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| 2006–2007 Iraqi civil war | |
|---|---|
| Conflict | 2006–2007 Iraqi civil war |
| Partof | Iraq War |
| Date | 2006–2007 |
| Place | Iraq, primarily Baghdad and Al Anbar Governorate |
| Result | Security surge, sectarian segregation, shifts in 2007 surge dynamics |
2006–2007 Iraqi civil war was a period of intense sectarian conflict in Iraq following the 2003 Invasion of Iraq and the collapse of the Ba'ath Party. Violence peaked amid reprisals between Shi'a militias and Sunni insurgents, drawing in Kurdistan Region actors, United States forces, and regional powers such as Iran and Saudi Arabia. The period reshaped post‑2003 Iraqi politics, influenced the 2007 surge debate, and produced major humanitarian crises centered on Baghdad and Mosul.
The conflict followed the 2003 invasion of Iraq removal of Saddam Hussein and the dissolution of the Ba'ath Party, which precipitated the rise of insurgent groups like Al-Qaeda in Iraq and militia formations such as the Mahdi Army. Political transitions under the Interim Government of Iraq, the Iraqi Transitional Government, and the elected cabinets of Ibrahim al‑Jaafari and Nouri al‑Maliki struggled amid sectarian tensions between Dawa Party‑aligned Shi'a, Sunni Arab parties like the Iraqi Islamic Party, and Kurdish blocs including the Patriotic Union of Kurdistan and the Kurdistan Democratic Party. The 2005 elections and the drafting of the 2005 constitution left unresolved disputes over devolution, oil revenues, and provincial powers that fueled militia mobilization by groups including the Badr Organisation and Sadr Movement.
Violence escalated after the 23 February 2006 bombing of the Al-Askari Mosque in Samarra, which triggered waves of sectarian reprisals across Baghdad, Mosul, and Basra. In April–May 2006 clashes between the Mahdi Army and Badr Organisation in Najaf presaged the summer's intensified urban warfare. The fall and winter of 2006 saw frequent bombings attributed to Al-Qaeda in Iraq and insurgent groups operating from Anbar Province, prompting US commanders such as General George W. Casey Jr. and civilian leaders including Ryan Crocker to issue strategic reassessments. The 2007 operations in Basra precursor events, the surge, and the Anbar Awakening movement involving figures like Abu Risha reshaped the trajectory through 2007, culminating in reduced violence in some urban centers by late 2007.
Principal Shi'a actors included the Sadrist Movement, the Badr Organisation, and militias loyal to clerics such as Muqtada al‑Sadr and political leaders including Nouri al‑Maliki and Ibrahim al‑Jaafari. Sunni side actors featured Al-Qaeda in Iraq, local insurgent coalitions, former Ba'athists, and tribal sheikhs involved in the Anbar Awakening such as Sheikh Abdul Sattar Abu Risha. Kurdish actors comprised the Kurdistan Regional Government, the Peshmerga, and parties like the Kurdistan Democratic Party and the Patriotic Union of Kurdistan, with leaders including Massoud Barzani and Jalal Talabani. International and coalition actors included the United States Armed Forces, elements of the Coalition Provisional Authority, private military contractors like Blackwater USA, and regional states such as Iran and Syria which supported various proxies and political networks.
The period produced mass civilian casualties, with attacks such as the Sadr City bombings, the Al‑Askari Mosque bombing, and repeated market bombings causing large fatalities and displacements. Internally displaced persons fled to safer neighborhoods, the Kurdistan Region, and neighboring states, straining agencies including the United Nations and organizations like the International Committee of the Red Cross. Hospitals in Baghdad and Mosul were overwhelmed, and sectarian cleansing led to demographic shifts across neighborhoods once mixed. Casualty figures were contested among sources including the Iraq Body Count project, United States Department of Defense, and independent NGOs, with estimates of tens of thousands killed and hundreds of thousands displaced during 2006–2007.
Political responses included initiatives by Prime Minister Nouri al‑Maliki to integrate militias into state organs and disarm irregular forces, mediations involving clerics such as Ali al‑Sistani, and negotiations brokered by envoys from the United States and regional capitals like Tehran and Riyadh. The Iraqi National Dialogue Council and cross‑sectarian blocs pursued oil law debates and provincial elections frameworks, while reconciliation efforts often faltered amid distrust between parties including the Dawa Party and Sunni coalitions. US policy updates, notably those associated with President George W. Bush and military advisers like General David Petraeus, emphasized counterinsurgency and political accommodation combined with local reconciliation programs.
Urban counterinsurgency operations by the United States Armed Forces and the Iraqi Army incorporated strategies from counterinsurgency doctrine proponents such as General David Petraeus and drew on partnerships with local tribal forces in the Anbar Awakening. Militia tactics included sectarian assassinations, suicide bombings attributed to Al-Qaeda in Iraq, and neighborhood control by groups like the Mahdi Army, which employed irregular guerrilla methods and sieges. Coalition forces used surge troop deployments, joint security stations, and targeted raids against leaders of groups such as Al-Qaeda in Iraq and criminal networks, while insurgents adapted with improvised explosive devices linked to networks across Syria and Iran.
Regional states including Iran, Syria, and Saudi Arabia influenced factional dynamics through political channels, funding, and proxy networks; Iran notably supported Shi'a militias and political parties, while Syrian territory was cited as conduit for Sunni insurgent movement. The United States and the United Kingdom led coalition military operations and diplomatic efforts, and international organizations including the United Nations Assistance Mission for Iraq engaged in humanitarian coordination. Global media coverage from outlets in Baghdad and capitals like Washington, D.C. and London shaped international perceptions, which in turn affected foreign policy debates in parliaments such as the United States Congress and the UK Parliament.