At the beginning of this week, reports emerged that the Popular Mobilisation Units (PMU) assumed control of 30 fortified positions 100 metres inside Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF)-controlled territory along the Iraqi border in the southern Euphrates Valley, Deir ez-Zour Province. The PMU have reportedly moved into these areas after the withdrawal of the SDF following an onslaught by ISIS over the weekend of the 27th and 28th October.
With the SDF control over the Iraqi border disrupted, ISIS attempted to launch an attack across the border into Iraq itself, but was repelled by the PMU who had fortified the Iraqi border in the region over the previous months. The decision to occupy positions within Syrian territory has come as 20,000 fighters from the PMU were deployed to the border last week to defend from planned ISIS attacks. This move is yet another sign that the PMU are becoming more assertive in repelling potential ISIS threats and attacks.
Following the gains made by ISIS in eastern Syria, security in Iraq has experienced a deterioration. On Sunday 4th November, a series of explosions reportedly hit Iraq’s capital city, Baghdad, killing eight people and injuring a further 16. In addition, a major car bomb attack took place on Thursday 8th November in the city of Mosul, leaving at least five people dead and a further 14 wounded. The attack has been described by security officials as the worst single attack in the city since its liberation from ISIS in June 2017.
Despite the increased deadliness of these most recent attacks, acts of terrorism and violence have, overall, significantly decreased in Baghdad and across Iraq following the formal declaration ISIS’ defeat in December last year. Last week, on Friday 2nd November, the United Nations Assistance Mission for Iraq (UNAMI) announced that the number of civilians killed in acts of terrorism and violence in the month of October is the lowest figure in six years. According to UNAMI, the number of those killed in October was 69, while 105 people have been wounded.
In a press release, UNAMI noted that this was the lowest casualty total since it began publishing figures in November 2012. Despite concerns that ISIS’ capabilities as an insurgent force are improving once again in light of its recent attacks in Baghdad and Mosul, the figures released by UNAMI demonstrates the significant strides the Iraqi security services have made in recent years in improving security in the country.
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Image: Reuters