In west Iraq there was a total of 36 hostile incidents in the western region this week, a marked increase on last week’s 20. Despite an increase, there were indications that security forces were improving their capability, with an announcement that K9 units would be deployed at city entrances, and over 3000 IP members had been granted authority to return to active service. Baghdad had a total of 76 incidents, an increase on the previous reporting period. Three high-profile attacks were recorded, as well as an armed exchange between PMU forces and ISF. Otherwise, activity was mainly low-level, and mostly criminal in nature. Read more in our Iraq Weekly report.