There have been another terrorist attack in Iraq, and the Islamic State has become active again

On October 27 and 26, Islamic State extremist terrorists attacked a predominantly Shiite village in Iraq's Diyala governorate, killing at least 11 people and injuring 13 others, all civilians. It is reported that the "Islamic State" militants earlier kidnapped 2 villagers, because the ransom was not met after asking for it, and then attacked the village and used firearms and other weapons.

In 2014, the Islamic State controlled large areas in Iraq and Syria, and its power quickly spread in the Middle East and committed terrorist crimes. Subsequently, the United States, NATO and other international coalition forces launched anti-terrorism operations in Iraq. In 2017, Iraq officially announced its defeat of the Islamic State, which was severely damaged and no longer occupies and controls large areas of territory, and since then it has rarely carried out major terrorist attacks in Iraq, especially in the capital Baghdad, where bomb attacks have occurred almost daily.

In recent years, the "Islamic State" extremist terrorist forces have "died but not stiffened", and after a period of dormancy, they have begun to create small-scale attacks, usually targeting Iraqi military and police checkpoints, security forces, power stations and other infrastructure. Since last year, the scale of the attack has gradually increased. A U.N. report released earlier this year estimated that about 10,000 Islamic State militants remain active across Iraq and Syria. In January, the Islamic State carried out two suicide bombings in a busy market in the Iraqi capital, killing at least 32 people and injuring more than 110 others. In July, the Islamic State carried out a terrorist attack on a crowded market in Sadr City, a Shiite region of Baghdad, killing at least 35 people and injuring more than 60 others. In September, the Islamic State attacked checkpoints near Kirkuk, killing 13 Iraqi federal policemen.

Recently, the "Islamic State" terrorist forces have been re-active, and in addition to frequent terrorist attacks in Iraq, they have also instigated branches in Afghanistan and North Africa to carry out intensive terrorist activities in the local area. In the coming period, there may be more terrorist activities related to the Islamic State in South Asia, the Middle East, North Africa and Europe. Iraq, the base camp of the Islamic State, is more likely to have a serious terrorist attack in its territory, and the security situation is worrying.

This journal recommends: (1) The situation in Iraq continues to be turbulent and will not change fundamentally in the short term, and it is recommended that our citizens go cautiously in the near future. If you are in Iraq, please always pay attention to security protection. (2) Iraqi terrorist attacks are frequent, public order is not quiet, conflicts and kidnapping cases are frequent, and personnel in Iraq must always maintain a high degree of vigilance, stay away from terrorism-related areas, and do not stay for a long time in government agencies, schools, religious sites, transportation hubs, military facilities, bazaars and other places that are vulnerable to terrorist attacks, especially during religious holidays or public holidays. (3) The border areas of Iraq with Syria, Turkey and Iran are very dangerous, so don't rush there. (4) Strictly abide by local control measures, pay close attention to local news reports and social media trends, and understand the local security situation. (5) Respect the religious beliefs and social customs of local people, and do not talk about sensitive and controversial topics at will. (6) In case of emergency, please report to our embassy in Iraq for help in time. (Contributed by Li Jie Li)