Islamic State insurgency in Iraq (2017–present) explained

Conflict:	Islamic State insurgency in Iraq (2017–present)
Partof:	the Iraqi conflict and war against the Islamic State
Date:	9 December 2017 – present
Place:	Iraq
Status:	Ongoing as a hit-and-run campaign
Combatant1:	Iraq Iraqi Federal Police Iraqi Armed Forces Special Operations Forces (SOF) Popular Mobilization Forces (PMF) Pro-Government Tribes (ar)^[1] Islamic Resistance in Iraq Rojava (cross-border cooperation since May 2018)^[2] Supported by: CJTF-OIR (until 2021) United States United Kingdom France ---- Peshmerga Supported by: Netherlands^[3]
Combatant2:	Islamic State White Flags
Commander1:	Abdul Latif Rashid (Commander in Chief) Mohammed Shia' Al Sudani (General Commander) Abdel Emir Yarallah (Chief of the General Staff) Abdul Amir al-Shammari (Minister of Interior) Thabit Al Abassi (Minister of Defence) Abdel-Wahab al-Saadi (Counter Terrorism Service) Falih Alfayyadh Qais Khazali Hadi al-Amiri Emmanuel Macron Theresa May Boris Johnson Rishi Sunak Keir Starmer Joe Biden Donald Trump Lt. Gen. Paul LaCamera---- Nechirvan Barzani Masoud Barzani Sirwan Barzani Jaafar Sheikh Mustafa
Commander2:	Abu Hafs al-Hashimi al-Qurashi (Leader of IS) Abu Hudhayfah Al-Ansari (Spokesmen) Abu Fatima al-Jaheishi Abu Jandal al-Masri Abu Yusaf Abu Muhammad al-Jazrawi Sami Jasim Muhammad al-Jaburi^[4] Faysal Ahmad Ali al-Zahrani Zulfi Hoxha Bajro Ikanović Ahlam al-Nasr Hiwa Chor Assi al-Qawali
Units1:	Iraq Iraqi Armed Forces Iraqi Army Iraqi Special Operations Forces Iraqi Air Force Popular Mobilization Forces Badr Organization 21st Brigade Liwa Ali al-Akbar^[5] Iraqi Federal Police Islamic Resistance in Iraq Asa'ib Ahl al-Haq Kata'ib Hezbollah ---- Peshmerga
Units2:	Islamic State Military of the Islamic State
Strength1:	Iraq 530,000 personnel (including paramilitary forces)^[6]
Strength2:	Islamic State: 5,000–7,000 (per UN, 2023, in Iraq and Syria)^[7] 400–500 (per Iraq, 2023)
Casualties1:	2,361 killed (as of December 2023) (Iraqi government claim) 12 killed, 2 HH-60 Pave Hawk helicopters crashed^[8] ^[9] ^[10] ^[11] 1 killed^[12] 3 killed^[13]
Casualties2:	6,266 killed (as of December 2023) (Iraqi government claim)^[14]

The Islamic State insurgency in Iraq is an ongoing low-intensity insurgency that began in 2017 after the Islamic State (IS) lost its territorial control in the War in Iraq, during which IS and allied White Flags fought the Iraqi military (largely backed by the United States, United Kingdom and other countries conducting airstrikes against IS) and allied paramilitary forces (largely backed by Iran).

Context

The insurgency is a direct continuation of the War in Iraq from 2013 to 2017, with IS continuing armed opposition against the Shia-led Iraqi Government. Along with the Islamic State, other insurgents fighting the government include a group known as the White Flags which is reportedly composed of former IS members and Kurdish rebels and is believed by the government of Iraq to be part of Ansar al-Islam and possibly affiliated with al-Qaeda.^[15] The group operates mostly in the Kirkuk Governorate and has used an assortment of guerilla tactics against government forces. In September 2017, Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi, the leader of IS, called on IS supporters around the world to launch attacks on Western news media and continued in his message the IS must focus on combating the two-pronged attack on the Muslim Ummah; these statements marked a departure from previous rhetoric which was focused on the state building of IS and heralded a shift in IS's strategy toward a classical insurgency.^[16]

Course of the insurgency

Since IS's loss of all territory in Iraq in late 2017 which was declared as Iraq's victory over IS and widely seen as an end to the war, and declared as such by Iraq's Prime Minister Haidar al-Abadi,^[17] multiple incidents of violence have occurred being carried out by the conflicting sides, in spite of Iraq's declaration of victory over IS the group is widely seen as far from gone and continues to retain a presence throughout Iraq, and still capable of carrying out attacks and skirmishes with pro-government forces.^[18] IS has been waging a guerrilla war with a strong presence in the governorates of Kirkuk, Diyala, Saladin, and Sulaymaniyah, with local forces largely ill-equipped and inexperienced, IS has also taken advantage of the areas' rough terrain to carry out operations. IS has also made a notable presence in the cities of Kirkuk, Hawija and Tuz Khurmato and has carried out attacks at night in rural areas.

IS fighters also reportedly move through villages during the day without interference from security forces, and locals have been asked by IS to give fighters food and give information on the whereabouts of Iraqi personnel, locals have also stated that IS fighters will frequently enter into Mosques and ask for Zakat to fund the insurgency. Among IS's operations include assassinations, kidnappings, raids and ambushes.^[19]

As of 2021, U.S. officials warned that IS "remains capable of waging a prolonged insurgency” but also described IS in Iraq as "diminished”. Iraqi intelligence estimated that IS has 2,000–3,000 fighters in Iraq.^[20] ^[21]

Following IS's defeat in December 2017, they have been greatly weakened and violence in Iraq has been sharply reduced. 23 civilians lost their lives from violence-related incidents during November 2021, the lowest figure in 18 years.^[22]

Timeline

2018

See main article: Timeline of Islamic State insurgency in Iraq (2018). In 2018, 3,643 IS militants, 937 Iraqi security forces, 11 American service members, 1 British service member were killed. The death toll in this year was noted to be the lowest since 2003, when the United States invaded the country.^[23]