HIGHLIGHTS
GoI commences military operations to retake remaining ISIS-held areas of western Anbar on October 26
GoI reasserts control over disputed areas of northern Iraq following September 25 Kurdistan independence referendum
ISF retakes city of Hawija from ISIS on October 5 following two-week military operation
KEY DEVELOPMENTS
Ongoing military movements and political tensions between the Government of Iraq (GoI) and Kurdistan Regional Government (KRG) resulting from the September 25 Kurdistan independence referendum continue to generate additional needs in northern Iraq. In recent days, an escalation of hostilities between GoI-aligned military actors and Kurdish Peshmerga forces occurred in multiple areas of northern Iraq, resulting in casualties and population displacement, international media report. As of November 2, more than 183,200 people were displaced as a result of the post-referendum military operations that commenced on October 16, U.S. Government (USG) partner the International Organization for Migration (IOM) reports.
On October 26, GoI Prime Minister Haider al-Abadi announced the commencement of GoI-led military operations to retake western Anbar Governorate’s Al-Qaim and Rawa districts from the Islamic State of Iraq and Syria (ISIS), according to local media.
The UN estimates that approximately 50,000 people remained in the two ISIS-held districts of western Anbar as of late September. Relief agencies are coordinating to plan for the provision of assistance to populations affected by the military operations.Although the GoI announced the recapture of Ninewa Governorate’s city of Mosul from ISIS on July 10, population movements in and out of the city remain fluid.
Approximately 793,400 people remained displaced as a result of Mosul military operations as of October 18, according to IOM. Cumulatively, the Mosul offensive displaced more than 1.1 million people between October 18, 2016 and October 18, 2017.