Iraq Situation Report: August 5-11, 2020

By Nicole Millar, Calvin Pugh, and Brian Carter with Katherine Lawlor and Brandon Wallace

Key Takeaway: Iran’s proxy militia network in Iraq is accelerating its attacks on US facilities and Iraqi contractors working with the US-led Coalition, undermining Prime Minister Mustafa al-Kadhimi’s attempts to demonstrate strength and stability ahead of the next round of the US-Iraq Strategic Dialogue. Likely Iranian proxies claimed two real and one false IED attack on Iraqi contractors and likely conducted two rocket attacks on the US Embassy. The proxies aim to discourage Iraqi cooperation with the US-led Coalition and make Kadhimi appear weak ahead of the Dialogue. Kadhimi will likely struggle to constrain militia activity in the leadup to the next round of the Dialogue on August 20, which will cover a variety of mutual interests including US-Iraqi security cooperation and the future of US forces in Iraq.

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