DAILY SUMMARY – 28 SEPTEMBER 2016

1. IS attack repelled south of the Dam 2. IS assault repelled southwest of Qayyarah Airbase 3. Security operations and IS assaults continue near Shirqat 4. Villagers north of Baquba being displaced due to purported IS attack activity 5. Security forces renew offensive operations north of Hit and northwest of Ramadi 6. Large-scale security operations continue in Maysan 7. Demonstration outside SOC Headquarters concerning employment

Iraq-wide: On 28 September, US Secretary of Defense Ashton Carter and Prime Minister Haider al-Abadi’s office both issued statements that a request for the deployment of 615 additional US personnel to support the Mosul liberation campaign had been approved. The previous force-cap for permanent personnel was roughly 4,600 troops, with new authorizations increasing the force-cap to 5,262. Carter stated these additional forces will be deployed to “train, advise and assist” Iraqi and Kurdish security forces at multiple locations including Al Asad Air Base in Anbar, and Qayyarah West in . Carter also reiterated plans to initiate the next set of advances towards Mosul in coming weeks were “on schedule.”

IS elected a new Minister of War to replace Abu Omer Shishani, who was killed in a Coalition airstrike south of Mosul. The new Minister of War, Yasin Salam, known as Abu Taha, is from the Haditha area of Anbar province, and served as the battalion commander of ’s elite Presidential Guards battalion.

On 28 September, Iraqi President Fuad Masum approved the anti-terrorism law, which addresses a range of measures to improve counter-terrorism operations. The legislation was initially approved by parliament on 13 August. Masum also approved previously discussed anti-Baath party legislation, which is aimed at preventing any return of this party in all its forms. This legislation has been controversial in large part due to its potential to possibly be used to discriminate against certain political groups falsely accused of Baathist or other extremist affiliations.

North: Limited peaceful demonstration events were reported over the review period, with teachers gathering in Koyasinjak Erbil and Sharazur Sulaymaniyah in order to call for delayed salary payments and reiterate that the school year will be boycotted on 1 October if payments are not forthcoming. Sulaymaniyah Income Tax Directorate workers also gathered to protest against delays in salary allocation.

A PUK official announced 16th Division elements have arrived to Peshmerga-controlled Khazir frontline areas in preparation for further Mosul liberation operations. The arrival of these elements has yet to be widely discussed, and the announcement having been made by a PUK representative is somewhat unusual given that Khazir is a KDP Peshmerga frontline area. Previously, false announcements of force movements have been used as part of deceptive efforts for upcoming operations. That said, Iraqi Army commitments along the Gwer and Khazir fronts have been expected as part of future Mosul operations and further confirmation of any such arrival would remain in line with ongoing staging efforts.

IS staged multiple limited attacks on 28 September. Northwest of Mosul, IS elements conducted an attack against Peshmerga forces along the Wanke frontline south of the Mosul Dam. The assault was repelled with a Zeravani Peshmerga commander and eight insurgents killed during the fighting. Southwest of the Qayyarah Airbase, police were supported by Coalition aircraft in repelling an IS

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assault near al-Hadhir, with two Federal Police officers reportedly killed along with 10 insurgents. Other Federal Police units repelled a pair of additional IS assaults and interdicted several vehicle borne IEDs prior to reaching security force positions northwest of Baiji and north of Tilul al-Baj.

On 28 September the Chairman of the Security Committee of Abu Sayda stated that IS destroyed a pair of villages north of Baqubah, forcing the displacement of numerous families through continued threats and attack activity. Similar IS activity was also noted in Abu Karma Village northeast of Baquba. He called on the Diyala Provincial Council to hold an urgent meeting with the Dijla Operations Command to identify security issues in these villages, the level of displacement currently taking place, and to examine why these events are not being more widely discussed.

Central: Activity in the province was highlighted by the initiation of the next phase of offensive operations along the River north of Hit, as well as other operations northwest of Ramadi. 7th Iraqi Army Division units spearheaded rapid gains through several minor population centers in Jazerat al-Dulab amongst very light resistance. Roughly 40km of populated riverbank areas separate forces advancing along this axis from Hit City, with a methodical series of advances expected to continue. Northwest of Ramadi on 28 September, 10th Iraqi Army Division forces spearheaded the seizure of five additional areas of Albu Dhiab amongst dozens of of IS casualties. Officials plan to soon officially announce the completed seizures of both sets of respective areas, with some additional verification required.

Army Chief of Staff Gen. Othman al-Ghanemi visited the Anbar Operations Command and the headquarters of both the 10th and 8th Iraqi Army Divisions. Current operations to clear areas northwest of Ramadi and north of Hit were discussed. Potential shifts in the distribution of units, particularly the 8th Division, were also discussed. The governor of Anbar Suhaib al-Rawi announced the next set of major IDP returns to Fallujah City would be seen on 1 October. The Anbar Provincial Council reported a total of 800 families have been returned to Fallujah up to this point.

Four IED attacks in and around Baghdad during this period killed at least eight individuals and wounded 26 others. Other activity in Baghdad during this period largely comprised of a routine set of security operations in the Baghdad belts, with six individuals arrested on terrorism charges in Tarmiyah, and a number of weapons and IED materials recovered. On the evening of 27 September, an unnamed police source claimed security forces shot and killed a suicide bomber attempting to target security personnel in an unspecified area of Taji. This event has not been widely reported, and is currently assessed to form a commonly seen false report of a security success soon after the coordinated bombings in the city earlier that day.

South: On 28 September, dozens of applicants for employment with the South Oil Company demonstrated outside the SOC headquarters in Basra City, renewing employment demands. This event follows a similarly motivated demonstration at a SOC facility in the city on 25 September. No violence was

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associated with either event, but temporary disruptions in site access remained a factor, with additional demonstrations and similar considerations remaining possible for the near-term.

Basra Prison officials met with the Basra Operations Commander and the National Security Service director of the province. The officials discussed proposals to improve the security of the prison in order to deter potential terrorist attacks or other forms of security breaches. It is unclear if these discussions followed any distinct increases in perceived threats to incarceration facilities in the province. As of this writing, these deliberations appear precautionary in nature given the capabilities of some of the more sophisticated criminal, tribal, and militia groups in the province.

On 27 September the Basra Provincial Council Chairman Hassan al-Bazona sent a formal letter to the Council of Representatives demanding 10% of oil revenues as part of 2017 budget planning. This is instead of the $5 dollars a barrel standard that has not been observed due to the financial crisis, and longstanding challenges related to petrodollar allocations.

On 28 September, it was reported Rapid Intervention forces arrested 198 individuals on various charges under Operation Umbrella of the Law in Maysan. Air assaults were conducted against individuals wanted for violent offenses, with a large number of medium and heavy weapons seized during recent operations. After initial aggravated responses, no significant violence has later been noted with these efforts. These operations continue to be praised for their effects on pacifying tribal and criminal hotspots south of Amarah. Questions remain as to the ability of provincial security forces to maintain these gains after the eventual departure of Rapid Intervention units.

International: Turkey to complete Syria border wall within 5 months, official says – Reuters A concrete wall being built to stop illegal crossings along the length of Turkey's 900-km (560-mile) border with Syria will be finished by the end of February, an official at a Turkish state institution with knowledge of the project said on Wednesday.

John Kerry threatens to end Syria talks with Russia over Aleppo – CBS Secretary of State John Kerry is threatening to cut off all contacts with Moscow over the 5-year-old , unless Russian and Syrian government attacks on Aleppo end. The State Department says Kerry issued the ultimatum in a Wednesday telephone call to Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov.

Turkey to draw lessons from Moody's cuts, says reforms underway – Reuters Turkey will draw lessons from its credit downgrade to "junk" by Moody's but is already tackling some of the challenges highlighted by the agency, including structural reform and improving the quality of its institutions, Finance Minister Naci Agbal told Reuters.

Preparations under way for Putin to visit Turkey in October: Kremlin – Reuters The Kremlin said on Wednesday that preparations were under way for President Vladimir Putin to visit

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Turkey in October, a further sign that Moscow is keen to restore full political, trade and economic ties with Ankara.

Turkey: 32,000 jailed for links to group 'behind' coup – Al Jazeera Turkish courts have placed 32,000 suspects under arrest on charges of links to a group run by US- based cleric Fethullah Gulen, who is blamed for the July 15 coup, the justice minister said. Bekir Bozdag told Turkey's NTV television on Wednesday that 70,000 people had been investigated after the coup and of them 32,000 remanded in custody.

Iran leans closer to Europe with military agreements – Middle East Monitor As Euro-Iranian relations are gradually warming; Iran has recently gained some opportunities to expand its military co-operation with European countries. The Commander of Iran’s First Naval Zone, Admiral Amir Hossein Azad, announced on Monday night that members of an anti-submarine frigate of the Italian Navy docked in Iran’s southern port city of Bandar Abbas met with a number of local military and political officials on Saturday.

Iran: Shameful 16-year-sentence for Narges Mohammadi a devastating blow to human rights – Amnesty International In response to the news that the 16-year prison sentence against prominent human rights defender Narges Mohammadi, who is critically ill, has been upheld on appeal, Amnesty International’s Research and Advocacy Director for the Middle East and North Africa, Philip Luther, said.

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