Battles of the Iraq War (2013–2017)

Battles of the Iraq War (2013–2017)
Conflict	War against the Islamic State in Iraq (2013–2017)
Partof	Iraq War and Syrian civil war
Date	2013–2017
Place	Iraq
Result	Defeat of Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant; major territorial changes
Combatant1	Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant
Combatant2	Iraq, United States, United Kingdom, Iran, Russia, France, Syria, Turkey
Commander1	Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi
Commander2	Haider al-Abadi, Barack Obama, Donald Trump

Battles of the Iraq War (2013–2017)

From 2013 to 2017 a sequence of large-scale offensives, urban sieges, and coalition campaigns reversed territorial gains made by Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant in Iraq and surrounding regions. Major military actions involved Iraqi security forces, People's Mujahedin? groups, Kurdish peshmerga, international coalition airpower, and irregular militias aligned with Popular Mobilization Forces. The period reshaped politics in Baghdad, Mossul, and Nineveh Governorate and influenced the Syrian civil war and regional dynamics with Iranian Revolutionary Guard Corps and Turkish Armed Forces participation.

Background and context

Between 2013 and 2014, insurgent advances by Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant in Anbar Governorate and Nineveh Governorate culminated in the 2014 capture of Mosul and the declaration of a caliphate by Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi. The collapse of Iraqi Army units, political disputes in Baghdad, and the aftermath of the Iraq War (2003–2011) created conditions exploited by ISIL and influenced by spillover from the Syrian Civil War. International responses included the formation of the Global Coalition to Counter ISIL under United States leadership and increased involvement from Iran through the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps and auxiliaries like Kata'ib Hezbollah.

Major offensives and campaigns

Large campaigns included the Anbar campaign (2015–16), the Hawija offensive (2017), and the multi-year Battle of Mosul (2016–17). The Siege of Fallujah (2016) and Battle of Ramadi (2015) marked earlier decisive operations involving Iraqi Special Operations Forces, Peshmerga units, and coalition airstrikes from United States Air Force and allied aircraft. The Kirkuk offensive (2016) and operations in Tal Afar reflected coordinated efforts by Iraqi Counter-Terrorism Service, Popular Mobilization Forces, and Turkish Armed Forces logistics and advisory roles.

Key battles and sieges

The Battle of Mosul (2016–17) was the largest urban battle, with combat across Old Mosul, Mosul University, and the Tigris River districts involving Iraqi Special Operations Forces, Peshmerga, Nineveh Operations Command, and coalition assets. The Siege of Fallujah (2016) featured heavy fighting between Iraqi Army brigades and ISIL defenders. The Battle of Ramadi (2015–16) and Battle of Tikrit (2015)—which included units from Iraqi Air Force and Iranian Revolutionary Guard Corps advisers—were pivotal for control of Anbar Governorate and Salah al-Din Governorate. The Battle of Tal Afar (2017) and the seizure of Hawija removed remaining ISIL-held pockets, while clashes in Sinjar involved Yazidi areas and Peshmerga forces.

Coalition and Iraqi forces operations

Operations were led operationally by the Combined Joint Task Force – Operation Inherent Resolve with air support from United States Central Command, Royal Air Force, French Air and Space Force, and others. Ground operations relied on Iraqi Security Forces, including the Iraqi Counter-Terrorism Service, Federal Police (Iraq), and the Popular Mobilization Forces umbrella groups such as Badr Organization and Asa'ib Ahl al-Haq. Kurdish participation came from the Peshmerga and the Kurdistan Regional Government security apparatus, while advisory and intelligence roles were filled by CENTCOM personnel and special operations from United States Army Special Forces, Royal Marines, and Spetsnaz-style advisors linked to Russian military intervention in Syria.

Islamic State tactics and organization

Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant employed combined-arms defense integrating suicide bombers, improvised explosive devices, tunnel networks, and snipers in urban terrain. Commanded by Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi and senior emirs like Abu Muslim al-Turkmani (killed 2015), ISIL used media wings Al-Furqan Media and Amaq News Agency for propaganda. Organizationally ISIL structured provinces (wilayat) across Nineveh, Anbar, and Salah al-Din, with autonomous cells in Baghdad and Kirkuk, and coordinated foreign fighter flows via routes through Syria and Turkey.

Humanitarian impact and civilian casualties

Intense urban combat produced high civilian casualties and displacement across Iraq with major crises in Mosul, Fallujah, and Ramadi. The United Nations Assistance Mission for Iraq and International Committee of the Red Cross documented mass graves, siege-induced shortages, and forced population movements affecting Yazidis in Sinjar and minority communities in Nineveh Plains. Humanitarian corridors and displacement camps like Domiz Camp and facilities run by UNHCR and Iraq Ministry of Migration and Displacement addressed millions of internally displaced persons, while the International Criminal Court and human rights organizations examined allegations of war crimes and crimes against humanity.

Aftermath and territorial outcomes

By late 2017, Iraqi government announcements confirmed recapture of Mosul and the declaration of victory over Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant territory in Iraq by Prime Minister Haider al-Abadi. Remaining ISIL insurgent activity persisted as guerrilla attacks in Anbar Governorate and Nineveh Governorate, necessitating stabilization programs involving United Nations, World Bank, and bilateral reconstruction aid from United States and European Union partners. The conflict altered regional power balances, expanding influence for Iran and energizing debates in Baghdad and Erbil over security sector reform and post-conflict governance.

Category:Conflicts in 2013 Category:Conflicts in 2014 Category:Conflicts in 2015 Category:Conflicts in 2016 Category:Conflicts in 2017