Islamic State insurgency in Iraq (2017–present) | |||||||
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Part of the Iraqi conflict and war against the Islamic State | |||||||
The ISOF, which played the biggest role in curbing IS, in a military parade | |||||||
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Belligerents | |||||||
Rojava (cross-border cooperation since May 2018) [2] Contents
Supported by: Netherlands [3] | Islamic State White Flags | ||||||
Commanders and leaders | |||||||
Abdul Latif Rashid Former Killed:
Nechirvan Barzani | Abu Hafs al-Hashimi al-Qurashi (Leader of IS) Killed:
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Units involved | |||||||
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Strength | |||||||
Iraq: 530,000 personnel (including paramilitary forces) [10] | Islamic State: 5,000–7,000 (per UN, in Iraq and Syria) [11] 400–500 (per Iraq) [11] | ||||||
Casualties and losses | |||||||
2,361 killed (Iraqi government claim) 1 killed [16] 3 killed [17] | 6,266 killed (Iraqi government claim) [18] |
The Islamic State insurgency in Iraq is an ongoing low-intensity insurgency that began in 2017 after the Islamic State (IS) lost its territorial control in the War in Iraq, during which IS and allied White Flags fought the Iraqi military (largely backed by the United States, United Kingdom and other countries conducting airstrikes against IS) and allied paramilitary forces (largely backed by Iran).
The insurgency is a direct continuation of the War in Iraq from 2013 to 2017, with IS continuing armed opposition against the Shia-led Iraqi Government. Along with the Islamic State, other insurgents fighting the government include a group known as the White Flags which is reportedly composed of former IS members and Kurdish rebels and is believed by the government of Iraq to be part of Ansar al-Islam and possibly affiliated with al-Qaeda. [19] The group operates mostly in the Kirkuk Governorate and has used an assortment of guerilla tactics against government forces. In September 2017, Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi, the leader of IS, called on IS supporters around the world to launch attacks on Western news media and continued in his message the IS must focus on combating the two-pronged attack on the Muslim Ummah; these statements marked a departure from previous rhetoric which was focused on the state building of IS and heralded a shift in IS's strategy toward a classical insurgency. [20]
Since IS's loss of all territory in Iraq in late 2017 which was declared as Iraq's victory over IS and widely seen as an end to the war, and declared as such by Iraq's Prime Minister Haidar al-Abadi, [21] multiple incidents of violence have occurred being carried out by the conflicting sides, in spite of Iraq's declaration of victory over IS the group is widely seen as far from gone and continues to retain a presence throughout Iraq, and still capable of carrying out attacks and skirmishes with pro-government forces. [22] IS has been waging a guerrilla war with a strong presence in the governorates of Kirkuk, Diyala, Saladin, and Sulaymaniyah, with local forces largely ill-equipped and inexperienced, IS has also taken advantage of the areas' rough terrain to carry out operations. IS has also made a notable presence in the cities of Kirkuk, Hawija and Tuz Khurmato and has carried out attacks at night in rural areas.
IS fighters also reportedly move through villages during the day without interference from security forces, and locals have been asked by IS to give fighters food and give information on the whereabouts of Iraqi personnel, locals have also stated that IS fighters will frequently enter into Mosques and ask for Zakat to fund the insurgency. Among IS's operations include assassinations, kidnappings, raids and ambushes. [23]
As of 2021, U.S. officials warned that IS "remains capable of waging a prolonged insurgency” but also described IS in Iraq as "diminished”. Iraqi intelligence estimated that IS has 2,000–3,000 fighters in Iraq. [24] [25]
Following IS's defeat in December 2017, they have been greatly weakened and violence in Iraq has been sharply reduced. 20 civilians lost their lives from violence-related incidents during October 2024, the lowest figure in 21 years. [26] By 2024, attacks claimed by IS have gone down by 94% compared to 2019. [27]
In 2018, 3,643 IS militants, 937 Iraqi security forces, 11 American service members, 1 British service member were killed. The death toll in this year was noted to be the lowest since 2003, when the United States invaded the country. [28]
Notable [a] events this year include:
In 2019, 1,129 IS militants and 387 Iraqi security forces soldiers were killed. [29]
Notable [a] events this year include:
In 2020, 777 IS militants and 412 Iraqi security forces soldiers were killed. [30]
Notable [a] events this year include:
In 2021, 487 IS militants and 409 Iraqi security forces soldiers were killed. [31]
Notable [a] events this year include:
In 2022, 564 IS militants and 183 Iraqi security forces soldiers were killed. Furthermore, one US Marine died of non-combat related causes. [32]
Notable [a] events this year include:
In 2023, 281 IS militants, 61 Iraqi security forces and 3 French soldiers were killed. [33]
Notable [a] events this year include:
In 2024, 42 civilians, 58 Iraqi security personnel and 235 ISIS militants were killed. A further 166 ISIS militants were executed in prisons across Iraq. [34]
Tuz Khurmatu is the central city of Tooz District in Saladin Governorate, Iraq, located 55 miles (89 km) south of Kirkuk. Its inhabitants are predominantly Shia Turkmen, with a minority of Arabs and Sunni Kurds.
The Army of the Men of the Naqshbandi Order, also known as the Naqshbandi Army, is one of a number of underground Ba'athist militant insurgency groups fighting U.S.-led Coalition forces in Iraq. Media frequently refers to the group by the initials JRTN, a romanization of its Arabic name. Supreme Command for Jihad and Liberation, technically the name of the umbrella organization to which JRTN belongs, is also often used to refer to JRTN specifically.
The Iraqi insurgency was an insurgency that began in late 2011 after the end of the Iraq War and the withdrawal of U.S. troops from Iraq, resulting in violent conflict with the central government, as well as low-level sectarian violence among Iraq's religious groups.
Operation al-Shabah was launched in May 2013 by the Iraqi Army, with the stated aim of severing contact between the Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant and the al-Nusra Front in Syria by clearing militants from the border area with Syria and Jordan.
On 16 June 2013, a series of coordinated bombings and shootings struck across several cities in Iraq, killing at least 54 people and injuring more than 170 others.
The War in Iraq (2013–2017) was an armed conflict between Iraq and its allies and the Islamic State. Following December 2013, the insurgency escalated into full-scale guerrilla warfare following clashes in the cities of Ramadi and Fallujah in parts of western Iraq, and culminated in the Islamic State offensive into Iraq in June 2014, which lead to the capture of the cities of Mosul, Tikrit and other cities in western and northern Iraq by the Islamic State. Between 4–9 June 2014, the city of Mosul was attacked and later fell; following this, Prime Minister Nouri al-Maliki called for a national state of emergency on 10 June. However, despite the security crisis, Iraq's parliament did not allow Maliki to declare a state of emergency; many legislators boycotted the session because they opposed expanding the prime minister's powers. Ali Ghaidan, a former military commander in Mosul, accused al-Maliki of being the one who issued the order to withdraw from the city of Mosul. At its height, ISIL held 56,000 square kilometers of Iraqi territory, containing 4.5 million citizens.
Between 1 and 15 August 2014, the Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant (ISIL) expanded territory in northern Iraq under their control. In the region north and west from Mosul, the Islamic State conquered Zumar, Sinjar, Wana, Mosul Dam, Qaraqosh, Tel Keppe, Batnaya and Kocho, and in the region south and east of Mosul the towns Bakhdida, Karamlish, Bartella and Makhmour
The fall of Mosul in Iraq occurred between 4 and 10 June 2014, when Islamic State (IS) insurgents, initially led by Abu Abdulrahman al-Bilawi, captured Mosul from the Iraqi Army, led by Lieutenant General Mahdi Al-Gharrawi.
The Battle of Kirkuk took place in the city of Kirkuk in northern Iraq between Kurdistan and the Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant. On the night of January 29, around 150 ISIL fighters attacked positions south and west of the city of Kirkuk, Iraq, which were temporarily under the control of the Peshmerga. The ISIL offensive began under the cover of dense fog and succeeded in overwhelming Peshmerga positions and seizing the towns of Mala Abdullah, Maryam Beg, Tel Ward and the Maktab Khalid crossing. Parts of the Khabbaz oil fields were also captured, taking 24 workers hostage. At least 25 Peshmerga fighters died including Brig. Gen. Sherko Shwani, commander of the 1st Brigade and the highest ranking head of Peshmerga forces in Kirkuk. Gen. Sherko Shwani was killed after being trapped and shot by attackers, according to another Peshmerga commander. Around 16 other Peshmerga fighters were captured by ISIL, and later killed in a staged execution.
This is a timeline of events during the War in Iraq in 2016.
The White Flags, also known as Sufyaniyyun, are a Kurdish Islamonationalist militant group which are an offshoot of Ansar al-Islam. They are based in the disputed territories of northern Iraq opposed to the Iraqi government. Their appearance was first noted during the Battle of Kirkuk in October 2017, when the Jambur oil facility was secured by Iraqi forces in October 2017 as the federal government regained control of disputed territories which were taken by the Kurdish Regional Government.
The Eastern Syria insurgency is an armed insurgency being waged by remnants of the Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant (ISIL) and both pro and anti-Syrian government Arab nationalist insurgents, against the Autonomous Administration of North and East Syria (AANES), its military, and their allies in the US-led Combined Joint Task Force – Operation Inherent Resolve (CJTF–OIR) coalition.
This is a timeline of events during the Islamic State insurgency in Iraq (2017–present) in 2024.
This is a timeline of events during the Islamic State insurgency in Iraq (2017–present) in 2023.
This is a timeline of events during the Islamic State insurgency in Iraq (2017–present) in 2022.
This is a timeline of events during the Islamic State insurgency in Iraq (2017–present) in 2019.
This is a timeline of events during the Islamic State insurgency in Iraq (2017–present) in 2018.