Occupation of Iraq timeline
Encyclopedia
The following is a timeline of major events during the Multinational Force
Multinational force in Iraq
The Multi-National Force – Iraq was a military command, led by the United States, which was responsible for Operation Iraqi Freedom. Multi-National Force – Iraq replaced the previous force, Combined Joint Task Force 7, on 15 May 2004, and was later itself reorganized into its successor, United...
's Occupation of Iraq, following the 2003 invasion of Iraq
2003 invasion of Iraq
The 2003 invasion of Iraq , was the start of the conflict known as the Iraq War, or Operation Iraqi Freedom, in which a combined force of troops from the United States, the United Kingdom, Australia and Poland invaded Iraq and toppled the regime of Saddam Hussein in 21 days of major combat operations...
.
March
- March 20: U.S. attacks Baghdad, Iraq, with missiles and bombs. U.K. and U.S. ground troops move into Iraq. Military occupation begins.
May
- May 1: President George W. Bush declares major combat operations over.
- May 15 - U.S forces launch Operation Planet XOperation Planet XDuring Operation Iraqi Freedom, Operation Planet X was a US Army mechanized raid conducted on a village near Ad Dawr and Al Dur, north of Tikrit on the night of 15 May 2003 by elements of the 1st Brigade Combat Team, U.S. 4th Infantry Division and Task Force Ironhorse in search of Ba'ath party...
, capturing hundreds of people.
- May 23 - L. Paul BremerL. Paul BremerLewis Paul "Jerry" Bremer III is an American diplomat. He is most notable for being the U.S. Administrator to Iraq charged with overseeing the country's occupation after the 2003 invasion. In his role as head of the Coalition Provisional Authority, he reported primarily to the U.S. Secretary of...
issues Coalition Provisional Authority Order Number 2Coalition Provisional Authority Order Number 2Coalition Provisional Authority Order Number 2: Dissolution of Entities signed by CPA civil administrator L. Paul Bremer on May 23, 2003, disbanded the Iraqi military, security, and intelligence infrastructure of President Saddam Hussein...
, dissolving the Iraqi army and other entities of the Baathist state.
June
- June 15: The U.S. military begins Operation Desert ScorpionOperation Desert Scorpion (Iraq 2003)Operation Desert Scorpion was a major U.S.operation to identify and eliminate anti-coalition forces while simultaneously delivering humanitarian aid. The area of operation was mainly in north-central Iraq and was conducted between June 15 and June 29, 2003. The stated task and purpose of Operation...
, a series of raids across Iraq intended to find Iraqi resistance and heavy weapons.
- June 24 - Six British Royal Military PoliceRoyal Military PoliceThe Royal Military Police is the corps of the British Army responsible for the policing of service personnel, and for providing a military police presence both in the UK, and whilst service personnel are deployed overseas on operations and exercises.Members of the RMP are generally known as...
killed by a mob in Al Majar Al Kabir in Southern Iraq.
July
- July 2: President Bush challenges those attacking US troops to "Bring 'em on!"
- July 13: The Iraqi Governing CouncilIraqi Governing CouncilThe Iraqi Governing Council was the provisional government of Iraq from July 13, 2003 to June 1, 2004. It was established by and served under the United States-led Coalition Provisional Authority...
is established under the authority of the US Coalition Provisional Authority. - July 22: UdayUday HusseinUday Saddam Hussein al-Tikriti , was the eldest son of Saddam Hussein from his first wife, Sajida Talfah. He was the brother of Qusay Hussein. Uday was for several years seen as the heir apparent of his father; however, Uday lost his place in the line of succession due to his erratic behavior and...
and Qusay HusseinQusay HusseinQusay Saddam Hussein al-Tikriti was the second son of Iraqi President Saddam Hussein. He was appointed as his father's heir apparent in 2000.- Family :...
, Saddam Hussein's sons, are killed in MosulMosulMosul , is a city in northern Iraq and the capital of the Ninawa Governorate, some northwest of Baghdad. The original city stands on the west bank of the Tigris River, opposite the ancient Assyrian city of Nineveh on the east bank, but the metropolitan area has now grown to encompass substantial...
August
- August 7: Jordanian embassy is bombed2003 Jordanian embassy bombing in BaghdadThe 2003 Jordanian embassy bombing in Baghdad was the detonation of a truck bomb outside of the Jordanian embassy in Iraq on August 7, 2003. The powerful blast killed 17 and injured at least 40....
, the first car bombing of the occupation.
- August 19: Canal Hotel bombingCanal Hotel BombingThe Canal Hotel Bombing in Baghdad, Iraq, in the afternoon of August 19, 2003, killed at least 22 people, including the United Nations' Special Representative in Iraq Sérgio Vieira de Mello, and wounded over 100. The blast targeted the United Nations Assistance Mission in Iraq created just 5 days...
: Truck bomb at the United NationsUnited NationsThe United Nations is an international organization whose stated aims are facilitating cooperation in international law, international security, economic development, social progress, human rights, and achievement of world peace...
headquarters kills the top UN envoy, Sergio Vieira de MelloSérgio Vieira de MelloSérgio Vieira de Mello was a Brazilian United Nations employee who worked for the UN for more than 34 years, earning respect and praise around the world for his efforts in the humanitarian and political programs of the UN...
, and 21 others.
- August 29: Influential Shiite cleric Ayatollah Mohammed Baqr al-Hakim is killed in a car bomb blast as he leaves his mosque after Friday prayers. At least 84 others are killed.
September
- September 3 First post-Saddam government.
- September 23: Gallup poll shows majority of Iraqis expect better life in 5 years. Around two-thirds of Baghdad residents state the Iraqi dictator removal was worth the hardships they've been forced to endure.
October
- October 2: David KayDavid KayDr. David A. Kay is best known for heading the Iraq Survey Group and acting as a Weapons inspector in Iraq after the 2003 U.S. invasion.-Education:...
's Iraq Survey GroupIraq Survey GroupThe Iraq Survey Group was a fact-finding mission sent by the multinational force in Iraq after the 2003 invasion of Iraq to find the alleged weapons of mass destruction alleged to be possessed by Iraq that had been the main ostensible reason for the invasion. Its final report is commonly called...
report finds little evidence of WMDWeapons of mass destructionA weapon of mass destruction is a weapon that can kill and bring significant harm to a large number of humans and/or cause great damage to man-made structures , natural structures , or the biosphere in general...
in IraqIraqIraq ; officially the Republic of Iraq is a country in Western Asia spanning most of the northwestern end of the Zagros mountain range, the eastern part of the Syrian Desert and the northern part of the Arabian Desert....
, although the regime did intend to develop more weapons with additional capabilities. Such plans and programs appear to have been dormant, the existence of these though were concealed from UNSCOM during the inspections that began in 2002. Weapons inspectors in Iraq did a find clandestine "network of biological laboratoriesLaboratoryA laboratory is a facility that provides controlled conditions in which scientific research, experiments, and measurement may be performed. The title of laboratory is also used for certain other facilities where the processes or equipment used are similar to those in scientific laboratories...
" and a deadly strain of botulinum. The US-sponsored search for WMD has so far cost $300 million and is projected to cost around $600 million more.
- October 16: UN Security CouncilUnited Nations Security CouncilThe United Nations Security Council is one of the principal organs of the United Nations and is charged with the maintenance of international peace and security. Its powers, outlined in the United Nations Charter, include the establishment of peacekeeping operations, the establishment of...
issue Resolution 1511United Nations Security Council Resolution 1511United Nations Security Council Resolution 1511, adopted unanimously on October 16, 2003, after reaffirming previous resolutions on Iraq, particularly 1483 and 1500 , and Resolution 1373 on terrorism, the Council urged countries to contribute towards a multinational force to maintain security and...
which envisions a multinational forceMultinational force in IraqThe Multi-National Force – Iraq was a military command, led by the United States, which was responsible for Operation Iraqi Freedom. Multi-National Force – Iraq replaced the previous force, Combined Joint Task Force 7, on 15 May 2004, and was later itself reorganized into its successor, United...
and preserve Washington's quasi-absolute control of Iraq.
- October 27: 27 October 2003 Baghdad bombings27 October 2003 Baghdad bombingsThe 27 October 2003 Baghdad bombings were the simultaneous suicide car bombings targeting the Red Cross compound, and four Iraqi police stations in Baghdad. The attacks killed 35 people, as well as injuring 244....
, beginning of the Ramadan OffensiveRamadan OffensiveThe Ramadan Offensive was a series of insurgent attacks against Coalition and Iraqi military targets from the end of October and during much of November 2003....
.
November
- November 2: In the heaviest single loss for the coalition troops up to that time, two US ChinookCH-47 ChinookThe Boeing CH-47 Chinook is an American twin-engine, tandem rotor heavy-lift helicopter. Its top speed of 170 knots is faster than contemporary utility and attack helicopters of the 1960s...
helicopters are fired on by two surface-to-air missileSurface-to-air missileA surface-to-air missile or ground-to-air missile is a missile designed to be launched from the ground to destroy aircraft or other missiles...
s and one crashes near FallujahFallujahFallujah is a city in the Iraqi province of Al Anbar, located roughly west of Baghdad on the Euphrates. Fallujah dates from Babylonian times and was host to important Jewish academies for many centuries....
and on its way to Baghdad airport; 16 soldiers are killed and 20 wounded.
- November 12: A suicide truck bomb blows up the Italian headquarters in Nasiriyah2003 Nasiriyah bombingThe 2003 Nasiriyah bombing was a suicide attack on the Italian military police headquarters in Nasiriyah, Iraq, south of Baghdad on November 12, 2003.-Prelude:...
, killing 19 Italians (17 of them soldiers) and 14 Iraqis.
- November 15: The Governing Council unveils an accelerated timetable for transferring the country to Iraqi control.
- November 22: 2003 Baghdad DHL attempted shootdown incident: An Airbus A-300 freighter belonging to German courier firm DHLDHLDHL Express is a division of the German logistics company Deutsche Post providing international express mail services. DHL is a world market leader in sea and air mail....
is forced to make an emergency landing with an engine fire, after being struck by a portable shoulder-fired SA-14 missile.
- November 27: U.S. PresidentPresident of the United StatesThe President of the United States of America is the head of state and head of government of the United States. The president leads the executive branch of the federal government and is the commander-in-chief of the United States Armed Forces....
George W. BushGeorge W. BushGeorge Walker Bush is an American politician who served as the 43rd President of the United States, from 2001 to 2009. Before that, he was the 46th Governor of Texas, having served from 1995 to 2000....
makes a stealthy Thanksgiving DayThanksgivingThanksgiving Day is a holiday celebrated primarily in the United States and Canada. Thanksgiving is celebrated each year on the second Monday of October in Canada and on the fourth Thursday of November in the United States. In Canada, Thanksgiving falls on the same day as Columbus Day in the...
visit to BaghdadBaghdadBaghdad is the capital of Iraq, as well as the coterminous Baghdad Governorate. The population of Baghdad in 2011 is approximately 7,216,040...
(the White HouseWhite HouseThe White House is the official residence and principal workplace of the president of the United States. Located at 1600 Pennsylvania Avenue NW in Washington, D.C., the house was designed by Irish-born James Hoban, and built between 1792 and 1800 of white-painted Aquia sandstone in the Neoclassical...
having announced that he would be at home with his family) in an attempt to boost morale among the troops and ordinary Iraqis. Bush is accompanied by National Security Advisor Condoleezza RiceCondoleezza RiceCondoleezza Rice is an American political scientist and diplomat. She served as the 66th United States Secretary of State, and was the second person to hold that office in the administration of President George W. Bush...
, and he is flown in to Baghdad International AirportBaghdad International AirportBaghdad International Airport, originally Saddam International Airport, , BIAP is Iraq's largest airport, located in a suburb about west of downtown Baghdad in the Baghdad Governorate...
aboard Air Force OneAir Force OneAir Force One is the official air traffic control call sign of any United States Air Force aircraft carrying the President of the United States. In common parlance the term refers to those Air Force aircraft whose primary mission is to transport the president; however, any U.S. Air Force aircraft...
.
- November 30: The US military reports killing 46 militants and wounding 18 in clashes in the central city of Samarra. The reports are later called into question as reporters interview residents of the city. Hospital staff only reports eight dead - most or all of them civilians, including an elderly Iranian pilgrim. No bodies of dead guerillas are found.
December
- December 13: Saddam HusseinSaddam HusseinSaddam Hussein Abd al-Majid al-Tikriti was the fifth President of Iraq, serving in this capacity from 16 July 1979 until 9 April 2003...
is captured in Operation Red DawnOperation Red DawnOperation Red Dawn was the U.S. military operation conducted on 13 December 2003 in the town of ad-Dawr, Iraq, near Tikrit, that captured Iraq President Saddam Hussein, ending rumours of his death. The operation was named after the 1984 film Red Dawn. The mission was assigned to the 1st Brigade...
; it was announced the next day.
- December 17: The U.S. 4th Infantry DivisionU.S. 4th Infantry DivisionThe 4th Infantry Division is a modular division of the United States Army based at Fort Carson, Colorado, with four brigade combat teams. It is a very technically advanced combat division in the U.S. Army....
launches Operation Ivy BlizzardOperation Ivy BlizzardOperation Ivy Blizzard, occurred on December 17, 2003, during the 2003 invasion of Iraq was a counterinsurgent sweep of the Iraqi town of Samarra . The operation involved elements of the U.S. 4th Infantry Division and began before dawn, lasting to about mid-morning...
, lasting from dawn until mid-morning. The operation resulted in the arrest of several guerrilla fighters and possible terrorists.
January
- January 26: Japanese Iraq Reconstruction and Support Group: Japanese troops begin participation in most risky military expedition since World War II.
February
- February 1: Two suicide bombers strike Kurdish political offices2004 Irbil bombingsThe 2004 Irbil bombings was a double suicide attack on the offices of Kurdish political parties in Irbil, Iraq, north of Baghdad on February 2, 2004...
in the northern city of ArbilArbilArbil / Hewlêr is the fourth largest city in Iraq after Baghdad, Basra and Mosul...
, kill 117 and injuring 133.
- February 21: U.S. permits Red Cross to visit Saddam Hussein for first time since his capture in December.
March
- March 2: Multiple bombings in BaghdadBaghdadBaghdad is the capital of Iraq, as well as the coterminous Baghdad Governorate. The population of Baghdad in 2011 is approximately 7,216,040...
and KarbalaKarbalaKarbala is a city in Iraq, located about southwest of Baghdad. Karbala is the capital of Karbala Governorate, and has an estimated population of 572,300 people ....
at the climax of the Shi'aShi'a IslamShia Islam is the second largest denomination of Islam. The followers of Shia Islam are called Shi'ites or Shias. "Shia" is the short form of the historic phrase Shīʻatu ʻAlī , meaning "followers of Ali", "faction of Ali", or "party of Ali".Like other schools of thought in Islam, Shia Islam is...
festival of Aashurah kill nearly 200, the deadliest attacks up to that time.
- March 8: Signature of the provisional Iraqi ConstitutionConstitution of IraqThe Constitution of Iraq is Iraq's fundamental law.-History:Iraq's first constitution, which established a constitutional monarchy, entered into force under the auspices of a British military occupation in 1925 and remained in effect until the 1958 revolution established a republic...
.
- March 31: 31 March 2004 Fallujah ambush31 March 2004 Fallujah ambushOn March 31, 2004 an ambush saw Iraqi insurgents in Fallujah attack a convoy containing four United States contractors from the private security company Blackwater USA, who were conducting delivery for food caterers ESS....
: Four BlackwaterBlackwater WorldwideXe Services LLC, better known by its former names, Blackwater USA and Blackwater Worldwide, is a private military company founded in 1997 by Erik Prince and Al Clark.. Xe is currently the largest of the U.S. State Department's three private security contractors...
contractors ambushed and killed in FallujahFallujahFallujah is a city in the Iraqi province of Al Anbar, located roughly west of Baghdad on the Euphrates. Fallujah dates from Babylonian times and was host to important Jewish academies for many centuries....
, causing a First Battle of Fallujah.
April
- April 4: Beginning of violent clashes between the coalition and followers of Shia cleric Muqtada al-SadrMuqtada al-SadrSayyid Muqtadā al-Ṣadr is an Iraqi Islamic political leader.Along with Ali al-Sistani and Ammar al-Hakim of the Islamic Supreme Council of Iraq, Sadr is one of the most influential religious and political figures in the country not holding any official title in the Iraqi government.-Titles:He is...
, which will end at the end of August 2004.
- April 8: Beginning of the kidnapping of foreign civiliansForeign hostages in IraqTable of contentsKey: Beginning in April 2004, members of the Iraqi insurgency began taking foreign civilian hostages in Iraq. Since then, they have kidnapped more than 200 foreigners and thousands of Iraqis; among them, dozens of foreign hostages have been killed. Nepal and the United States ...
in Iraq, with the abduction of several Japanese.
- April 18: SpainSpainSpain , officially the Kingdom of Spain languages]] under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages. In each of these, Spain's official name is as follows:;;;;;;), is a country and member state of the European Union located in southwestern Europe on the Iberian Peninsula...
, led by newly elected José Luis Rodríguez ZapateroJosé Luis Rodríguez ZapateroJosé Luis Rodríguez Zapatero is a member of the Spanish Socialist Workers' Party . He was elected for two terms as Prime Minister of Spain, in the 2004 and 2008 general elections. On 2 April 2011 he announced he will not stand for re-election in 2012...
(Socialist PartySpanish Socialist Workers' PartyThe Spanish Socialist Workers' Party is a social-democratic political party in Spain. Its political position is Centre-left. The PSOE is the former ruling party of Spain, until beaten in the elections of November 2011 and the second oldest, exceeded only by the Partido Carlista, founded in...
) vows to withdraw its troops.
- April 26: The Iraq Interim Governing Council announce a new flag for post-Saddam Iraq. This creates much controversy, in part because of the similarity of color and design with the flag of IsraelFlag of IsraelThe flag of Israel was adopted on October 28, 1948, five months after the country's establishment. It depicts a blue Star of David on a white background, between two horizontal blue stripes...
, and difference with other Arab nation flags. The flag is not adopted.
- April 18: Abu Ghraib torture and prisoner abuseAbu Ghraib torture and prisoner abuseBeginning in 2004, human rights violations in the form of physical, psychological, and sexual abuse, including torture, rape, sodomy, and homicide of prisoners held in the Abu Ghraib prison in Iraq came to public attention...
; Beginning of the diffusion of images of humiliated Iraqi detainees by US soldiers in Abu GhraibAbu GhraibThe city of Abu Ghraib in the Baghdad Governorate of Iraq is located just west of Baghdad's city center, or northwest of Baghdad International Airport. It has a population of 189,000. The old road to Jordan passes through Abu Ghraib...
.
May
- May 17: Ezzedine SalimEzzedine SalimEzzedine Salim, , also known as Abdelzahra Othman Mohammed , was an Iraqi politician.-Biography:...
, head of the Iraqi Governing Council, killed in a suicide attack. - May 19: Mukaradeeb killings; US bombs a wedding party, killing 42 people.
June
- June 1: Assuming of functions of the Iraqi Interim GovernmentIraqi Interim GovernmentThe Iraqi Interim Government was created by the United States and its coalition allies as a caretaker government to govern Iraq until the Iraqi Transitional Government was installed following the Iraqi National Assembly election conducted on January 30, 2005...
led by Prime minister Iyad AllawiIyad AllawiAyad Allawi is an Iraqi politician, and was the interim Prime Minister of Iraq prior to Iraq's 2005 legislative elections. A prominent Iraqi political activist who lived in exile for almost 30 years, the politically secular Shia Muslim became a member of the Iraq Interim Governing Council, which...
; Ghazi al-YawerGhazi Mashal Ajil al-YawerGhazi Mashal Ajil al-Yawar is an Iraqi political figure. He was a Vice President of Iraq under the Iraqi Transitional Government from 2005 to 2006, and was Acting President of Iraq under the Iraqi Interim Government from 2004 to 2005....
is designed head of the Iraqi state. - June 8: UN Security Council Resolution 1546United Nations Security Council Resolution 1546United Nations Security Council Resolution 1546, adopted unanimously on June 8, 2004, after reaffirming previous resolutions on Iraq, the Council endorsed the formation of the Iraqi Interim Government, welcomed the end of the occupation and determined the status of the multinational force and its...
on the transfer of sovereignty from the Coalition Provisional Authority to the Iraqi Interim Government. - June 21: 2004 Iranian seizure of Royal Navy personnel2004 Iranian seizure of Royal Navy personnelThe 2004 Iranian seizure of Royal Navy personnel took place in the Shatt al-Arab waterway on 21 June. Six Royal Marines and two Royal Navy sailors were captured....
- June 28: At 10:26 AM, the US-led Coalition Provisional AuthorityCoalition Provisional AuthorityThe Coalition Provisional Authority was established as a transitional government following the invasion of Iraq by the United States and its allies, members of the Multi-National Force – Iraq which was formed to oust the government of Saddam Hussein in 2003...
formally transferred sovereignty of Iraqi territory to the Iraqi interim government, two days ahead of schedule. L. Paul Bremer departed the country two hours later. - June 30: Saddam Hussein and eleven high ex-governmental figures are put under the Iraqi Interim Government's authority.
July
- July 1: Trial of Saddam HusseinTrial of Saddam Husseinthumb|300 px| Saddam Hussein sits before an Iraqi judge at a courthouse in Baghdad, 1 July 2004.The Trial of Saddam Hussein was the trial of the deposed President of Iraq Saddam Hussein by the Iraqi Interim Government for crimes against humanity during his time in office.The Coalition Provisional...
: Saddam Hussein appears at his first hearing.
- July 20: Gloria Macapagal-ArroyoGloria Macapagal-ArroyoGloria Macapagal-Arroyo is a Filipino politician who served as the 14th President of the Philippines from 2001 to 2010, as the 12th Vice President of the Philippines from 1998 to 2001, and is currently a member of the House of Representatives representing the 2nd District of Pampanga...
, PresidentPresident of the PhilippinesThe President of the Philippines is the head of state and head of government of the Philippines. The president leads the executive branch of the Philippine government and is the commander-in-chief of the Armed Forces of the Philippines...
of the PhilippinesPhilippinesThe Philippines , officially known as the Republic of the Philippines , is a country in Southeast Asia in the western Pacific Ocean. To its north across the Luzon Strait lies Taiwan. West across the South China Sea sits Vietnam...
, confirms that hostage Angelo de la Cruz has been freed by his captors after their demands for a one-month-early withdrawal of all 51 Filipino troops from IraqIraqIraq ; officially the Republic of Iraq is a country in Western Asia spanning most of the northwestern end of the Zagros mountain range, the eastern part of the Syrian Desert and the northern part of the Arabian Desert....
were met.
August
- August 5–27: Forces loyal to Muqtada al-SadrMuqtada al-SadrSayyid Muqtadā al-Ṣadr is an Iraqi Islamic political leader.Along with Ali al-Sistani and Ammar al-Hakim of the Islamic Supreme Council of Iraq, Sadr is one of the most influential religious and political figures in the country not holding any official title in the Iraqi government.-Titles:He is...
resist government authority in Najaf; the fighting is ended with Grand Ayatollah Ali al-SistaniGrand Ayatollah Ali al-SistaniGrand Ayatollah Sayyid Ali al-Husayni al-Sistani is the highest-ranking Twelver Shia marja in Iraq and the leader of the Hawza of Najaf.-Early life:Sistani was born in Mashhad, Iran, to a family of religious scholars who traced their roots to Isfahan...
’s help.
September
- September 14: The Haifa Street helicopter incident kills 13 Iraqis and is televised around the world.
- September 30: A car bomb strikes an American Humvee handing out candy to children, killing up to 35 children.
October
- October 1: Battle of Samarra (2004)Battle of Samarra (2004)The Battle of Samarra, also called Operation Baton Rouge, took place in 2004 during the Iraq War. The city of Samarra in central Iraq had fallen under the control of insurgents shortly after insurgents had seized control of Fallujah and Ramadi...
- Late October: The Al Qa'qaa high explosives controversyAl Qa'qaa high explosives controversyThe Al Qa'qaa high explosives controversy concerns the possible removal by Baathist insurgents of about 377 tonnes of high explosives HMX and RDX after the 2003 invasion of Iraq....
comes to light.
November
- November 7: Second Battle of Fallujah begins.
- November 8: Insurgents regroup and begin the Battle of MosulBattle of Mosul (2004)The Battle for Mosul was a battle fought during the Iraq War in 2004 for the capital of the Ninawa Governorate in northern Iraq that occurred concurrently to fighting in Fallujah.- Prelude :...
.
December
- December 21: 2004 Forward Operating Base Marez bombing2004 Forward Operating Base Marez bombingThe Forward Operating Base Marez bombing took place on December 21, 2004. Fourteen U.S. soldiers, four U.S. citizen Halliburton employees, and four Iraqi soldiers allied with the U.S. military were killed in an attack on a dining hall at the Forward Operating Base next to the main U.S...
kills 22, including 18 Americans.
January
- January 26: 31 US soldiers die in a helicopter crash, deadliest day of the entire postwar period.
- January 30: Iraqi legislative electionIraqi legislative election, January 2005Elections for the National Assembly of Iraq were held on January 30, 2005 in Iraq. The 275-member National Assembly was a parliament created under the Transitional Law during the Occupation of Iraq...
. The Shia United Iraqi AllianceUnited Iraqi AllianceThe National Iraqi Alliance , also known as the Watani List, is an Iraqi electoral coalition that contested the Iraqi legislative election, 2010. The Alliance is mainly composed of Shi'a Islamist parties...
obtained a majority, followed by the Kurdish Alliance; Sunnis largely boycotted.
February
- February 28: 2005 Al Hillah bombing2005 Al Hillah bombingThe Al Hillah bombing killed 127 people, chiefly men lining up to join the Iraqi police forces, at the recruiting centre on February 28, 2005 in Al Hillah, Iraq....
: In the deadliest single blast up to that time, a car bomb kills 127 in Hillah; the identity of the bomber as a Jordanian caused a diplomatic row between Iraq and JordanJordanJordan , officially the Hashemite Kingdom of Jordan , Al-Mamlaka al-Urduniyya al-Hashemiyya) is a kingdom on the East Bank of the River Jordan. The country borders Saudi Arabia to the east and south-east, Iraq to the north-east, Syria to the north and the West Bank and Israel to the west, sharing...
.
March
- March 4: Rescue of Giuliana SgrenaRescue of Giuliana SgrenaThe Rescue of Giuliana Sgrena was a covert operation by the Italian military secret service, SISMI, to rescue Italian journalist Giuliana Sgrena from kidnappers in Iraq...
: Liberation of Italian journalist Giuliana SgrenaGiuliana SgrenaGiuliana Sgrena is an Italian journalist who works for the Italian communist newspaper Il Manifesto and the German weekly Die Zeit. While working in Iraq, she was kidnapped by insurgents on February 4, 2005. After her release on March 4, 2005, Sgrena and the two Italian intelligence officers who...
, during which secret Italian agentSISMIServizio per le Informazioni e la Sicurezza Militare was the military intelligence agency of Italy from 1977-2007....
Nicola CalipariNicola CalipariNicola Calipari was an Italian SISMI military intelligence officer with the rank of Major General. Calipari was killed by United States soldiers while escorting a recently released Italian hostage, journalist Giuliana Sgrena, to Baghdad International Airport.- Career :Calipari was born in Reggio...
is killed by US fire. BerlusconiSilvio BerlusconiSilvio Berlusconi , also known as Il Cavaliere – from knighthood to the Order of Merit for Labour which he received in 1977 – is an Italian politician and businessman who served three terms as Prime Minister of Italy, from 1994 to 1995, 2001 to 2006, and 2008 to 2011. Berlusconi is also the...
's government announces a partial retreat of Italian troops from the coalition.
- March 16 First meeting of the transitional National AssemblyNational Assembly of IraqThe Council of Representatives of Iraq is the main elected body of representatives in Iraq. It is currently composed of 325 seats and meets in Baghdad inside the International Zone . It is governed by bylaws that can be found -The monarchy:...
.
April
- April 2: Battle of Abu GhraibBattle of Abu GhraibThe Battle of Abu Ghraib refers to an April 2, 2005 attack on United States forces at Abu Ghraib prison, which consisted of heavy mortar and rocket fire, under which armed insurgents attacked with grenades, small arms, and two vehicle-borne improvised explosive devices . The U.S...
- April 6: Election of Kurdish Jalal TalabaniJalal TalabaniJalal Talabani is the sixth and current President of Iraq, a leading Kurdish politician. He is the first non-Arab president of Iraq, although Abdul Kareem Qasim was half Kurdish....
as President of IraqPresident of IraqThe President of Iraq is the head of state of Iraq and "safeguards the commitment to the Constitution and the preservation of Iraq's independence, sovereignty, unity, the security of its territories in accordance with the provisions of the Constitution." The President is elected by the Council of...
.
- April 7: Ibrahim al-JaafariIbrahim al-JaafariIbrahim abd al-Karim Hamzah al-Eshaiker al-Jafari is an Iraqi politician who was Prime Minister of Iraq in the Iraqi Transitional Government from 2005 to 2006, following the January 2005 election. He was previously one of the two Vice-Presidents of Iraq under the Iraqi Interim Government from 2004...
is nominated as Prime minister of IraqPrime Minister of IraqThe Prime Minister of Iraq is Iraq's head of government. Prime Minister was originally an appointed office, subsidiary to the head of state, and the nominal leader of the Iraqi parliament. Under the newly adopted constitution the Prime Minister is to be the country's active executive authority...
.
- April 28: The Parliament votes its trust towards the new government.
May
- May 8: Battle of Al Qaim, US aiming to stop the flow of foreign fighters into Iraq.
- May 15 Formation of the parliamentary commission charged of the draft of the new Constitution.
August
- August 1–4: Battle of HadithaBattle of HadithaNot to be confused with the 2007 film Battle for Haditha which portrays the Haditha killings.The Battle of Haditha was a battle fought between U.S...
- August 15: Unable to find a consensus between the main political leaders, the Parliament postpones for a week the transmission of the draft constitution to its members.
- August 22: The constitution's draft is presented to the Iraqi Parliament.
- August 28: The constitution is presented to parliament.
- August 31: 2005 Baghdad bridge stampede: Rumors of a suicide bomber lead to a stampede on the Al-Aaimmah bridgeAl-Aaimmah bridgeThe Al-Aaimmah bridge is a bridge over the river Tigris in the Iraqi capital of Baghdad. The bridge links the areas of Adhamiya, which is a majority Sunni Arab area, from its East bank with the Shia area of Kadhimiya on its west....
; about 1,000 people die.
September
- September 1: Battle of Tal AfarBattle of Tal AfarThe Battle of Tal Afar was a military offensive conducted by the United States Army and supported by Iraqi forces, against Al Qaeda insurgents in the city of Tal Afar, Iraq in response to the growing increase of insurgent attacks against U.S. and Iraqi positions in the area...
: US troops launch an offensive in Tal AfarTal AfarTal Afar is a city and district in northwestern Iraq in the Ninawa Governorate located approximately 30 miles west of Mosul and 120 miles north west of Kirkuk.While no official census data exists, the city which had been...
, a city that would become a “model” for the Americans. - September 14: 14 September 2005 Baghdad bombings14 September 2005 Baghdad bombingsThe 14 September 2005 Baghdad bombings were a series of more than a dozen terrorist attacks in the Iraqi capital of Baghdad.The most deadly bombing occurred when a suicide car bomber detonated his vehicle in a crowd of construction workers who had gathered in Baghdad's Oruba Square looking for jobs...
: In the deadliest day of the insurgency in Baghdad, bombs kill 160 and injure more than 500. - September 19: Basra prison incidentBasra prison incidentThe Basra prison incident is a controversial event involving British troops in Basra, Iraq. On 19 September 2005, two undercover British Special Air Service soldiers disguised in Arab civilian garments and headdresses opened fire on Iraqi police officers after having been stopped at a roadblock...
: British troops storm a police station in BasraBasraBasra is the capital of Basra Governorate, in southern Iraq near Kuwait and Iran. It had an estimated population of two million as of 2009...
to free two soldiers being held there. - September 29: Bombings in Balad2005 Balad bombingsOn September 29, 2005, three near-simultaneous car bombs exploded in Balad, Iraq. The bombs went off in a busy vegetable market, by a bank and by a police station. More than 95 were killed and 100 wounded....
kill at least 95.
October
- October 15: Iraqi constitutional referendum, 2005: Voters approve Iraq’s new constitution.
- Oct. 19: Start of Saddam Hussein’s trial.
- Oct. 24 – The Palestine HotelPalestine HotelThe Palestine Hotel , often referred to simply as The Palestine, is an 18-story hotel in Baghdad, Iraq located on Firdos Square, across from the Sheraton Ishtar. It has long been favored by journalists and media personnel...
and the Sheraton IshtarSheraton IshtarThe Ishtar Sheraton Hotel is a hotel in Baghdad, Iraq located on Firdos Square. It is the tallest building in Baghdad, and the tallest structure in Iraq after the Baghdad Tower....
hotel in Baghdad are hit by truck bombs; the attacks are captured on film.
November
- Nov. 5: Operation Steel CurtainOperation Steel CurtainOperation Steel Curtain was a military endeavor executed by coalition forces in early November 2005 to reduce the flow of foreign insurgents crossing the border and joining the Iraqi insurgency. The operation was important in that it was the first large scale deployment of the New Iraqi Army...
launched to root out foreign fighters. - Nov. 15 - 173 prisoners are found in an Iraqi government bunker in Baghdad, having been starved, beaten and tortured.
- Nov. 18: Bombings in Khanaqin2005 Khanaqin bombings2005 Khanaqin bombings were suicide attacks on two Shia mosques in Khanaqin, Iraq , on November 18, 2005.- External links :*, BBC News, 18 November 2005...
kill at least 74. - Nov. 19: Haditha killingsHaditha killingsThe Haditha killings refers to the incident where 24 Iraqi men, women and children were killed by a group of United States Marines on November 19, 2005 in Haditha, a city in the western Iraqi province of Al Anbar. At least 15 of those killed were civilians...
: American soldiers kill 24 people, including 15 noncombatants, in HadithaHadithaHaditha is a city in the western Iraqi Al Anbar Governorate, about 240 km northwest of Baghdad. It is a farming town situated on the Euphrates River at . Its population of around 100,000 people is predominantly Sunni Muslim Arabs...
, after an insurgent attack. - Nov. 25: 2005–2006 Christian Peacemaker hostage crisis begins.
December
- December 14 - U.S. President George W. Bush says that the decision to invade Iraq in 2003 was the result of faulty intelligence, and accepts responsibility for that decision. He maintains that his decision was still justified.
- December 15 Iraqi legislative election, December 2005Iraqi legislative election, December 2005Following the ratification of the Constitution of Iraq on 15 October 2005, a general election was held on 15 December to elect a permanent 275-member Iraqi Council of Representatives....
February
- February 22 The al-Askari Mosque bombing (2006): The Al Askari Mosque is bombed, sparking a wave of sectarian violence.
April
- April 24: Hamdania incidentHamdania incidentThe Hamdania incident refers to an incident involving members of the United States Marines in relation to the shooting death of a possible insurgent Iraqi man on April 26, 2006 in Al Hamdania, a small village west of Baghdad near Abu Ghraib...
. Marines allegedly abduct an Iraqi civilian from a house, kill him, and place components and spent AK-47AK-47The AK-47 is a selective-fire, gas-operated 7.62×39mm assault rifle, first developed in the Soviet Union by Mikhail Kalashnikov. It is officially known as Avtomat Kalashnikova . It is also known as a Kalashnikov, an "AK", or in Russian slang, Kalash.Design work on the AK-47 began in the last year...
cartridges near his body to make it appear he was planting an IEDImprovised explosive deviceAn improvised explosive device , also known as a roadside bomb, is a homemade bomb constructed and deployed in ways other than in conventional military action...
.
May
- May 20 The new Iraqi governmentGovernment of Iraq from 2006The current government of Iraq took office on May 20, 2006 following approval by the members of the Iraqi National Assembly. This followed the general election in December 2005...
, which succeeds to the Iraqi Transitional GovernmentIraqi Transitional GovernmentThe Iraqi Transitional Government was the government of Iraq from May 3rd, 2005, when it replaced the Iraqi Interim Government, until May 20th, 2006, when it was replaced by the first permanent government....
, begins its functions.
June
- June 7 Abu Musab al-ZarqawiAbu Musab al-ZarqawiAbu Musab al-Zarqawi ; October 30, 1966 – June 7, 2006), born Ahmad Fadeel al-Nazal al-Khalayleh was a Jordanian militant Islamist who ran a paramilitary training camp in Afghanistan...
is killed. - June 14: Operation Together Forward begins.
- June 17: Battle of Ramadi (2006)Battle of Ramadi (2006)The Battle of Ramadi was a battle fought during the Iraq War from June 2006 to November 2006 for control of the capital of the Al Anbar Governorate in western Iraq. A combined force of U.S. Soldiers, U.S. Marines, U.S...
begins.
July
- July 9: Hay al Jihad massacreHay al Jihad massacreThe Hay al Jihad massacre occurred on July 9, 2006 in the Hay al Jihad neighborhood of the Iraqi capital, Baghdad. Estimated 40 Sunni civilians were killed by Shia militiamen....
. Shia militias kill 40 Sunnis.
- July 25 Operation River FalconOperation River FalconOperation River Falcon was a military operation in the Iraq War. From July 25–27, 2006, elements of the United States Army 2nd Brigade Combat Team, 4th Infantry Division conducted Operation River Falcon in and around the town of Sayifiyeh in Iraq...
begins.
October
- Oct. 19: Battle of AmarahBattle of AmarahThe Battle of Amarah took place from October 19 to October 20, 2006 between the Mahdi Army and police, who were largely members of the Badr Organization.-Background:...
. Clashes erupt between the Mahdi ArmyMahdi ArmyThe Mahdi Army, also known as the Mahdi Militia or Jaish al-Mahdi , was an Iraqi paramilitary force created by the Iraqi Shia cleric Muqtada al-Sadr in June 2003....
and the Badr OrganizationBadr OrganizationThe Badr Organization previously known as the Badr Brigades or Badr Corps is an Iraqi political party headed by Hadi al-Amiri...
. - Oct. 28: The first of the Chlorine bombings in IraqChlorine bombings in IraqChlorine bombings in Iraq began as early as October 2006, when insurgents in Al Anbar province started using chlorine gas in conjunction with conventional vehicle-borne explosive devices....
.
November
- November 7 - The United States midterm electionsUnited States general elections, 2006The 2006 United States midterm elections were held on Tuesday, November 7, 2006. All United States House of Representatives seats and one third of the United States Senate seats were contested in this election, as well as 36 state governorships, many state legislatures, four territorial...
removed the Republican PartyRepublican Party (United States)The Republican Party is one of the two major contemporary political parties in the United States, along with the Democratic Party. Founded by anti-slavery expansion activists in 1854, it is often called the GOP . The party's platform generally reflects American conservatism in the U.S...
from control of both chambers of the United States CongressUnited States CongressThe United States Congress is the bicameral legislature of the federal government of the United States, consisting of the Senate and the House of Representatives. The Congress meets in the United States Capitol in Washington, D.C....
. The failings in the Iraq War were cited as one of the main causes of the Republicans' defeat, even though the Bush administration had attempted to distance itself from its earlier "stay the course" rhetoric.
- November 19: Ammar al-SaffarAmmar al-SaffarAmmar al-Saffar was the Deputy Health Minister of Iraq. On November 19, 2006, he became the highest-ranking Iraqi official to be kidnapped when he was seized by men in police uniforms....
, Deputy Health Minister, becomes the highest-ranking Iraqi to be kidnapped.
- 23 November 2006 Sadr City bombings23 November 2006 Sadr City bombingsThe 2006 Sadr City bombings were a series of car bombs and mortar attacks in Iraq that began on 23 November at 15:10 Baghdad time and ended at 15:55...
kill more than 200 Shias in Sadr CitySadr CitySadr City is a suburb district of the city of Baghdad, Iraq. It was built in 1959 by Prime Minister Abdul Karim Qassim and later unofficially renamed Sadr City after deceased Shia leader Mohammad Mohammad Sadeq al-Sadr....
.
December
- December 6: The Iraq Study GroupIraq Study GroupThe Iraq Study group , was a ten-person bipartisan panel appointed on March 15, 2006, by the United States Congress, that was charged with assessing the situation in Iraq and the US-led Iraq War and making policy recommendations...
releases their final report. - December 21: 2006 US raid on Iranian diplomats
- December 25: Diyala campaignDiyala campaignThe Diyala province campaign was a series of operations conducted by coalition forces against Iraqi insurgents and a number of bombing and guerrilla attacks against the security forces in Diyala Governorate of Iraq, with the purpose of control of the province.-Background:In 2006, Diyala province...
begins. - Dec. 30: Execution of Saddam HusseinExecution of Saddam HusseinThe execution of Saddam Hussein took place on December 30, 2006 . Saddam was sentenced to death by hanging, after being found guilty and convicted of crimes against humanity by the Iraqi Special Tribunal for the murder of 148 Iraqi Shi'ite in the town of Dujail in 1982, in retaliation for an...
.
January
- January 10: The Iraq War troop surge of 2007Iraq War troop surge of 2007In the context of the Iraq War, the surge refers to United States President George W. Bush's 2007 increase in the number of American troops in order to provide security to Baghdad and Al Anbar Province....
is announced. - January 11: US raid on Iranian Liaison Office in Arbil.
- January 20: The Karbala provincial headquarters raidKarbala provincial headquarters raidThe raid of the Karbala provincial headquarters was an infiltration attack carried out on 20 January 2007 by insurgent commandos, with possible Iranian involvement, on a meeting of U.S. and Iraqi officials at the governor's compound in Karbala to discuss security for the Shia ceremony of Ashoura...
results in the kidnapping and killing of five American soldiers. The US blames Iran. - January 28: Followers of the Shia cult Soldiers of HeavenSoldiers of HeavenThe Soldiers of Heaven or Jund As-Samaa , is an armed Iraqi Shi'a messianic sect led by Dia Abdulzahra, who reportedly died in fighting in Basra, Iraq on 18 January 2008....
initiate the Battle of Najaf (2007)Battle of Najaf (2007)The Battle of Najaf took place on 28 January 2007 at Zarqa near Najaf, Iraq, betweenIraqi Security Forces The Battle of Najaf took place on 28 January 2007 at Zarqa (alt. Zarga) near Najaf, Iraq, betweenIraqi Security Forces The Battle of Najaf took place on 28 January 2007 at Zarqa (alt. Zarga)...
, which left nearly 300 dead.
February
- February 3: A bomb in Baghdad market3 February 2007 Baghdad market bombingThe 3 February 2007 Baghdad market bombing was the detonation of a large truck bomb in a busy market in the Iraqi capital of Baghdad on 3 February 2007...
kills 135 people. - February 6: Baghdad kidnapping of Iranian diplomatBaghdad kidnapping of Iranian diplomat (February 2007)Gunmen kidnapped Jalal Sharafi, the second secretary of the Iranian embassy, as he drove through Karrada district in central Baghdad, Iraq on 6 February 2007. The gunmen wore uniforms of the Iraqi 36th Commando Battalion uniforms. - a special Iraqi unit under U.S. direction. The U.S. military...
. - February 27: Siege of U.K. bases in BasraSiege of U.K. bases in BasraThe Siege of U.K. bases in Basra was conducted and maintained by the Mahdi Army in Basra for most of 2007. Following the reported success of the coalition operation codenamed Sinbad, which purpose was to stabilise Basra and prepare it for the turning over of security to Iraqi government forces, the...
begins.
March
- March 6: 2007 Al Hillah bombings kill 120 Shias.
- March 23: 2007 Iranian seizure of Royal Navy personnel2007 Iranian seizure of Royal Navy personnelIranian military personnel seized 15 Royal Navy personnel during 2007 and held them for 13 days. On 23 March 2007, 15 British Royal Navy personnel, from HMS Cornwall, searching a merchant vessel were surrounded by the Navy of the Iranian Revolutionary Guards and subsequently detained off the...
: Iran seizes 15 British Royal Navy personnel patrolling near Iraq, who are released on 4 April. - March 27: A bombing in Tal Afar2007 Tal Afar bombings and massacreThe 2007 Tal Afar bombings took place on March 27, 2007, when two truck bombs targeted Shia areas of the town of Tal Afar, Iraq, killing 152 and wounding 347 people.-External links:*...
, which killed 152, set off Shia retaliation which left 70 Sunnis dead. - March 29: Suicide bombings in Baghdad29 March 2007 Baghdad bombingsThe 29 March 2007 Baghdad bombings was a 29 March 2007, double suicide attack on the al-Shaab market in a Shiite district of northeastern Baghdad....
kill 82 Shias. - Battle of BaqubahBattle of BaqubahThe Battle of Baqubah took place during the Iraq War in the capital of the Iraqi province Diyala, to the north-east of Baghdad...
.
April
- April 6: Operation Black EagleOperation Black EagleOperation Black Eagle is an operation in which U.S. and Polish troops battled gunmen loyal to anti-American cleric Muqtada al-Sadr in the town of Al Diwaniyah, which is the capital of Iraq's Al-Qādisiyyah Governorate, for control of the city. U.S. warplanes targeted insurgent positions with...
. Fighting between Coalition forces and the Madhi Army. - April 18: Bombings across Baghdad18 April 2007 Baghdad bombingsThe 18 April 2007 Baghdad bombings were a series of attacks that occurred when five car bombs exploded across Baghdad, the capital city of Iraq, on 18 April 2007, killing nearly 200 people.The attacks targeted mainly Shia locations and civilians...
kill nearly 200. - April 23: 2007 Mosul massacre2007 Mosul massacreThe 2007 Mosul massacre was a mass killing that took place on April 23, 2007 in Mosul, in northern Iraq. A bus carrying workers from the Mosul Textile Factory was hijacked by unidentified attackers. The attackers checked the passengers' identity cards, telling Muslims and Christians to get off the...
of YazidiYazidiThe Yazidi are members of a Kurdish religion with ancient Indo-Iranian roots. They are primarily a Kurdish-speaking people living in the Mosul region of northern Iraq, with additional communities in Transcaucasia, Armenia, Turkey, and Syria in decline since the 1990s – their members emigrating to...
workers, in revenge for the Stoning of Du'a Khalil AswadStoning of Du'a Khalil Aswad-Asylum and return:Some news agencies reported that Aswad was being sheltered by a Yazidi tribal leader in Bashika in fear of her life until her family persuaded her that she had been forgiven and could return home. Other reports indicate that she was instead given asylum by a local Muslim Sheikh...
.
June
- June 13: 2007 al-Askari Mosque bombing2007 al-Askari Mosque bombingThe 2007 al-Askari Mosque bombing occurred on June 13, 2007 at around 9 a.m. local time at one of the holiest sites in Shia Islam, the al-Askari Mosque, and has been attributed to al-Qaeda in Iraq or the Iraqi Baath Party. While there were no injuries or deaths reported, the mosque's two ten...
blows up two of the mosque’s minarets.
- June 16: Operation Phantom ThunderOperation Phantom ThunderOperation Phantom Thunder began on June 16, 2007, when Multi-National Force-Iraq launched major offensive operations against al-Qaeda and other extremist terrorists operating throughout Iraq...
begins.
July
- July 12: The Initial Benchmark Assessment Report is released.
- July 16: The 2007 Kirkuk bombings2007 Kirkuk bombingsThe 2007 Kirkuk bombings were a series of 3 suicide and car bomb attacks that occurred on July 16, 2007, in the northern Iraqi oil city of Kirkuk...
kill 86. - July 17: Truck bomb in Amirli2007 Amirli bombingThe 2007 Amirli bombing was a suicide car bomb attack that occurred on July 7, 2007, in a market in the town of Amirli, Iraq. The bombing killed 156 people with 255 injured.-References:...
kills 156. - July 26: A Baghdad market is bombed26 July 2007 Baghdad market bombingThe 26 July 2007 Baghdad market bombing were a truck bomb and rocket attack on a market in the Karada district of Baghdad, the capital city of Iraq, on 26 July 2007, killing almost 100 people....
, killing 92.
August
- Operation Phantom StrikeOperation Phantom StrikeOperation Phantom Strike was a major offensive launched by the Multi-National Corps - Iraq on August 15, 2007 in a crackdown to disrupt Al-Qaeda in Iraq and Shia extremist operations in Iraq. It consisted of a number of simultaneous operations throughout Iraq focused on pursuing remaining AQI...
begins. - August 14: 2007 Yazidi communities bombings2007 Yazidi communities bombingsThe 2007 Yazidi communities bombings occurred at around 8pm local time on August 14, 2007, when four co-ordinated suicide bomb attacks detonated in the Yazidi towns of Qahtaniya and Jazeera , near Mosul....
. In the most deadly insurgent strikes to date, four bombings in Qahtaniya and Jazeera, in northern Iraq, strike Yazidi communities, killing 796 people and injuring more than 1,500.
January
- January 8: Operation Phantom PhoenixOperation Phantom PhoenixOperation Phantom Phoenix was a major nation-wide offensive launched by the Multinational Force Iraq on January 8, 2008 in an attempt to build on the success of the two previous corps-level operations, Operation Phantom Thunder and Operation Phantom Strike and further reduce violence and secure...
begins. - January 18: 2008 Iraqi Day of Ashura fighting2008 Iraqi Day of Ashura fightingThe 2008 Iraqi Day of Ashura fighting was a series of clashes that occurred on the Islamic holy day of Ashura on January 18, 2008 and the next day in the Iraqi cities of Basra and Nasiriyah...
. - January 23: Ninawa campaignNinawa campaignThe Ninawa campaign was a series of offensives and counter-attacks between insurgent and Coalition forces for control of the Ninawa Governorate in northern Iraq in early to mid-2008...
begins.
February
- Bombings in Baghdad1 February 2008 Baghdad bombingsThe 1 February 2008 Baghdad bombings occurred on 1 February 2008, when two suicide bombings occurred in Baghdad, the capital of Iraq. The blasts killed 98 people and injured over 200 others.- Details :...
kill 98. - February 21: 2008 Turkish incursion into northern Iraq2008 Turkish incursion into northern IraqThe 2008 Turkish incursion into northern Iraq, code-named Operation Sun by the Turkish Armed Forces, began on February 21, 2008, when the Turkish Army sent troops into northern Iraq to target the Kurdistan Workers Party . The ground offensive was preceded by Turkish Air Force aerial bombardments...
TurkeyTurkeyTurkey , known officially as the Republic of Turkey , is a Eurasian country located in Western Asia and in East Thrace in Southeastern Europe...
launches an offensive in northern Iraq against PKK rebels.
November
- 2008 attacks on Christians in Mosul2008 attacks on Christians in Mosul2008 attacks on Christians in Mosul was a series of attacks which targeted the Christians Mosul, Iraq. The Christians of Mosul which were already targeted during the Iraq War left the city en masse heading to Assyrian Christian villages in Nineveh Plains and Iraqi Kurdistan.Both Sunni extremists,...
- The U.S.-Iraq Status of Forces AgreementU.S.-Iraq Status of Forces AgreementThe U.S.–Iraq Status of Forces Agreement is a status of forces agreement between Iraq and the United States. It establishes that U.S...
, which stipulates that U.S. troops will be out of Iraq by the end of 2011, is approved and ratified by the Iraqi Parliament.
January
- January 31: Iraqi governorate elections, 2009
- A total of 191 Iraqis were killed in violence during January, the lowest monthly toll since the US-led invasion2003 invasion of IraqThe 2003 invasion of Iraq , was the start of the conflict known as the Iraq War, or Operation Iraqi Freedom, in which a combined force of troops from the United States, the United Kingdom, Australia and Poland invaded Iraq and toppled the regime of Saddam Hussein in 21 days of major combat operations...
of March 2003. Sixteen U.S. troops died in Iraq in during the month.
May
- May 11: Camp Liberty killingsCamp Liberty killingsThe Camp Liberty killings occurred on May 11, 2009, at military counseling clinic at Camp Liberty, Iraq. Sgt. John M. Russell, 44, of the 54th Engineer Battalion based at Warner Barracks in Bamberg, Germany, was taken into custody and charged with five counts of murder and one count of aggravated...
- May 27: The last of the U.K.'s combat troops are withdrawn.
December
- 8 December 2009 Baghdad bombings8 December 2009 Baghdad bombingsThe 8 December 2009 Baghdad bombings were attacks in Baghdad, Iraq which resulted in the deaths of at least 127 people and injuries to at least 448 more. The attacks have been condemned internationally as acts of terrorism...
kill 127. - December 31: The US suffers only four troop deaths, and no combat deaths, the lowest figure since the war began.
August
- August 18: American combat operations in IraqIraqIraq ; officially the Republic of Iraq is a country in Western Asia spanning most of the northwestern end of the Zagros mountain range, the eastern part of the Syrian Desert and the northern part of the Arabian Desert....
end as its last combat brigadeBrigade combat teamThe brigade combat team is the basic deployable unit of maneuver in the US Army. A brigade combat team consists of one combat arms branch maneuver brigade, and its attached support and fire units. A brigade combat team is generally commanded by a colonel , but in rare instances it is commanded by...
departs for KuwaitKuwaitThe State of Kuwait is a sovereign Arab state situated in the north-east of the Arabian Peninsula in Western Asia. It is bordered by Saudi Arabia to the south at Khafji, and Iraq to the north at Basra. It lies on the north-western shore of the Persian Gulf. The name Kuwait is derived from the...
.