in Dhi Qar, 11 May
2023, https://shafaq.com/en/Iraq/Saraya-al-Salam-Expels-Two-Members-Over-Disobediencein-Dhi-Qar, accessed 3 April 2024
Shafaq News, Series of explosive attacks rock Dhi Qar, targeting a public servant's residence,a Chinese school, 24 April 2023, https://shafaq.com/en/Iraq/Series-of-explosive-attacks-rockDhi-Qar-targeting-a-public-servant-s-residence-a-Chinese-school, accessed 3 April 2024
Shafaq News, Three Iraqi soldiers killed in an ISIS in Saladin: source, 14 January 2024,
https://www.shafaq.com/en/Iraq/Three-Iraqi-soldiers-killed-in-an-ISIS-in-Saladin-source,
accessed 12 March 2024
Shafaq News, Three ISIS terrorists killed in clashes with CTS in Kirkuk, 14 November 2023,
https://shafaq.com/en/Iraq-News/Three-ISIS-terrorists-killed-in-clashes-with-CTS-in-Kirkuk,
accessed 6 March 2024
Shafaq News, Turkey bombs PKK sites in Duhok: +50 attacks in less than a month, 3 June
2023, https://shafaq.com/en/Kurdistan/Turkey-bombs-PKK-sites-in-Duhok-50-attacks-in-lessthan-a-month, accessed 21 March 2024
Shafaq News, Turkish air force strikes PKK near Duhok, 1 January 2024,
https://shafaq.com/en/Kurdistan/Turkish-air-force-strikes-PKK-near-Duhok, accessed 21 March2024
Shafaq News, Turkish Air Force strikes PKK targets in northern Iraq's Amadiyah District,
26 August 2023, https://shafaq.com/en/Kurdistan/Turkish-Air-Force-strikes-PKK-targets-innorthern-Iraq-s-Amadiyah-District, accessed 21 March 2024
Shafaq News, Turkish aircraft attack PKK sites in Duhok, 9 August 2023,
https://shafaq.com/en/Kurdistan/Turkish-aircraft-attack-PKk-sites-in-Duhok, accessed 21 March2024
Shafaq News, Turkish artillery strikes on PKK targets near Duhok raise concerns, 4 October
2023, https://shafaq.com/en/Kurdistan/Turkish-artillery-strikes-on-PKK-targets-near-Duhokraise-concerns, accessed 21 March 2024
Shafaq News, Turkish Warplanes Conduct Airstrikes on PKK Positions in Northern Iraq's
Kurdistan Region, 6 May 2023, https://shafaq.com/en/Kurdistan/Turkish-Warplanes-ConductAirstrikes-on-PKK-Positions-in-Northern-Iraq-s-Kurdistan-Region, accessed 21 March 2024
Shafaq News, Unknown assailants attack a detainee released on bail outside a police stationin Najaf, 9 March 2023, https://shafaq.com/en/Iraq/Unknown-assailants-attack-a-detaineereleased-on-bail-outside-a-police-station-in-Najaf, accessed 2 April 2024

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Shafaq News, Woman shoots a man in a government building in Duhok after a family dispute,
26 February 2024, https://shafaq.com/en/Kurdistan/Woman-shoots-a-man-in-a-governmentbuilding-in-Duhok-after-a-family-dispute, accessed 13 March 2024
Shafaq News, Unknown drone strike targets building in Kalar, 1 March 2024,
https://shafaq.com/en/Kurdistan/Unknown-drone-strike-targets-building-in-Kalar, accessed
23 April 2024
Shafaq News, ‫ قوة عسكرية كبيرة تدخل إصالح ذي قار للسيطرة على نزاع عشائري‬..‫[ استخدمت فيه الهاونات‬Use of
mortars: Large military force enters Islah district in Thi-Qar to control a tribal conflict],
26 September 2023,
https://shafaq.com/ar/%D8%A3%D9%85%D9%80%D9%86/%D8%A7%D8%B3%D8%AA%D8%A
E%D8%AF%D9%85%D8%AA-%D9%81%D9%8A%D9%87%D8%A7%D9%84%D9%87%D8%A7%D9%88%D9%86%D8%A7%D8%AA%D9%82%D9%88%D8%A9-%D8%B9%D8%B3%D9%83%D8%B1%D9%8A%D8%A9%D9%83%D8%A8%D9%8A%D8%B1%D8%A9-%D8%AA%D8%AF%D8%AE%D9%84%D8%B5%D9%84%D8%A7%D8%AD-%D8%B0%D9%8A-%D9%82%D8%A7%D8%B1%D9%84%D9%84%D8%B3%D9%8A%D8%B7%D8%B1%D8%A9-%D8%B9%D9%84%D9%89%D9%86%D8%B2%D8%A7%D8%B9-%D8%B9%D8%B4%D8%A7-%D8%B1%D9%8A, accessed
3 April 2024
Shafaq News, ‫[ استهداف منزل نائب سابق بمحافظة ميسان‬Targeting home of former member of parliamentin Missan governorate], 9 February 2024,
https://shafaq.com/ar/%D8%A3%D9%85%D9%80%D9%86/%D8%A7%D8%B3%D8%AA%D9%8
7%D8%AF%D8%A7%D9%81-%D9%85%D9%86%D8%B2%D9%84-%D9%86%D8%A7-%D8%A8%D8%B3%D8%A7%D8%A8%D9%82%D8%A8%D9%85%D8%AD%D8%A7%D9%81%D8%B8%D8%A9%D9%85%D9%8A%D8%B3%D8%A7%D9%86, accessed 28 March 2024
Shafaq News, ‫[ اشتباك مسلح بين "العصائب والتيار" في محيط مستشفى الناصرية والقوات األمنية تتدخل‬Armed clash
between AAH and the Sadrist movement in the surroundings of the Nasiriya hospital andintervention of security forces], 21 January 2021,
https://shafaq.com/ar/%D8%A3%D9%85%D9%80%D9%86/%D8%A7%D8%B4%D8%AA%D8%A
8%D8%A7%D9%83-%D9%85%D8%B3%D9%84%D8%AD-%D8%A8%D9%8A%D9%86%D8%A7%D9%84%D8%B9%D8%B5%D8%A7-%D8%A8%D9%88%D8%A7%D9%84%D8%AA%D9%8A%D8%A7%D8%B1-%D9%81%D9%8A%D9%85%D8%AD%D9%8A%D8%B7-%D9%85%D8%B3%D8%AA%D8%B4%D9%81%D9%89%D8%A7%D9%84%D9%86%D8%A7%D8%B5%D8%B1%D9%8A%D8%A9%D9%88%D8%A7%D9%84%D9%82%D9%88%D8%A7%D8%AA-%D8%A7%D9%84%D9%85%D9%86%D9%8A%D8%A9-%D8%AA%D8%AA%D8%AF%D8%AE%D9%84, accessed
3 April 2024
Shafaq News, ‫[ اشتباك وتبادل إطالق نار بين مجموعة من ’سرايا السالم‘ وقوة أمنية في واسط‬Clashes and exchangeof fire between Saraya Al-Salam and ISF in Wassit], 14 January 2024,
https://shafaq.com/ar/%D8%A3%D9%85%D9%80%D9%86/%D8%A7%D8%B4%D8%AA%D8%A
8%D8%A7%D9%83-%D9%88%D8%AA%D8%A8%D8%A7%D8%AF%D9%84%D8%B7%D9%84%D8%A7%D9%82-%D9%86%D8%A7%D8%B1-%D8%A8%D9%8A%D9%86-

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Shafaq News, ‫ مسلحون يهاجمون منزل مدير مستشفى في ميسان‬..‫[ أصابع االتهام تشير لسلفه‬Predecessor accused:
Armed men attack home of hospital director in Missan], 29 January 2024,
https://shafaq.com/ar/%D8%A3%D9%85%D9%80%D9%86/%D8%B5%D8%A7%D8%A8%D8%B
9-%D8%A7%D9%84%D8%A7%D8%AA%D9%87%D8%A7%D9%85%D8%AA%D8%B4%D9%8A%D8%B1-%D9%84%D8%B3%D9%84%D9%81%D9%87%D9%85%D8%B3%D9%84%D8%AD%D9%88%D9%86%D9%8A%D9%87%D8%A7%D8%AC%D9%85%D9%88%D9%86%D9%85%D9%86%D8%B2%D9%84-%D9%85%D8%AF%D9%8A%D8%B1%D9%85%D8%B3%D8%AA%D8%B4%D9%81%D9%89-%D9%81%D9%8A%D9%85%D9%8A%D8%B3%D8%A7%D9%86, accessed 28 March 2024
Shafaq News, ‫[ الداخلية توقف مدير شرطة وآمر فوج بسبب استعراض عشائري مسلح في واسط‬Armed tribal paradein Wassit leads to arrest of police director and regiment commander by Ministry for Internal
Affairs], 5 May 2023,
https://shafaq.com/ar/%D8%A3%D9%85%D9%80%D9%86/%D8%A7%D9%84%D8%AF%D8%A7%D8%AE%D9%84%D9%8A%D8%A9-%D8%AA%D9%88%D9%82%D9%81%D9%85%D8%AF%D9%8A%D8%B1-%D8%B4%D8%B1%D8%B7%D8%A9-%D9%88%D9%85%D8%B1-%D9%81%D9%88%D8%AC-%D8%A8%D8%B3%D8%A8%D8%A8%D8%A7%D8%B3%D8%AA%D8%B9%D8%B1%D8%A7%D8%B6-%D8%B9%D8%B4%D8%A7%D8%B1%D9%8A-%D9%85%D8%B3%D9%84%D8%AD-%D9%81%D9%8A%D9%88%D8%A7%D8%B3%D8%B7, accessed 3 April 2024
Shafaq News, ‫[ انفجار يقتل شخصا ويصيب آخر من "البدو" جنوبي العراق‬Explosion kills a ‘Bedouin’ andinjures another person in southern Iraq], 16 July 2023,
https://shafaq.com/ar/%D8%A3%D9%85%D9%80%D9%86/%D8%A7%D9%86%D9%81%D8%AC%D8%A7%D8%B1-%D9%8A%D9%82%D8%AA%D9%84-%D8%B4%D8%AE%D8%B5%D8%A7%D9%88%D9%8A%D8%B5%D9%8A%D8%A8-%D8%AE%D8%B1-%D9%85%D9%86%D8%A7%D9%84%D8%A8%D8%AF%D9%88-%D8%AC%D9%86%D9%88%D8%A8%D9%8A%D8%A7%D9%84%D8%B9%D8%B1%D8%A7%D9%82, accessed 3 April 2024
Shafaq News, ‫[ انفجار يهز موقع "صالة الجمعة" الصدرية في ذي قار‬An explosion shakes Sadrist ‘Friday
Prayer’ site in Dhi Qar], 17 March 2023,
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Annex 2: Terms of Reference
The information contained in this report will inform the update of the chapters on theassessment of the application of Article 15(c) of the Qualification Directive. The reference period
for the report should be 1 February 2023 – 31 March 2024.
•

General description of the security situation▪ Overview of conflict and recent security trends▪ Political developments▪ International involvement▪ Armed actors
o Brief description and capacityo Presence and areas of control/influence of the different actors▪ Impact of the security situation on civilian populationo Security incidentso Number and type of security incidents
o Type of weapons and tactics used
o Civilian casualties
o Conflict related infrastructure damage and explosive remnants of war
o Conflict-induced displacement and return•

Security situation and conflict impact on civilians by governorates▪ General description of governorate▪ Actors involved in conflict during the reference period and control/presence▪ Recent security trends▪ Security incidents▪ Civilian casualties▪ Conflict related infrastructure damage and explosive remnants of war▪ Conflict-induced displacement and return234