Diyala Governorate
Diyala Governorate or Diyala Province is a governorate in northeastern Iraq.
Provincial Government
- Governor: Adnan al-Shimmari
- Deputy Governor: Mustafa al-Luhaybi
- Provincial Council Chairman: Omar al-Kirwi
Geography
A large portion of the province is drained by the Diyala River, a major tributary of the Tigris. Because of its proximity to two major sources of water, Diyala's main industry is agriculture, primarily dates grown in large groves. The province also contains one of the largest olive groves in the Middle East. It is also recognized as the orange capital of the Middle East. The Hamrin Mountains pass through the governorate.
Population
The governorate is home to a diverse population of Arabs, Kurds and Turkmen. According to the latest statistics, the number of inhabitants is approximately 1,6 million.Culture
Sports
Diyala is home to Diyala SC that plays in Iraq Stars League, the highest division of the Iraqi football league system, following promotion from Iraqi Premier Division League in 2024. The club is based in Baqubah and Ba'quba Stadium is its home stadium.Administrative districts
Diyala Governorate comprises seven districts, listed below with their areas and populations as estimated in 2003:| District | Name in Arabic | Area in sq. km | Population in 2003 |
| Ba'quba | بعقوبة | 1,630 | 467,895 |
| Al-Muqdadiya | المقدادية | 1,033 | 198,583 |
| Khanaqin | خانقين | 3,512 | 160,379 |
| Al-Khalis | الخالص | 2,994 | 255,889 |
| Kifri | كفري | 1,139 | 42,010 |
| Balad Ruz | بلد روز | 6,280 | 99,601 |
| Mandali | مندلي | 47,796 | |
| Total | 17,685 | 1,272,154 |
Cities, towns, and villages
- Baqubah
- Nahrawan
- Miqdadiyah
- Hibhib
- Khanaqin
- Balad Ruz
- Al Khalis
- Bani Sa'ad
- Jalawla
- Al-Sadiyah
- Mansouryat al-Jabel
- Camp Ashraf
- Dwelah
- Kingirban
- Naft Khana
- Al-Ghalibiyah
- Abd Allah Bayk
- Safra'
- Marfu Village
- Village of Nye
- Udame
- Kan’aan
- Al Wajihiya
- Al Muntheriya
- Abu Saydah
- Buhriz
- Mandali
- Qaryat Imam ʽAskar
- Kifri
- Qara Tapa
Infrastructure
Civil unrest/Iraq War
There is evidence that Al-Qaeda in Iraq moved its base of operations from Anbar province to Diyala in 2006 and during late 2006, Baqubah and majority of the Diyala province were reported to have come under Sunni insurgent control.This insurgent control is reported to have continued through 2007 and into early 2008.
On May 11, 2007, Army Maj. Gen. Benjamin Mixon, commander of the Multi-National Division North said he needed more troops in order to contain the current level of violence in the Diyala province, this coming in the recent wake of a troop "surge", involuntary recalls by the U.S. military, and the public debate about the level of commitment from the U.S. government.
By mid-2007 the Islamic State of Iraq, already holding Baqubah and most of the province under its control, declared its capital to be Baqubah. The Sunni insurgent group Jamaat Ansar al-Sunna was also active in the region around this time.
In June 2007, US forces launched Operation Arrowhead Ripper with night air assaults in Baqubah. By August 19, Baqubah was largely secured, although some insurgent presence remained in the city and surrounding areas. Fighting continued in the Diyala River valley but by the beginning of October, US and Iraqi forces held most of the province while the insurgents were in retreat to the north and west. On October 27 the Islamic State of Iraq attacked a police base in Baqubah, killing 28 Iraqi policemen and police recruits, showing that insurgent cells still remain in the province.
In January 2008 Operation Phantom Phoenix was launched in an attempt to eradicate the remaining insurgents following the Diyala campaign between 2006 and 2007.
Mid-2008 saw many changes in Diyala province with an increased effort by U.S. Forces and a substantial Iraqi Army presence, and in the Baqubah region, Islamic State of Iraq's activity was dramatically hampered, and the Sons of Iraq program served only to further weaken Islamic State in Iraq.