On 26 August 2020, unidentified militants attacked a convoy carrying employees of the U.N. Assistance Mission in Iraq (UNAMI), using an improvised explosive device (IED). The attack occurred near the remote village of Shakhouli, located on the road between the cities of Erbil and Mosul. The explosion injured two UNAMI employees, with no reported fatalities. No group has claimed responsibility for the attack. It is not clear if the UNAMI convoy was the intended target of the attack.
Analyst Comment: While IED attacks occur frequently in Iraq, attacks on U.N. personnel are exceedingly rare. Individuals working with the U.N. mission or other international organizations should monitor the situation closely and remain cognizant that militant groups may not consider their organization’s neutrality when conducting attacks.
