Country Profile for IRAQ

Alert for Iraq

 

Cafe bomb kills eight in Baquba - 26 April 2012:

At least eight people have been killed after two bombs exploded at a cafe in the city of Baquba.  The first explosion was caused by a suicide car bomb, whilst the second device had been planted inside the building.

Multiple bombings leave 23 dead - 19 April 2012:

At least 23 people have been killed following a series of bomb blasts across cities in Iraq.  Five bombs went off in Shia districts of Baghdad, while other attacks were reported in Baquba, Kirkuk, Samarra, Dibis and Taji.

Deadly explosions across Iraq kill 43 - 20 March 2012:

A series of deadly explosions across Iraq have killed at least 43 people and wounded some 200 more.  A total of 16 attacks have been reported in various town and cities; including Kerbala, Kirkuk and Ramadi.

Dozens killed in Iraq bombings - 23 February 2012:

At least 50 people have been killed in a series of bombings and shooting across Iraq, targeting predominantly Shia areas.  The majority of attacks took place across the capital Baghdad, where at least seven separate incidents have been reported.  Bombings have also been reported in the city of Baquba, along with Salahuddin and Kirkuk provinces.

Suicide bomb attack kills 18 in Baghdad - 19 February 2012:

At least 18 people have been killed in a suicide bomb attack in Baghdad.  A further 26 people were injured in the blast, which occurred outside the Iraqi Police Academy in the east of the city.

Shia funeral targeted in bomb attack - 27 January 2012:

At least 28 people have been killed in a bomb attack which appears to have been targeted at a Shia funeral procession.  The blast, which occurred in the capital Baghdad, is the latest in a series of attacks targeting Shia Muslims in Iraq.

Car bombs kill 10 in Shia Sadr City - 24 January 2012:

At least 10 people have been killed and a further 22 wounded in two car bomb attacks in the Shia district of Sadr City in Baghdad.

Car bomb kills eight in Mosul - 16 January 2012:

At least eight people have been killed after a car bomb exploded in a Shia area of Mosul.  A further five people were injured in the blast.

Basra pilgrims targeted in suicide bomb attack - 14 January 2012:

At least 50 people have been killed after Shia pilgrims were targeted in a suicide bomb attack in Basra.  Another 91 people were injured in the blast, which is the latest in a series of attacks on Shia pilgrims.

Further attacks on Shia pilgrims leave 19 dead - 10 January 2012:

A further series of attacks on Shia pilgrims has left at least 19 people dead and more than 60 wounded.  The attacks targeted worshippers en route to Karbala, and follows similar attacks against Shia pilgrims in Nasiriya last week.

Shia pilgrims targeted in Nasiriya - 05 January 2012:

A suicide bomber has killed at least 44 people in the city of Nasiyra, leaving a further 70 wounded.  The attack targeted Shia pilgrims who were walking towards the holy city of Karbala.

Central Baghdad rocked by bombings - 05 January 2012:

At least 24 people have been killed in a series of bombings in central Baghdad.  A further 66 people were wounded in the blasts, which occurred in the Sadr City and Kadhimiya neighbourhoods.

Car bomb kills seven in central Baghdad - 26 December 2011:

Seven people have been killed by a suicide car bomb attack outside the Interior Ministry in central Baghdad.  A further 27 people were reported to have been wounded by the blast.

Multiple Baghdad bombings kill 63 - 22 December 2011:

At least 63 people have been killed and around 185 injured following a series of bomb attacks in the Iraqi capital, Baghdad.  Explosions have been reported in 14 different locations throughout the city and included a combination of car bombs and IEDs.  No group has yet taken responsibility for the attack.

Bomb attack kills 18 Shia pilgrims - 05 December 2011:

At least 18 people have been killed and a further 45 wounded after a car bomb exploded in the central Iraqi city of Hilla.  Police believe that the car bomb was targeting a procession of Shia pilgrims.

Car bomb kills 10 in Khalis - 01 December 2011:

A car bomb has killed 10 people in the town of Khalis, around 50 miles north of Baghdad.  A further 25 people were injured in the blast, which occurred in a crowded market in the town.

Suicide bomb kills 19 at Iraqi prison - 28 November 2011:

A suicide car bomb has killed at least 19 people at a prison outside of the Iraqi capital Baghdad.  The attack took place at the gates of the Hout prison in Taji at around 0800 local time.

Basra bombings kill 19 - 24 November 2011:

At least 19 people have been killed and a further 65 wounded after a series of bomb blasts in the southern city of Basra.  The majority of the victims were police officers and soldiers.

Multiple blast leave eight dead in Baghdad - 06 November 2011:

At least eight people have been killed in Baghdad following a series of bomb blasts at a market in the ciy.  Three devices exploded in the Shurja district as people bought food for the Muslim festival of Eid.

Twin blasts kill six in Baquba - 03 November 2011:

At least six security guards have been killed and dozens more wounded after two bombs exploded in the city of Baquba in Diyala province.  The attacks, a combination of a suicide bomber and a car bomb, appeared to target members of the Sahwa, a Sunni group allied to US military forces.

Seven killed in Basra bombings - 02 November 2011:

Seven people have been killed and and 24 others wounded after multiple bombs exploded in the southern city of Basra.  No group have yet claimed responsibility for the attack.

Baghdad bombings kill 36 - 28 October 2011:

At least 36 people have been killed by twin bomb blasts in the Iraqi capital Baghdad.  The first bomb exploded in Ur in the north of the city, while the second went off as emergency services rushed to the area.

Turkish soldiers killed in PKK attack - 19 October 2011:

At least 26 soldiers are reported to have been killed in multiple attacks by PKK militants in south-eastern Turkey.  The attacks were carried out in Cukurca and Yuksekova in the Hakkari province, close to the Iraqi border.  The government have deployed troops and air support to the area, with the Turkish president, Abdullah Gul, saying "they will see that the vengence for these attacks will be immense."

Twin bomb blasts leave 16 dead in Sadr City - 13 October 2011:

At least 16 people have been killed by twin bomb blasts in the Sadr City region of Baghdad.  The bombs exploded in the al-Hay market in a predominantly Shia neighbourhood.

Multiple bombings leave more than a dozen dead - 12 October 2011:

At least 12 people have been killed in Iraq following a series of bombings in the capital Baghdad.  Another 20 were injured in the attacks, which were aimed at the countries police force.

Five killed in Baghdad bombings - 06 October 2011:

At least five people have been killed and 20 others wounded after two bombs exploded in northern Baghdad.  The first device exploded in Autafiya district in northern Baghdad, while the second exploded at the same location a few hours later, presumably aimed at police and rescue workers.

Car bomb kills 17 at Hilla funeral - 30 September 2011:

At least 17 people have been killed after a car bomb exploded at a funeral near the central city of Hilla.  The attack took place at the Nabi Ayub Shia mosque and Sunni militants are suspected of being behind it.

Karbala bombings leaves nine dead - 25 September 2011:

A series of bomb attacks have left at least nine people dead and 100 more injured in the central city of Karbala.  The attacks, which began with a car bomb, occurred outside a local government office where people were queuing up for identity cards and passports.

Bombings kill five in Ramadi - 21 September 2011:

At least five people have been killed in the western city of Ramadi following coordinated bomb attacks against provincial government offices.

Multiple attacks kill 19 in central Iraq - 14 September 2011:

At least 19 people have been killed and more than 50 injured by multiple attacks against security forces in central Iraq.  A car bomb killed 15 people in the southern town of al-Shumali, while a bomb exploded on a minibus in the western province of Anbar, killing two soldiers.  Earlier gunmen had shot dead two police officers in a suburb of north-eastern Baghdad.

Shia pilgrims attacked in western Iraq - 12 September 2011:

At least 22 Shia pilgrims have been shot dead by unknown gunmen in a remote area in western Iraq.  The attackers are believed to have setup a fake checkpoint in the desert, ordered the passengers off a bus before killing them with automatic weapons.

Nationwide violence claims 41 lives in Iraq - 28 August 2011:

At least 41 people have been killed following a series of attacks carried out across the country over the weekend.  The most deadly attack was carried out on the Umm al Qura mosque in Baghdad were 28 people were killed by a suicide bomber.  Other attacks were reported in Basra, Fallouja and Baghdad.

Turkish military claims to have killed 100 Kurd rebels in Iraq raids - 23 August 2011:

The Turkish military claims to have killed around 100 Kurdish rebels since it launched a series of artillery and air strikes in northern Iraq last week.

Shia militants issue warning to US troops - 22 August 2011:

The Iraqi Shia militant group Kataib Hezbollah has issued a statement declaring that the they are prepared for a "decisive battle" with US troops.  The group has warned against any delays in the withdrawal of US forces from Iraq.

Iraqi civilians killed in Turkish air strikes - 21 August 2011:

At least seven Iraqis have been killed by a series of Turkish air strikes in the semi-autonomous Kurdish region.  The Turkish military is carrying out operations against the Kurdistan Workers Party (PKK) in south-eastern Turkey and northern Iraq after militants killed around 40 soldiers since July.

Multiple bombings strike across Iraq - 15 August 2011:

At least 69 people have been killed after a series of bombings and shooting across Iraq.  In the most deadly attack 37 people were killed when two bombs exploded in the south-eastern city of Kut.  Other attacks have been reported in Baghdad, Twareej, Tikrit and Diyala province.

Suicide bombing kills 12 in Tikrit - 28 July 2011:

A car bombing and  a suicide bomb attack have killed at least 12 police officers and injured 30 more in the northern city of Tikrit.  The attacks were carried out as the officers were collecting paychecks at a bank in the city.

Iranian security forces clash with Kurdish separatists - 26 July 2011:

Iranian security forces have clashed with Kurdish separatists along the Iraq-Iran border.  At least two civilians have been killed and hundreds displaced by the fighting.

Double bombing near Baghdad kills 27 - 05 July 2011:

At least 27 people have been killed in a double bomb attack on a government building in Taji, 12 miles north of Baghdad.  The attack comes shortly after gunmen carried out a series of attacks across the country which left more than a dozen dead.

Security forces killed in multiple attacks - 05 July 2011:

At least 13 military and police officers have been killed after gunmen carried out a series of attacks across Iraq.  There are reported to have been at least nine attacks in total which were carried out in Baghdad, Kirkuk and Mosul.   

Multiple bombs kill 21 in Baghdad - 23 June 2011:

At least 21 people have been killed after a series of bombs exploded in a crowded market in the capital Baghdad.  More than 100 people are also reported to have been injured by the blasts which occurred at the Shurt al-Raba market in the south of the city.  

Suicide bomb attack kills 27 in southern Iraq - 21 June 2011:

At least 27 people have been killed in a suicide bomb attack in the southern Iraqi city of Diwaniya.  The attackers detonated two car bombs outside the local governor's compound in the city.  Many of the dead are reportedly police officers and dozens of people were also injured in the blast.

French embassy convoy hit by roadside bomb in Baghdad - 20 June 2011:

Seven people have been wounded after a French embassy convoy was hit by a roadside bomb in the Mesbah district of Baghdad.  Four Iraqi security guards who were employed by the embassy were among the injured.

Gunmen storm government building in Diyala province - 14 June 2011:

At least eight people have been killed after gunmen attacked a provincial government building in Baqouba.  The attackers set off two car bombs outside the building before opening fire and taking a number of hostages.

Suicide bomb kills five in Basra - 13 June 2011:

A suicide bomber has killed at least five people and injured 15 more in the southern port city of Basra.  The attacker blew up the suicide car bomb at the entrance to a police compound in the city.

Car bomb kills 12 in Tikrit - 06 June 2011:

At least 12 people have been killed in a suicide car bomb attack in the northern city of Tikrit.  The bomb exploded at the gates of security offices and Tikrit's head of military intelligence is amongst the dead.

US soliders killed in rocket attack - 06 June 2011:

Five US soldiers have been killed in a suspected rocket attack in the outskirts of Baghdad.  According to local sources the soldiers were killed when five rockets were fired into the US army base Camp Victory.

Triple bomb attack kills 10 in Ramadi - 03 June 2011:

At least 10 people have been killed in a triple bomb attack in the western city of Ramadi.  The bombs exploded near provincial government offices in the city.

Bomb kills 21 in northern city of Tikrit - 03 June 2011:

At least 17 people have been killed in a bomb attack on a mosque in the northern city of Tikrit.  Police and local officials are reported to have been amongst the dead.

Series of bombings kill 16 in Baghdad - 22 May 2011:

At least 16 people have been killed following a series of bombings in the Iraqi capital, Baghdad.  Many of the bombs appeared to target Shia areas of the city.

Multiple bomb blasts kill 17 in Kirkuk - 19 May 2011:

At least 17 people have been killed following multiple bombings in the northern city of Kirkuk.  Three bombings have been reported, with two devices exploding close to a police station.

Al-Qaeda prisoners attempt to escape from Baghdad jail - 08 May 2011:

At least 17 people are reported to have been killed after a group of al-Qaeda prisoners attempted to escape from a prison in eastern Baghdad.  The prisoners, led by Abu Huthaifa, wrestled a gun from a guard and began an assault inside the jail.  Six prison officers were killed in the assault along with 11 of the inmates.

Suicide bombing kills police south of Baghdad - 05 May 2011:

A suicide bomber has killed at least 21 police officers and wounded dozens more after blowing up a vehicle packed with explosives outside a police station Hilla, 100km south of Baghdad.  

Car bomb kills nine in southern Baghdad - 04 May 2011:

A car bomb has exploded near a market in southern Baghdad, killing at least nine people and injuring 27 more.  The attack took place in the Abu Dsheer district of the city which is a predominantly poor Shia area.

Suicide attack on mosque kills 10 - 29 April 2011:

A suicide bomber has killed at least 10 people inside a mosque in central Iraq.  The attack took place in the Imam al-Hussein mosque in Baladruz, 50 miles north of Baghdad.

Car bomb kills police chief in Kirkuk - 28 April 2011:

A car bomb has killed five people in Kirkuk, including a senior police officer.  The blast killed Colonel Mohammed Mohsen, three other police officers, one civilian and injured six others.

Clashes between protesters and police leave ninety injured - 19 April 2011:

Two straight days of clashes between protesters and security forces have left more than 90 people with injuries in the northern city of Sulaimaniya in the semi-autonomous Kurdish region.  Police are reported to have used tear gas and live ammunition to break up the demonstrations.

Car bombs kill nine in Baghdad Green Zone - 18 April 2011:

At least nine people have been killed and 20 others injured by two car bombs which exploded at the entrance to Baghdad's Green Zone.  The Iraqi government buildings and foreign embassies are located within the heavily fortified centre.

Bomb blasts kill 19 in Iraq - 12 April 2011:

At least 19 people have been killed by a series of bombings throughout Iraq.  Two explosions near a market in Falluja killed six people and injured dozens more, while a roadside bomb killed three people in Baghdad.  Two further road side bombings in Diyala province killed at least 10 people.

Deadly siege on council building leaves 20 dead - 29 March 2011:

At least 20 people have been killed after armed men stormed a council building in the northern city of Tikrit.  More than 60 people are reported to have been injured in the incident which began with a car bomb attack outside of the building.  It has also been reported that the gunmen have taken at least three people hostage.

Police killed in Kurdish protests - 23 March 2011:

Two police officers have been killed following clashes with Kurdish protesters in the northern town of Halabja.  The protesters were calling for political reforms and an end to corruption in the Kurdish Regional Government. 

Turkish nationals kidnapped from Wadi al-Shouk - 19 March 2011:

Two Turkish architects have been kidnapped by unidentified gunmen in the town of Wadi al-Shouk.  The two men had been employed by the Iraqi government to help build a school in the area.

Suicide car bomb kills 11 in Diyala - 14 March 2011:

At least 11 people have been killed and 29 more injured when a suicide car bomb exploded in the eastern province of Diyala.  The vehicle was driven into a government compound in the town of Kan'an where the suicide bomber detonated the device, destroying a two storey building in the process.

Six killed by roadside bomb - 06 March 2011:

A roadside bomb has killed six people and injured a dozen more in the southern city of Basra.  The bomb is reported to have been targeted at a US military convoy but instead struck a civilian bus.

Suicide bomber kills nine in northern Iraq - 03 March 2011:

At least nine people have been killed after a suicide bomber attacked a bank in the northern town of Haditha.  More than eight others were injured in the blast, which is believed to be the first major attack in the town since 2009.

Anti-government protesters hold "day of rage" - 25 February 2011:

At least five people have been killed in a series of anti-government protests being held throughout Iraq.  The demonstrations, which have been described as a "day of rage", are calling for political reforms and follow the similar scenes of civilian unrest which has swept through the Arab world in the last couple of months.

Suicide car bomb kills 10 police officers - 21 February 2011:

A suicide car bomb has killed 10 police officers and injured 16 more in the central city of Samarra.  The attacker is reported to have detonated the bomb in a emergency response compound. 

Suicide bomb attack in Muqdadiya kills 13 - 17 February 2011:

At least 13 people have been killed in a suicide bomb attack in the town of Muqdadiya in Iraq's Diyala governorate.  No group has taken responsibility for the attack.

Suicide bombing leaves almost 50 dead - 13 February 2011:

A suicide bombing has killed almost 50 people and injured more than 80 near the city of Samarra.  The attack targeted Shia pilgrims at a bus depot on the outskirts of the city.

Deadly car bombings hit Kirkuk - 09 February 2011:

At least seven people have been killed by three car bombings in the northern city of Kirkuk.  The explosions all occurred within minutes of each other and appear to have targeted Iraqi security forces.  The city police chief has said that the terrorist group, Amsar Al-Islam, are responsible for the attack.

Multiple bomb attacks kill 12 in Iraq - 04 February 2011:

At least 12 people have been killed in multiple bomb attacks throughout Iraq.  In the most serious attack eight people died, including five police officers, when a car bomb exploded in the centre of Ramadi.

Car bomb kills 50 in Baghdad - 28 January 2011:

At least 50 people have been killed after a massive car bomb exploded in a funeral ceremony in a Shia district of Baghdad.  More than 100 people are reported to have been injured in the incident.

Shia pilgrims targeted in twin bomb blasts - 24 January 2011:

At least 25 people have been killed and around 70 more injured in two separate car bomb attacks in the city of Karbala.  This incident follows a series of attacks against of pilgrims in recent days which have left more than 50 people dead.

Further suicide attacks kill 15 in Diyala province - 20 January 2011:

Suicide bombers have killed at least 15 people in two separate attacks in Diyala province following a renewed campaign targeting Iraqi security forces.  In the deadliest incident a suicide bomber drove an ambulance packed with explosives into a police training centre in Buqubah, killing 13 people and injuring more than 70 others.

Suicide bomb kills 50 in Tikrit - 18 January 2011:

At least 50 people have been killed by a suicide bomb outside a police recruitment centre in Tikrit.  More than 100 people were injured in the blast, many of whom were volunteers waiting to be interviewed in the centre.

Suicide bomber kill Iraqi commander - 29 December 2010:

Two suicide bombers have killed an Iraqi police commander in the northern city of Mosul.  The attackers detonated their bombs within a police compound, destroying the building and burying the commander in the process.  A third attacker was shot dead by police before he could enter the building.

Two suicide bombs kill 14 in Ramadi - 27 December 2010:

Two suicide bombers have killed at least 14 people and left almost 50 injured in Ramadi.

Suicide attacks leave 13 people dead - 12 December 2010:

Two separate suicide attack have left at least 13 people dead and over 40 injured.  The two blasts occurred in Baquaba in central Iraq and in Ramadi in the west of the country.

Bombings across Baghdad target Shia pilgrims - 04 December 2010:

At least 13 people have been killed after a series of bombings throughout Baghdad which targeted Shia pilgrims from Iran.  Police officials have reported that more than 100 people were injured in the blasts.

Car bombing strikes Shia Muslims - 08 November 2010:

A car bomb has exploded in Karbala in central Iraq, killing 10 people and injuring dozens more.  The target of the attack is believed to have been a bus carrying Iranian Shia pilgrims.

Baghdad bombings kills over 100 - 02 November 2010:

A series of coordinated bombings have killed over 100 people in the Iraqi capital.  According to officials the attacks targeted predominantly Shiite areas of the city and consisted of a combination of roadside and car bombings.  Early indications suggest that the Sunni Arab militant group al-Qaeda in Iraq are responsible for the attacks.

Iraq church siege leaves 52 dead - 01 November 2010:

At least 52 people were killed after Iraqi security forces attempted to free hostages being held in a Catholic church in Baghdad.  The Islamic militants al-Qaeda in Iraq had attacked the church and held those inside captive. 

Series of bomb attacks strike across Iraq - 20 October 2010:

A combination of bomb and grenade attack have killed 15 people and injured several others.  The attacks occurred in the central and northern governorates of Salah al-Din, Baghdad and Ninewa.

 

Iraq Data Sheet

 

Population: 30.7 million (2009 est.)

Major Religion/s: : Islam (65% Shi'a)

International dialling code: +964

International dialling prefix: 00

Emergency services: none currently in operation

Drives: Right

Voltage: 230V

Climate: Arid, semi-arid in the north

Other Major Cities: Arbil, Basra, Mosul, Kirkuk, Sulaymaniyah

Borders: Iran, Jordan, Kuwait, Saudi Arabia, Syria, Turkey

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