2014 Iraqi Civil War

2014 Iraqi Civil War
Conflict	2014 Iraqi Civil War
Date	2014–2017
Place	Iraq
Result	Territorial defeat of Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant; restoration of Iraqi Armed Forces control over most urban centers; ongoing insurgency
Combatant1	Iraqi Republic; Peshmerga; Popular Mobilization Forces; Kurdish Regional Government
Combatant2	Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant
Commander1	Nouri al-Maliki; Haider al-Abadi; Qasem Soleimani; Abadi
Commander2	Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi

2014 Iraqi Civil War

The 2014 conflict in Iraq was a multi-sided civil war that erupted after the Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant (ISIL) launched a major offensive in northern and western Iraq, seizing cities such as Mosul and threatening Baghdad; it precipitated a complex confrontation involving the Iraqi Armed Forces, Peshmerga, Popular Mobilization Forces, regional states, and a US-led coalition. The war transformed Iraqi politics, security, and sectarian relations and triggered massive humanitarian crises across Anbar Governorate, Nineveh Governorate, and Kirkuk Governorate.

Background

In the years preceding the 2014 conflict, Iraq experienced political struggles involving figures such as Nouri al-Maliki and institutions including the Iraqi Parliament and the Kurdistan Regional Government, while insurgent groups like Al-Qaeda in Iraq evolved into ISIL under leaders linked to the Iraq War (2003–2011). The 2003 invasion by United States forces and subsequent occupation policies, the drawdown associated with the Withdrawal of United States troops from Iraq (2011), and regional interventions by Iran and Saudi Arabia shaped the security vacuum that militants exploited. Sectarian tensions between Shia Islam and Sunni Islam communities were exacerbated by policies of the Iraqi Security Forces and political disputes over oil-rich areas such as Kirkuk and the Nineveh Plains.

Outbreak and Major Offensives (2014)

ISIL's offensive began with rapid assaults in Anbar Governorate and culminated in the capture of Mosul in June 2014, followed by the declaration of a caliphate in Raqqa's regional sphere, prompting counteroffensives by the Iraqi Army and allied forces. Major battles included the fall of Tikrit, clashes around Samarra, and ISIL advances toward Baghdad that led to the siege of towns in Salaheddin Governorate; these operations incorporated tactics learned from the Syrian Civil War and utilized foreign fighters moving through Turkey and across the Syria–Iraq border. The seizure of oil infrastructure and revenues in areas like Mosul Dam and fields near Baiji funded operational expansion and attracted transnational jihadi cadres.

Key Actors and Forces

Principal non-state belligerents included Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant under Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi and affiliated groups such as Jabhat al-Nusra's links in the region, while state-aligned forces featured the Iraqi Armed Forces under leaders like Haider al-Abadi, the Peshmerga commanded by Masoud Barzani's Kurdish Regional Government, and the Popular Mobilization Forces composed of militias with ties to groups like Kata'ib Hezbollah and patrons in Iran represented by figures such as Qasem Soleimani. International actors included the United States Department of Defense coordinating air campaigns, NATO partner logistics, and regional actors such as Turkey and Jordan providing basing and transit support. Human rights organizations and NGOs such as Amnesty International and Human Rights Watch documented abuses by ISIL and by irregular militias.

Humanitarian Impact and Displacement

ISIL's campaigns produced mass atrocities, including executions, sexual slavery, and cultural destruction in sites like Nimrud and Hatra, provoking international condemnation. Minority communities—Yazidis, Assyrian people, Shabak, and Turkmen people—suffered targeted massacres and kidnappings, notably the Sinjar massacre which generated a humanitarian emergency and a flow of internally displaced persons to Duhok and refugee corridors toward Turkey. Displacement strained aid operations run by the International Committee of the Red Cross and the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees, while outbreaks of disease and shortages of food and medicine occurred across camps in Erbil and Sulaymaniyah.

International and Regional Interventions

In response to ISIL gains, the United States launched Operation Inherent Resolve coordinating strikes with partners including United Kingdom, France, Australia, Canada, and regional states; these air campaigns supported local counteroffensives and training programs for the Iraqi Army and Peshmerga. Iran deployed advisors and elements linked to the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps and facilitated mobilization of Shia militias, while Turkey's role involved border security, troop deployments, and contentious policies regarding Kurdish forces. Diplomatic initiatives involved the United Nations Security Council and bilateral talks among Baghdad, Erbil, and capitals such as Tehran and Washington, D.C. to coordinate stabilization and reconstruction.

Political Developments and Governance

The crisis precipitated leadership changes in Baghdad, with Nouri al-Maliki replaced by Haider al-Abadi amid pressure from domestic blocs and international partners seeking more inclusive governance. Debates over constitutional provisions regarding oil revenues, the status of the Kurdistan Regional Government, and the legal incorporation of Popular Mobilization Forces into state structures dominated parliamentary deliberations; tensions between federal institutions and regional authorities led to contested control over provinces such as Nineveh and Anbar. Efforts at reconciliation involved initiatives by political figures like Ammar al-Hakim and international diplomacy seeking to reconcile Sunni Arab grievances through power-sharing and security sector reform.

Aftermath and Legacy

By 2017 coordinated offensives recaptured major cities including Mosul and Raqqa's counterpart in Syria was contested, culminating in the territorial defeat of ISIL but leaving persistent insurgency, sectarian polarization, and reconstruction challenges in urban centers such as Fallujah and Ramadi. The war reshaped regional alignments, elevated the role of Iran in Iraqi affairs, strengthened Kurdish aspirations that culminated in the 2017 independence referendum for Kurdistan Region, and prompted long-term debates in Baghdad about security sector reform and reconciliation with Sunni Arab communities. Cultural heritage loss and demographic shifts continue to affect minority communities and inform transitional justice efforts.

Category:Wars involving Iraq Category:2014 in Iraq Category:Conflicts in 2014