Battle of Baghdad (2006–2008)

The Battle of Baghdad begun in February 2006 and continued until May 2008, for control of the capital city of Iraq. A combined force of Iraqi Security Forces and the allies including the U.S. Army fought against insurgents to retain control of the city during the sectarian civil war that engulfed the country in 2006.[6][7][8]

Battle of Baghdad
Part of the Iraqi Civil War

Armed Iraqi insurgents in November 2006
Date22 February 2006 – 11 May 2008[1]
(2 years, 2 months, 2 weeks and 5 days)
Location
Result

Decisive Iraqi and allied victory

  • Shia insurgents control 75% of Baghdad by 2006[2]
  • Ethnic cleansing of neighborhoods by sectarian militants
Belligerents

Public stability:

Iraq Iraqi security forces
United States United States
United Kingdom United Kingdom[3]
Other coalition forces

Sunni factions

al-Qaeda in Iraq (until October 2006)

Islamic State of Iraq (from October 2006)
Sunni tribes
Other militias

Shia factions

Mahdi Army
Special Groups

Badr Brigades
Rogue elements among the Iraqi security forces
Soldiers of Heaven
Shia tribes
Other militias
Commanders and leaders
Iraq Jalal Talabani
Iraq Ibrahim al-Jaafari
Iraq Nouri al-Maliki
United States Tommy Franks
Abdul Sattar Abu Risha 
Ahmad Abu Risha

Abu Ayyub al-Masri

Abu Omar al-Baghdadi

Muqtada al-Sadr
Abu Deraa
Qais al-Khazali (POW)
Akram al-Kabi
Arkan Hasnawi 
Mohammed Baqir al-Hakim 
Abdul Aziz al-Hakim
Hadi al-Amiri
Abu Mustafa al-Sheibani

Dia Abdul Zahra Kadim 
Ahmed Hassani al-Yemeni 
Strength
90,000+[4] Unknown Unknown
Casualties and losses
Unknown Unknown Unknown
11,000+ recorded civilian deaths (as of late 2007)[5]

The battle coincided with an unsuccessful coalition operation called Together Forward which was to significantly reduce the violence in Baghdad which had seen a sharp uprise in sectarian violence since the mid-February 2006 bombing of the Askariya Mosque,[9] a major Shia Muslim shrine. Insurgents managed take control of more than 80 percent of Baghdad[10] before an offensive conducted by Iraqi forces and allies to secure Baghdad. Insurgents also made huge gains in the western Al Anbar and southern Babil province, temporarily forcing Coalition and Iraqi security forces from many towns and cities. Most direct insurgent control of Baghdad ended by late-2007, and by mid-2008 Iraqi forces and allies mostly secured Baghdad and reached an agreement with Mahdi army to allow government forces to enter and patrol the Sadr City district of the city, thus fully securing Baghdad and restoring calm in the central parts of Iraq.[11]

References

  1. "The US Army and the Battle for Baghdad: Lessons Learned-and Still to Be Learned" (PDF). Archived (PDF) from the original on May 1, 2021.
  2. Iddon, Paul (2020-03-13). "Baghdad's four decades of conflict and strife". english.alaraby.co.uk/. Retrieved 2021-08-19.
  3. "U.K. Finishes Withdrawal of Its Last Combat Troops in Iraq". Bloomberg. 26 May 2009.
  4. "Operation Impose Law". Belfast Telegraph.
  5. "Civilian deaths from violence in 2007 :: Iraq Body Count". www.iraqbodycount.org. Retrieved 2020-06-29.
  6. Department Of State. The Office of Electronic Information, Bureau of Public Affairs (2006-08-23). "The Battle of Baghdad". 2001-2009.state.gov. Retrieved 2020-06-29.
  7. "We've lost battle for Baghdad, US admits | World news | The Guardian". amp.theguardian.com. Retrieved 2021-10-07.
  8. Ricks, Thomas E. (2006-02-26). "In the Battle for Baghdad, U.S. Turns War on Insurgents". Washington Post. ISSN 0190-8286. Retrieved 2021-10-07.
  9. Worth, Robert F. (2006-02-22). "Blast Destroys Shrine in Iraq, Setting Off Sectarian Fury". The New York Times. ISSN 0362-4331. Retrieved 2020-06-29.
  10. "Developments Fighting Al Qaeda in Iraq" (PDF).
  11. Londoño, Ernesto (2008-05-21). "Iraq Sends Troops Into Sadr City". The Washington Post. ISSN 0190-8286. Retrieved 2020-12-08.

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