In January 2011, a series of

insurgent An insurgency is a violent, armed rebellion by small, lightly armed bands who practice guerrilla warfare against a larger authority. The key descriptive feature of insurgency is its asymmetric nature: small irregular forces face a large, well ...

shooting and bombing attacks were launched throughout

Iraq Iraq, officially the Republic of Iraq, is a country in West Asia. It is bordered by Saudi Arabia to Iraq–Saudi Arabia border, the south, Turkey to Iraq–Turkey border, the north, Iran to Iran–Iraq border, the east, the Persian Gulf and ...

2 January attack

On 2 January 2011, four Iraqi security personnel and an

engineer Engineers, as practitioners of engineering, are professionals who Invention, invent, design, build, maintain and test machines, complex systems, structures, gadgets and materials. They aim to fulfill functional objectives and requirements while ...

were killed in

Baghdad Baghdad ( or ; , ) is the capital and List of largest cities of Iraq, largest city of Iraq, located along the Tigris in the central part of the country. With a population exceeding 7 million, it ranks among the List of largest cities in the A ...

by suspected insurgents. The attackers all used silencers on their weapons, and the attacks occurred within an hour of each, which implied they were deliberately targeting government officials. However, there were no immediate claims of responsibility.

18 January attack

On 18 January, a bomber killed 63 people and injured around 150 in the city of

Tikrit Tikrit ( ) is a city in Iraq, located northwest of Baghdad and southeast of Mosul on the Tigris River. It is the administrative center of the Saladin Governorate. In 2012, it had a population of approximately 160,000. Originally created as a f ...

. The bombing occurred near a

police The police are Law enforcement organization, a constituted body of Law enforcement officer, people empowered by a State (polity), state with the aim of Law enforcement, enforcing the law and protecting the Public order policing, public order ...

facility where several hundred people were gathered. The attack was blamed on a lack of security at the event; a local police official said that " e security procedures weren't good. They did not meet the demands of such a gathering." A local councilman, Abdullah Jabara, said that the attack was committed by the

Islamic State of Iraq The Islamic State of Iraq (ISI; ') was a Salafi jihadist militant organization that fought the forces of the U.S.-led coalition during the Iraqi insurgency. The organization aimed to overthrow the Iraqi federal government and establish an ...

, and was intended "to shake the security in the province and to bring back instability to Tikrit."

19 January attacks

On 19 January, at least 15 people were killed in two attacks in the towns of Baqubah and Ghalbiyah, both located in the same region about northeast of

. In the incident in Baqubah, the attacker reportedly fired on guards at a police building before driving an

ambulance An ambulance is a medically-equipped vehicle used to transport patients to treatment facilities, such as hospitals. Typically, out-of-hospital medical care is provided to the patient during the transport. Ambulances are used to respond to ...

with

explosive An explosive (or explosive material) is a reactive substance that contains a great amount of potential energy that can produce an explosion if released suddenly, usually accompanied by the production of light, heat, sound, and pressure. An ex ...

s into the building, where the vehicle was blown up. This attack killed either 13 or 14 people, while injuring between 60 and 70. The building collapsed after the attack, burying survivors of the initial

explosion An explosion is a rapid expansion in volume of a given amount of matter associated with an extreme outward release of energy, usually with the generation of high temperatures and release of high-pressure gases. Explosions may also be generated ...

. The bombing was estimated to have used of explosives and left a crater in diameter. In Ghalbiyah, a suicide bomber killed two people and injured 15 out of a crowd marching from Baghdad to

Karbala Karbala is a major city in central Iraq. It is the capital of Karbala Governorate. With an estimated population of 691,100 people in 2024, Karbala is the second largest city in central Iraq, after Baghdad. The city is located about southwest ...

, a holy city. An official from the

Diyala Governorate Diyala Governorate ( ) or Diyala Province is a Governorates of Iraq, governorate in northeastern Iraq. Provincial Government *Governor: Muthanna al-Tamimi *Deputy Governor: Mohammed Jassim al-Jubouri Council Geography Diyala Governorate ...

and three of his

bodyguard A bodyguard (or close protection officer/operative) is a type of security guard, government law enforcement officer, or servicemember who protects an very important person, important person or group of people, such as high-ranking public offic ...

s were wounded in this incident.

20 January attacks

On 20 January, at least 56 people died when two

car bomb A car bomb, bus bomb, van bomb, lorry bomb, or truck bomb, also known as a vehicle-borne improvised explosive device (VBIED), is an improvised explosive device designed to be detonated in an automobile or other vehicles. Car bombs can be roug ...

detonate Detonation () is a type of combustion involving a supersonic exothermic front accelerating through a medium that eventually drives a shock front propagating directly in front of it. Detonations propagate supersonically through shock waves wit ...

d near Karbala during the holy festival of

Arba'een In Shia Islam, Arba'in () marks forty days after Ashura, which is the martyrdom anniversary of Husayn ibn Ali, grandson of the Islamic prophet Muhammad and the third Shia imam. Husayn was killed, alongside most of his relatives and his small re ...

. In Baquba, three others were killed in a separate suicide bombing.

24 January attacks

On 24 January, two blasts, caused by roadside bombs, occurred in the Iraqi capital Baghdad, the first of which killed two people including an Iraqi brigadier general. The second explosion caused at least eight injuries. In Karbala, where

Shia Shia Islam is the second-largest branch of Islam. It holds that Muhammad designated Ali ibn Abi Talib () as both his political successor (caliph) and as the spiritual leader of the Muslim community (imam). However, his right is understood ...

pilgrims were marking Arba'een, two car bombs detonated a few hours apart. The first bomb targeted a bus terminal to the east of Karbala and killed seven people, injuring more than double that, while the second hit south of the city and claimed 18 lives. The attacks killed 27 and wounded at least 78. Several theories arose as a result of the attacks, including that the attacks could be the work of

Saddam Hussein Saddam Hussein (28 April 1937 – 30 December 2006) was an Iraqi politician and revolutionary who served as the fifth president of Iraq from 1979 until Saddam Hussein statue destruction, his overthrow in 2003 during the 2003 invasion of Ira ...

's former

Ba'ath Party The Arab Socialist Ba'ath Party ( ' ), also known simply as Bath Party (), was a political party founded in Syria by Michel Aflaq, Salah al-Din al-Bitar, and associates of Zaki al-Arsuzi. The party espoused Ba'athism, which is an ideology ...

members, or that they were an attempt to reduce confidence in the security arrangements for an

Arab League The Arab League (, ' ), officially the League of Arab States (, '), is a regional organization in the Arab world. The Arab League was formed in Cairo on 22 March 1945, initially with seven members: Kingdom of Egypt, Egypt, Kingdom of Iraq, ...

summit in March.

27 January attacks

Three days later on 27 January, a car bomb targeting Shias was detonated at a funeral tent in the north-western Shula district of

, killing at least 48 people were killed and 78 wounded.

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Iraq attacks, 2011-01 Bombings in the Iraqi insurgency (2003–2011) 2011 in Baghdad Karbala in the Iraq War Tikrit in the Iraq War Improvised explosive device bombings in Karbala January suicide attacks Diyala Governorate in the Iraq War Saladin Governorate in the Iraq War January 2011 in Iraq January 2011 crimes in Asia January 2011 suicide attacks Terrorist incidents in Baghdad in the 2010s 21st-century mass murder in Baghdad Mass murder in 2011 2011 mass shootings in Asia Spree shootings in Iraq 2011 building bombings Attacks on police stations in 2011 January 2011 suicide attacks January 2011 suicide attacks January 2011 suicide attacks Islamic terrorist incidents in 2011 January suicide attacks Terrorist incidents involving vehicular attacks in Asia Attacks on bus stations in Asia Attacks on funerals Car and truck bombings in Baghdad 2011 road incidents in Asia Road incidents in Iraq Attacks on police stations in Iraq Suicide bombings in 2011 Car and truck bombings in 2011 2010s vehicle-ramming attacks Violations of medical neutrality during the Iraq War Building and structure collapses in Asia Building and structure collapses in 2011 Attacks on ambulances