Fall of Fallujah
changes
Republic of Iraq
- Iraqi Armed Forces
- Iraqi Police
- v
- t
- e
(2013–2017)
- 1st Anbar
- 1st Fallujah
- 1st Northern Iraq
- 1st Mosul
- Badush prison
- Camp Speicher
- 1st Kirkuk
- 2nd Northern Iraq
- Zumar
- Makhmour
- 1st Sinjar
- Mosul Dam
- Musab bin Umair mosque
- Suq al-Ghazi
- Saqlawiyah
- 1st Hīt
- Jurf al-Sakhar
- Salahuddin
- 1st Baiji
- Siege of Amirli
- 1st Tikrit
- 2nd Baiji
- 3rd Baiji
- Dhuluiya
- 2nd Tikrit
- 1st Ramadi
- 2nd Sinjar
- 2nd Mosul
- 2nd Kirkuk
- Al-Karmah
- 2nd Anbar
- 2nd Ramadi
- 2nd Fallujah
- 2nd Hīt
- Ar-Rutbah
- 3rd Fallujah
- 3rd Sinjar
- Nineveh Plains offensive
- 3rd Mosul
- 4th Mosul
- Mosul airstrike
- Western Nineveh
- 3rd Kirkuk
- Hamam al-Alil
- 4th Sinjar
- Turkish Sinjar airstrike
- Tal Afar
- Western Anbar
- Hawija
- Iraqi–Kurdish conflict
- 4th Kirkuk
- Western Iraq
Major insurgent attacks
- 1st Hillah
- 1st Baghdad
- Khan Bani Saad
- 2nd Baghdad
- Sharaban
- Ramadi
- Mosul
- 3rd Baghdad
- Miqdadiyah
- 2nd Hillah
- Iskandariya
- 4th Baghdad
- Samawa
- 5th Baghdad
- 1st Balad
- Taji
- 6th Baghdad
- 7th Baghdad
- 2nd Balad
- 8th Baghdad
- 9th Baghdad
- 3rd Hillah
- 10th Baghdad
- 11th Baghdad
- Tikrit
- 12th Baghdad
- Nasiriyah
Foreign interventions
- Iranian-led intervention
- American-led intervention
- Inherent Resolve
- Shader
- Okra
- Chammal
- Impact
IS genocide of minorities
IS war crimes
- Mosul executions
- Chemical weapons
Timeline
- 2013
- 2014
- 2015
- 2016
- 2017
The fall of Fallujah was a battle in the city of Fallujah in western Iraq that took place from late 2013 to early 2014, in which Islamic State (IS) and other Sunni insurgents captured the city of Fallujah. It was one of the first Iraqi cities to fall out of the control of the Iraqi Government, and resulted in the Anbar campaign.
Battle
On 30 December 2013, Iraqi forces dismantled a Sunni protest camp, which angered many people. Gunmen proceeded to attack deployed army patrols on the highway.[1]
On 2 January 2014, ISIL seized control of parts of the town, as well as nearby Ramadi. After the army withdrew from the area, IS fighters and its allies entered both cities. Many videos showed IS forces clashing with police forces, and IS attacks and seizures on the main police station. 100 inmates were freed, weapons and ammunition were seized, and most police forces abandoned their posts.[2]
On January 3, Fallujah was reportedly under the control of Sunni jihadists, but Iraq said the city remained contested. The jihadists raised their black flag in Fallujah, took over all police stations, and military posts after security forces left the city,[3] set police vehicles ablaze and brandished their weapons.
On January 4, the town was taken by Sunni jihadists and ISIL fighters. The Iraqi army shelled the city with mortars in an attempt to wrestle back the town, but resulted in the deaths of 8 people and wounded 30, while 60% of the town was reported to be under rebel control.[4] Much later, Prime Minister Nouri al-Maliki vowed to eliminate "all terrorist groups" in a statement on national television. The police chief of the Anbar said that Iraqi forces were in control of the outskirts of Fallujah, but the city itself was held by IS and its allies. Sunni tribesmen refused to let Iraqi forces into the city, but held negotiations with them. Iraqi forces proceeded to shell the city from a nearby military base, before eventually withdrawing.[5]
Aftermath
Four months later, the War in Iraq of 2013 to 2017 escalated. Two years later, Iraqi Government recaptured the city.
See also
- Fall of Mosul
- Second Battle of Tikrit
- Anbar campaign (2015–2016)
- Battle of Ramadi (2014–2015)
- Battle of Ramadi (2015–2016)
- List of wars and battles involving IS
References
- ^ "Fighting erupts as Iraq police break up Sunni protest camp". Reuters. December 30, 2013. Retrieved 11 December 2014.
- ^ "Al Qaeda seizes partial control of 2 cities in western Iraq". Long War Journal. January 2, 2014. Retrieved 11 December 2014.
- ^ "Al Qaeda-linked forces capture town of Fallujah in Iraq". NBC News. 3 January 2014. Retrieved 11 December 2014.
- ^ "Iraqi Army Shells Fallujah In Fight Against Al-Qaeda Rebels". Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty. 4 January 2014. Retrieved 11 December 2014.
- ^ "Iraq government loses control of Fallujah". Al-Jazeera. January 4, 2014. Retrieved 11 December 2014.