List of wars involving Iraq

Last updated

This is a list of wars involving the Republic of Iraq and its predecessor states.

ConflictCombatant 1Combatant 2ResultsIraqi lossesHead of StatePrime Minister
MilitaryCivilians
Mesopotamian Campaign
(1914–1918 WWI)
Flag of the Ottoman Empire.svg Ottoman Empire Flag of the United Kingdom.svg United Kingdom Defeat~89,500~35,500Flag of the Ottoman Empire.svg Mehmed VI (Ottoman rule)Flag of the Ottoman Empire.svg Ahmet Tevfik Pasha (Ottoman rule)
Mahmud Barzanji Revolts (1919–1924)Flag of the United Kingdom.svg United Kingdom Flag of kurdistan-1922 1924.svg Kingdom of Kurdistan

Flag of Kurdistan.svg Kurdish Tribesmen

Government victory ? ?Before 1920: Flag of the United Kingdom.svg Sir Percy Cox

(British High Commissioner)

After 1920: King Faisal I

Before 1920: Flag of the United Kingdom.svg Sir Percy Cox

(British High Commissioner)

After 1920: Abd Al-Rahman Al-Gillani

Iraqi War of Independence
(1920)
Flag of Hejaz (1917).svg Iraqi Rebels Flag of the United Kingdom.svg United Kingdom Iraqi Political Victory6,00010,0002,0504,000None
Ikhwan revolt (1927-1930)Flag of the United Kingdom.svg United Kingdom Flag of Ikhwan.svg Ikhwan Coalition Victory2,000 killed in total Faisal I of Iraq Faisal bin Sultan
Yazidi Revolt (1935)Flag of Iraq (1924-1959).svg Kingdom of Iraq Flag of Iraq (1924-1959).svg Yazidi Tribesmen Government victory
  • Uprising Quelled
 ? ? Ghazi of Iraq Ali Jawdat al-Ayyubi
Iraqi Shia Revolts
(19351936)
Flag of Iraq (1924-1959).svg Kingdom of Iraq Flag of Iraq (1924-1959).svg Shia Tribesmen Government victory
  • Uprising Quelled
~500
Iraqi Coup D'état
(1941)
Flag of Iraq (1924-1959).svg Kingdom of Iraq Flag of Iraq (1924-1959).svg Golden Square Rebels Golden Square Victory ? Faisal II of Iraq Taha al-Hashimi
Anglo-Iraqi War
(1941 WWII)
Flag of Iraq (1924-1959).svg Kingdom of Iraq (Golden Square)
Flag of Germany (1935-1945).svg  Germany
Flag of Italy (1861-1946) crowned.svg  Italy
Flag of the United Kingdom.svg  United Kingdom
British Raj Red Ensign.svg  India
Flag of the United Kingdom.svg Iraq Levies
Flag of Iraq (1924-1959).svg Royalists
Flag of Jordan.svg Transjordan
Flag of Australia (converted).svg  Australia
Flag of New Zealand.svg  New Zealand
State flag of Greece (1863-1924;1935-73).svg  Greece
Defeat
  • Re-installation of Hashemite royal dynasty and pro-British government
~500 ? Sherif Sharaf Rashid Ali al-Gaylani
Barzani Revolt
(19431945)
Flag of Iraq (1924-1959).svg Kingdom of Iraq Flag of Kurdistan.svg Barzani Kurds Government victory
  • Uprising quelled
 ? Faisal II of Iraq Nuri al-Said
Al-Wathbah Uprising (1948)Flag of Iraq (1924-1959).svg Kingdom of Iraq Socialist red flag.svg Communists Government victory
  • Uprising quelled
300–400 Mohammad Hassan al-Sadr
First Arab–Israeli War
(19481949)
Flag of Egypt (1922-1958).svg Egypt
Flag of Iraq (1924-1959).svg Kingdom of Iraq
Flag of Jordan.svg Transjordan
Flag of Syria (1932-1958; 1961-1963).svg Syria
Flag of Lebanon.svg  Lebanon
Saudi Arabia Flag Variant (1938).svg Saudi Arabia
Flag of the Mutawakkilite Kingdom of Yemen.svg  Kingdom of Yemen
Flag of Hejaz (1917).svg HWA
Flag of the Arab League.svg ALA
Flag of Israel.svg  Israel Defeat ?None Muzahim al-Pachachi
14 July Revolution
(1958)
Flag of the Arab Federation.svg Hashemite Arab Federation

Support:

Flag of the Arab Federation.svg Hashemite Arab Federation

Flag of Iraq (1959-1963).svg Free Officers Free Officers Victory~100 Nuri al-Said
Mosul Uprising
(1959)
Flag of Iraq (1959-1963).svg Iraqi Republic Flag of Egypt without eagle.svgFlag of Hejaz (1917).svg Arab Nationalists Government victory2,426 Muhammad Najib ar-Ruba'i Abd al-Karim Qasim
First Iraqi–Kurdish War
(19611970)
Flag of Iraq (1959-1963).svg Iraqi Republic
Flag of Syria (1932-1958, 1961-1963).svg SyriaFlag of Syria.svg  Syria
Former Flag of KDP.svg KDP Stalemate~10,000 ?
Ramadan Revolution
(1963)
Flag of Iraq (1959-1963).svg Iraqi Republic Flag of Iraq (1963-1991).svgFlag of Hejaz (1917).svg Arab Nationalists Ba'athist Victory100
Ar-Rashid Revolt (1963)Flag of Iraq (1963-1991); Flag of Syria (1963-1972).svg Iraqi Republic Socialist red flag.svg Communists Government victory
  • Revolt suppressed
1+ Abdul Salam Arif Ahmed Hassan al-Bakr
November coup d'état (1963)Flag of Iraq (1963-1991); Flag of Syria (1963-1972).svg Iraqi Republic Flag of Egypt without eagle.svg Nasserists Nasserist victory250
Six-Day War
(1967)

Flag of the United Arab Republic.svg  United Arab Republic
Flag of Jordan.svg  Jordan

Flag of Iraq (1963-1991); Flag of Syria (1963-1972).svg Iraqi Republic
Flag of Lebanon.svg  Lebanon

Flag of Israel.svg  Israel Defeat10None Abdul Rahman Arif Abdul Rahman Arif
17 July Revolution
Flag of Iraq (1963-1991).svg Ba'athist Iraq
Flag of Iraq (1963-1991); Flag of Syria (1963-1972).svg Iraqi Republic Ba’ath victory Ahmed Hassan al-Bakr Ahmed Hassan al-Bakr
October War
(1973)
Flag of Egypt (1972-1984).svg  Egypt
Flag of Syria (1972-1980).svg  Syria
Flag of Iraq (1963-1991).svg Ba'athist Iraq
Flag of Jordan.svg  Jordan
Flag of Algeria.svg  Algeria
Flag of Morocco.svg Morocco
Flag of Saudi Arabia.svg  Saudi Arabia
Flag of Cuba.svg  Cuba
Flag of Israel.svg  Israel Defeat [1] 278None Ahmed Hassan al-Bakr Ahmed Hassan al-Bakr
Second Iraqi–Kurdish War
(19741975)
Flag of Iraq (1963-1991); Flag of Syria (1963-1972).svg Ba'athist Iraq Former Flag of KDP.svg KDP
State Flag of Iran (1964).svg  Iran
Government victory [3]
  • Iraq re-established control over Kurdistan
7,000 ?
Arvand Conflict
(1974–1975)
Flag of Iraq (1963-1991); Flag of Syria (1963-1972).svg Iraq State Flag of Iran (1964-1980).svg Iran Defeat Saddam Hussein Saddam Hussein
Iran–Iraq War
(19801988)
Flag of Iraq (1963-1991).svg  Iraq
Flag of the People's Mujahedin of Iran.svg MEK
Flag of Arabistan.svg DRFLA
Flag of Sudan.svg  Sudan
Flag of Iran.svg  Iran
Former Flag of KDP.svg KDP
Flag of PUK.png PUK
Flag placeholder.svg Badr Brigades
Stalemate105,000
375,000
~100,000
Invasion of Kuwait (1990)Flag of Iraq (1963-1991).svg  Iraq Flag of Kuwait.svg  Kuwait Victory295+None
Gulf War
(19901991)
Flag of Iraq (1963-1991).svgFlag of Iraq (1991-2004).svg  Iraq Flag of Kuwait.svg  Kuwait
Flag of the United States (Pantone).svg  United States
Flag of the United Kingdom.svg  United Kingdom
Flag of Saudi Arabia.svg  Saudi Arabia
Flag of France.svg  France
Flag of Canada (Pantone).svg  Canada
Flag of Egypt.svg  Egypt
Flag of Syria.svg  Syrian Arab Republic
Old Flag of Oman.svg  Oman
Flag of the United Arab Emirates.svg  United Arab Emirates
Flag of Qatar.svg  Qatar
Flag of Italy.svg  Italy
Flag of Australia (converted).svg  Australia
Defeat
  • Iraqi withdrawal from Kuwait; Emir Jaber Al-Ahmad Al-Sabah restored
  • Heavy casualties and destruction of Iraqi and Kuwaiti infrastructure
20,00035,0003,664
1991 Iraqi uprisings
(1991)
Flag of Iraq (1991-2004).svg  Iraq
Flag of the People's Mujahedin of Iran.svg MEK
Flag placeholder.svg Badr Brigades
Islamic Dawa Party Flag.svg Dawa
Government victory (Southern Front)
  • Uprising suppressed
~5,00080,000230,000
Former Flag of KDP.svg KDP
Flag of PUK.png PUK
Government Military Victory (Northern Front)
Iraqi Kurdish Civil War
(19951996)
Former Flag of KDP.svg KDP
Flag of Iraq (1991-2004).svg  Iraq
Flag of KDP-I.png KDPI
Flag of PUK.png PUK
Flag of the United States (Pantone).svg United States
Stalemate ?
Bombing of Iraq
(1998)
Flag of Iraq (1991-2004).svg  Iraq Flag of the United States (Pantone).svg United States
Flag of the United Kingdom.svg  United Kingdom
Defeat
  • Much Iraqi military infrastructure destroyed
1,400 [4] (KIA or WIA) ?
Second Sadr Uprising
(1999)
Flag of Iraq (1991-2004).svg  Iraq Flag placeholder.svg Badr Brigades
Islamic Dawa Party Flag.svg Dawa
Government victory
  • Uprising suppressed
40+200+ [5]
Iraq War
(20032011)
Flag of Iraq (1991-2004).svg  Iraq Flag of the United States (Pantone).svg United States
Flag of the United Kingdom.svg  United Kingdom
Flag of Australia (converted).svg  Australia
Flag of Poland.svg  Poland
Flag of Kurdistan.svg Peshmerga
Defeat (Phase 1) 7,60010,800 151,000–1,033,000+
Flag of Iraq (2004-2008).svgFlag of Iraq.svg  Iraq
Flag of Kurdistan.svg Peshmerga
Flag of Multi-National Force - Iraq.png MNFI
Flag of Iraq (1991-2004).svg SCJL
Flag of Iraq (1991-2004).svg Naqshbandi Army
Flag of Iraq (1963-1991); Flag of Syria (1963-1972).svg Free Iraqi Army
Flag of al-Qaeda in Iraq design 2.svg al-Qaeda
Flag of the Islamic State in Iraq and the Levant.svg ISI
Flag of Ansar al-Islam.svg Ansar al-Islam
IAI
Flag of Promised Day Brigades.svg Mahdi Army
Flag placeholder.svg Badr Brigades
Flag placeholder.svg Kata'ib Hezbollah
Government victory (Phase 2) 17,690 Jalal Talabani Nouri al-Maliki
Second Iraqi Civil War
(20132017)
Flag of Iraq.svg  Iraq
Flag of Kurdistan.svg Peshmerga
Flag of HPS.svg Sinjar Alliance
Seal of Combined Joint Task Force - Operation Inherent Resolve.svg CJTF–OIR

Flag of Iran.svg  Iran
InfoboxHez.PNG Hezbollah

Flag of the Islamic State in Iraq and the Levant.svg ISIL
Flag of Ansar al-Islam.svg Ansar al-Islam
Flag of Iraq (1991-2004).svg SCJL
Flag of Iraq (1991-2004).svg Naqshbandi Army
Flag of Jihad.svg Mujahideen Army
Government victory
  • Iraqi territorial integrity preserved
  • ISIL expelled from all strongholds in Iraq [6]
  • ISIL genocides against Yazidis, Shias, and Christians in 2014
25,000+67,000+ Fuad Masum Haider al-Abadi
2017 Iraqi–Kurdish conflict
(2017)
Flag of Iraq.svg  Iraq Flag of Kurdistan.svg Peshmerga Victory
  • Iraq defeats Peshmerga and retakes disputed territories
NoneNone
Iraqi Insurgency
(2017–present)
Flag of Iraq.svg  Iraq Flag of Iraq (1991-2004).svg Naqshbandi Army
Flag of the Islamic State in Iraq and the Levant.svg ISIL
Ongoing2,254+None
Iraqi intervention in the Syrian Civil War
(2017–2019)
Flag of the Islamic State in Iraq and the Levant.svg ISIL Victory
  • ISIL loses remaining territory in Syria
NoneNone Barham Salih Adil Abdul-Mahdi

Other armed conflicts involving Iraq

References

  1. References:
    • Herzog, The War of Atonement, Little, Brown and Company, 1975. Forward
    • Insight Team of the London Sunday Times, Yom Kippur War, Doubleday and Company, 1974, page 450
    • Luttwak and Horowitz, The Israeli Army. Cambridge, Massachusetts, Abt Books, 1983
    • Rabinovich, The Yom Kippur War, Schocken Books, 2004. Page 498
    • Revisiting The Yom Kippur War, P. R. Kumaraswamy, pages 1–2
    • Johnson and Tierney, Failing To Win, Perception of Victory and Defeat in International Politics. Page 177
    • Charles Liebman, "The Myth of Defeat: The Memory of the Yom Kippur war in Israeli Society" [ permanent dead link ]Middle Eastern Studies, Vol 29, No. 3, July 1993. Published by Frank Cass, London. Page 411.
  2. Loyola, Mario (7 October 2013). "How We Used to Do It – American diplomacy in the". National Review . p. 1. Retrieved 2 December 2013.
  3. J. Schofield, Militarization and War, p. 122
  4. Rossiter, Mike, Target Basra, Corgi, 2009 ISBN   0552157007 ISBN   978-0552157001, p. 210
  5. Dan Murphy (27 April 2004). "Sadr the agitator: like father, like son". The Christian Science Monitor. Retrieved 1 February 2013.
  6. "With Iraqi-Kurdish Talks Stalled, Phone Diplomacy Averts New Clashes". New York Times.