At least 121 people were killed, and 811 were wounded during January. In December, at least 305 people were killed, and 481 were wounded. The drop in fatalities is likely due to tensions between The United States and Iran, which were being played out on Iraqi territory. It seemed for a brief time that a war might break out between the two countries, with Iraq in the middle of the fighting.
Due to tensions between the US and Iran, anti-government protests came to a standstill. Still, at least 40 protesters were killed, and 638 were wounded. These figures are likely low. Current estimates suggest about 620 protests were killed, and 25,000 were wounded altogether since October. Protest violence resumed later in the month when Shi’te cleric Moqtada al-Sadr ended his support of the demonstrations.
Non-protest violence is likely being underreported as well. Altogether, at least 69 were killed, and 105 were wounded. Of those figures, 21 civilians, 39 security personnel, and nine militants were killed. Another 50 civilians and 55 security personnel were wounded.
Early in the month, U.S. forces launched an airstrike on Baghdad that killed Iranian General Qassem Soleimani and a companion. In response, Iran bombed airbases in Iraq that housed U.S. soldiers. At least 64 Americans suffered brain injuries. Also, three Iraqi employees were wounded in a retaliatory attack on the U.S. embassy in Baghdad, bringing the total to two dead and 67 wounded.
The conflict with Turkey and the Kurdistan Workers’ Party (P.K.K.) left 10 dead and one wounded. Three Turkish personnel were killed. The P.K.K. lost seven guerrillas, and another was wounded. Most of the P.K.K. casualties belonged to a Yazidi group.
At least one person killed, and 13 were wounded in recent violence:
Protest News:
Grand Ayatollah Ali al-Sistani once again condemned the use of force against protesters by government forces. Shi’ite cleric ordered his followers to resume protesting; last Friday he ordered them to abandon the demonstrations.
In Baghdad, 11 protesters were wounded when security forces tried to disperse a crowd. A grenade wounded two security members; protesters were blamed.
Other News:
Seven people were kidnapped at a fake checkpoint near Qara Tapa. Later an eighth person was taken. The body of one of the abductees was later found.
The al-Qayara air base housing U.S. troops was shelled, but no casualties were reported.
