Encyclopedia/3. History, Societies & Civilizations/09. Modern Nations/10. Middle East & North Africa • Curated by Admin Timeline.sg
History of Iraq (AI-generated, sourced to Wikipedia).
Chronological Storyline (44 Milestones)
3500 BCE
Sumerian civilization emerges
The Sumerian civilization develops in southern Mesopotamia, inventing cuneiform writing, the wheel, and establishing city-states such as Uruk, Ur, and Lagash. Source — Wikipedia, "Iraq":
Sumer satellite map By NASA Overlay: पाटलिपुत्र (talk) - This image has been extracted from another file, Public domain, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=98779414Video
2334 BCE
Akkadian Empire founded
Sargon of Akkad creates the world's first multi-ethnic empire, uniting Sumerian and Akkadian-speaking lands under one rule from his capital at Akkad. Source — Wikipedia, "Iraq":
Mapa que mostra l'extensió aproximada de l'imperi Accadi durant el regnat de Narâm-Sîn (2254-2218 a.C. en la cronologia breu). By Middle_East_topographic_map-blank.svg: Sémhur (talk) derivative work: Zunkir (talk) - Middle_East_topographic_map-blank.svg, CC BY-SA 3.0, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=11966732
2112 BCE
Third Dynasty of Ur
The Neo-Sumerian Empire under Ur-Nammu and Shulgi revives Sumerian power, builds the Great Ziggurat of Ur, and codifies one of the earliest known legal codes. Source — Wikipedia, "Iraq":
Approximate extension of the empire of the Third Dynasty of Ur (2112-2004 BC according to the middle chronology), with the center/periphery organization of Shulgi's reign (2093-2047 BC). By Middle_East_topographic_map-blank.svg: Sémhur (talk) derivative work: Zunkir (talk) - Middle_East_topographic_map-blank.svg, CC BY-SA 3.0, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=12665614
1792 BCE
Hammurabi reigns in Babylon
Hammurabi becomes king of Babylon and later consolidates Mesopotamia, issuing the famous Code of Hammurabi, one of the earliest and most complete written legal codes. Source — Wikipedia, "Iraq":
Code de Hammurabi, roi de Babylone ; face avant. By Mbzt - Own work, CC BY 3.0, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=16931676
1595 BCE
Hittites sack Babylon
The Hittite king Mursili I attacks and plunders Babylon, ending the First Babylonian Dynasty and weakening the city for centuries. Source — Wikipedia, "Iraq":
Ishtar Gate in Hillah By David Stanley - http://ssl.panoramio.com/photo/130242896, CC BY-SA 3.0, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=54855449
1365 BCE
Assyrian Empire rises
Ashur-uballit I founds the Middle Assyrian Empire, beginning centuries of Assyrian military dominance over Mesopotamia and the Near East from cities like Assur and Nineveh. Source — Wikipedia, "Iraq":
Map of the medio-assyrian kingdom (End of the 13th- beginning of the 11th centuries BC). By Near_East_topographic_map-blank.svg: Sémhur derivative work: Zunkir (talk) - Near_East_topographic_map-blank.svg, CC BY-SA 3.0, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=11552918
883 BCE
Neo-Assyrian Empire expands
Ashurnasirpal II launches the Neo-Assyrian Empire into an era of unprecedented expansion, building a vast empire from Egypt to Persia with Nineveh as its capital. Source — Wikipedia, "Iraq":
Map of the Assyrian Empire By Ningyou - Own work data from Based on a map in 'Atlas of the Bible Lands', C S Hammond & Co (1959), ISBN 9780843709414., Public domain, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=600659
612 BCE
Fall of Nineveh
A coalition of Medes and Babylonians destroys Nineveh, bringing the Neo-Assyrian Empire to an end and ushering in Neo-Babylonian dominance. Source — Wikipedia, "Iraq":
John Martin, C.E.1829 (H.E.11,829) By (Mu-tamajo) むーたんじょ - Own work, CC BY-SA 4.0, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=48411583
605 BCE
Nebuchadnezzar II crowned
Nebuchadnezzar II begins his reign over the Neo-Babylonian Empire, constructing the Hanging Gardens of Babylon and the Ishtar Gate, and conquering Judah. Source — Wikipedia, "Iraq":
Etemenanki Babylon By Unknown author, Public domain, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=87505819
539 BCE
Cyrus the Great conquers Babylon
The Persian Achaemenid king Cyrus the Great captures Babylon without battle, incorporating Mesopotamia into the Persian Empire and ending Babylonian independence. Source — Wikipedia, "Iraq":
Winged genius relief in Pasargadae By Surenae - Own work, CC BY-SA 4.0, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=162225973
331 BCE
Alexander the Great enters Babylon
Alexander the Great defeats Darius III at the Battle of Gaugamela and enters Babylon, beginning Hellenistic rule over Mesopotamia. Source — Wikipedia, "Iraq":
Alexander the Great enters Babylon By Pietro da Cortona - Google Arts & Culture — TAFxS-oMiYzUyA, Public domain, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=22006940
141 BCE
Parthians take Mesopotamia
The Parthian Empire under Mithridates I seizes Mesopotamia from the Seleucids, making Ctesiphon near modern Baghdad a major imperial capital. Source — Wikipedia, "Iraq":
Flag of Iraq By See File history below for details. - Own work. This vector image and its matching construction sheet are based on the Government flag image shown at protocol-pmo.gov.iq. Several very small adjustments have been applied to improve symmetry, character alignment, and character spacing. Note that the flag image shown on the government web page (and referenced above) is very likely derived from a previous version of this Wikimedia file. See also Flags of the World - Iraq. Also in use as current Air Force roundel seen here, Public domain, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=433202
226 CE
Sassanid Persia rules Iraq
The Sassanid Empire replaces the Parthians, ruling Mesopotamia as a prosperous province and frequently warring with the Roman and Byzantine empires. Source — Wikipedia, "Iraq":
Map of the Sasanian Empire at its apex under Khosrow II. By Original file by Ro4444, edited by me - Based on several sources, including the Middle Persian geographical text Šahrestānīhā ī Ērānšahr, CC BY 4.0, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=94837349
May 1, 636 CE
Battle of al-Qadisiyyah
Arab Muslim forces defeat the Sassanid army at al-Qadisiyyah, opening Mesopotamia to Islamic conquest and ending Persian rule. Source — Wikipedia, "Iraq":
Depiction of the Battle of al-Qādisiyyah from a manuscript of the Persian epic Shāh-nāmeh from Astarabad. Source- British Library (MS. I.O.Islamic 3265 (1614) f. 602r) By Unknown artist - http://dglnotes.com/notes/qadisiyyah.htm#image4, Public domain, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=24725846
762 CE
Baghdad founded
Caliph al-Mansur founds the city of Baghdad as the new capital of the Abbasid Caliphate, designed as a round city on the Tigris River. Source — Wikipedia, "Iraq":
This is an aerial view of the former Republican Palace (foreground), which served as both the prime ceremonial palace used by Saddam Hussein and the Headquarters for the now defunct Iraqi Republican Guard. The Tigris River and the city of Baghdad, Baghdad Province, Iraq (IRQ), are seen in the background. This palace was captured and occupied by Coalition forces during Operation IRAQI FREEDOM. By USACE HQ , JIM GORDAN, CIV, USACE - https://www.flickr.com/photos/60095477@N08/5628442718/, Public domain, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=15654541Video
809 CE
Golden Age of Baghdad
Under Harun al-Rashid and his successors, Baghdad becomes the world's largest city and a center of science, philosophy, medicine, and the translation movement. Source — Wikipedia, "Iraq":
Golden Age of Baghdad By Unknown author, Public domain, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=101284
836 CE
Samarra becomes capital
Caliph al-Mu'tasim moves the Abbasid capital to Samarra, initiating a period of military rule and the construction of the Great Mosque of Samarra with its famous spiral minaret. Source — Wikipedia, "Iraq":
A picture in a rainy atmosphere of the spiral minaret in Samarra _ Iraq By Abdulmomen Laith Mahmoud (عبدالمؤمن ليث محمود) - Own work, CC BY-SA 4.0, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=94778980
Feb 13, 1258 CE
Mongols sack Baghdad
Hulagu Khan's Mongol army destroys Baghdad, kills the Abbasid caliph, and devastates the city's libraries and population, ending the Abbasid Caliphate. Source — Wikipedia, "Iraq":
Mongols besieging Baghdad in 1258 By Sayf al-vâhidî et al. - Rashid al-Din's Jami al-tarawikh; Bibliothèque nationale de France, Département des Manuscrits, Division orientale, Supplément persan 1113, fol. 180v-181, Public domain, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=7438129Video
1401 CE
Tamerlane sacks Baghdad
Timur (Tamerlane) captures and devastates Baghdad, massacring its inhabitants and further accelerating the city's decline from its golden age. Source — Wikipedia, "Iraq":
File:Amir Timur (9333672292).jpg "Timur was a typical Mongoloid. His grandsons Ulugh-Beg and Mohammed Sultan were "hybrids" and in type closely ressembled the present-day town-dwelling Uzbeks. The sons Shah-Rukh and Miran-Shah possessed unmistakable features of a Tadjik type (Europoid of central Asia). Despite all these differences, aal five of these men belonged through blood-relationship to one family. This fact is undoubted." in Gerasimov, M. M. (Mikhail Mikhaĭlovich) (1971) The face finder, Philadelphia, J. B. Lippincott, p. 116 By user:shakko - Own work, CC BY-SA 3.0, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=9494028
1534 CE
Ottomans conquer Baghdad
Suleiman the Magnificent's forces capture Baghdad, incorporating Iraq into the Ottoman Empire and beginning nearly four centuries of Ottoman rule. Source — Wikipedia, "Iraq":
The Ottoman flag and Turkey Republic Flag of 1844–1935. Late Ottoman flag which was made based on the historical documents listed in the Source section. Note that a five-pointed star was rarely used in the crescent-and-star symbol before the 19th century. By User:Orwellianist - File:German soldiers celebrate Christmas in Ottoman Empire during WW1.jpg File:Nordenfelt submarine Abdülhamid.jpg Ottoman submarine Abdülhamid (1886) File:Declaration of the 1908 Revolution in Ottoman Empire.png Photo from 1908 http://www.tayyareci.com/digerucaklar/turkiye/preww1/Bleriot%20XI%20b%20TuAF.jpg - Photo from 1912 http://www.manorhouse.clara.net/book2/chapter18.htm (image), alternative link - Photo from 1914 http://www.manorhouse.clara.net/book2/chapter21.htm image - Photo from 1914 File:SultanahmetMitingi.jpg Photo from 1919 http://www.tayyareci.com/digerucaklar/turkiye/ww1/gothawd12.jpg - Photo from 1915 http://www.tayyareci.com/digerucaklar/turkiye/ww1/gothawd2.jpg - Photo from 1915 http://www.tayyareci.com/digerucaklar/turkiye/ww1/gothawd13.jpg - Photo from 1915 http://www.tayyareci.com/digerucaklar/turkiye/ww1/sakir_feyzi_resimleri2.jpg - Photo from 1915 http://www.tayyareci.com/digerucaklar/turkiye/ww1/S.P.A.D13.JPG - Photo from 1918 http://www.tayyareci.com/digerucaklar/turkiye/kurtulus/fiat-r2.jpg - Photo from 1920 http://www.tayyareci.com/digerucaklar/turkiye/kurtulus/breguet14b2.jpg - Photo from 1922 http://www.tayyareci.com/digerucaklar/turkiye/kurtulus/nieuport27-2.jpg - Photo from 1922 File:Bundesarchiv Bild 146-2005-0086, Kaiser Wilhelm II in Konstantinopel.jpg File:Ceremony to decolate the flag of 27th Regiment with Imtiyaz Medals.jpg File:Ottoman troops with flag.jpg File:Ottoman Navy at the Golden Horn.jpg - Postcard from 1914 http://www.osmanzengin.com/ESKi__iSTANBUL/kararkoy02.jpg - Postcard from 1920 http://www.osmanzengin.com/ESKi__iSTANBUL/tepebasi.jpg - Postcard from 1920 http://www.vicmart.com/ext/en/exrw/item=1416 - Ottoman medal from 1850 File:Aff_ciwl_orient_express4_jw.jpg - 1888-1889 season timetable of the Orient Express File:Ottoman conquests.jpg - Ottoman map from 1914, Public domain, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=7112828
1639 CE
Treaty of Zuhab signed
The Treaty of Zuhab between the Ottomans and Safavid Persia permanently establishes the border between Iraq and Persia, with Mesopotamia remaining Ottoman. Source — Wikipedia, "Iraq":
Ottoman Empire flag used during the reign of Selim I after the Mamluk war (1517-1793) By Flag of Ottoman Empire (1517-1793) - https://turkicflags.wordpress.com/historical-flags-of-the-turkic-states/ https://www.flickr.com/photos/ateshahmedovic/3109940303 https://www.worldstatesmen.org/Hungary.htm https://www.facebook.com/212424193545148/photos/a.212429313544636/402195657901333/?type=3 http://www.vexilla-mundi.com/cyprus_history.html, CC BY-SA 4.0, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=113247273
1749 CE
Mamluk rule begins in Iraq
The Mamluk dynasty takes effective control of Iraq under Ottoman suzerainty, governing Baghdad, Basra, and Mosul with considerable autonomy for decades. Source — Wikipedia, "Iraq":
An Ottoman flag with an eight pointed star rather than the five pointed star which later became typical. By Dbl2010 - National flag of Turkey and its empire (after 1844) RMG L0092.tiff [1][2], Public domain, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=3060434
1831 CE
Ottomans reassert direct control
A devastating flood and plague weaken the Mamluks, allowing the Ottomans to reassert direct rule over Iraq and begin modernizing reforms. Source — Wikipedia, "Iraq":
The Ottoman flag and Turkey Republic Flag of 1844–1935. Late Ottoman flag which was made based on the historical documents listed in the Source section. Note that a five-pointed star was rarely used in the crescent-and-star symbol before the 19th century. By User:Orwellianist - File:German soldiers celebrate Christmas in Ottoman Empire during WW1.jpg File:Nordenfelt submarine Abdülhamid.jpg Ottoman submarine Abdülhamid (1886) File:Declaration of the 1908 Revolution in Ottoman Empire.png Photo from 1908 http://www.tayyareci.com/digerucaklar/turkiye/preww1/Bleriot%20XI%20b%20TuAF.jpg - Photo from 1912 http://www.manorhouse.clara.net/book2/chapter18.htm (image), alternative link - Photo from 1914 http://www.manorhouse.clara.net/book2/chapter21.htm image - Photo from 1914 File:SultanahmetMitingi.jpg Photo from 1919 http://www.tayyareci.com/digerucaklar/turkiye/ww1/gothawd12.jpg - Photo from 1915 http://www.tayyareci.com/digerucaklar/turkiye/ww1/gothawd2.jpg - Photo from 1915 http://www.tayyareci.com/digerucaklar/turkiye/ww1/gothawd13.jpg - Photo from 1915 http://www.tayyareci.com/digerucaklar/turkiye/ww1/sakir_feyzi_resimleri2.jpg - Photo from 1915 http://www.tayyareci.com/digerucaklar/turkiye/ww1/S.P.A.D13.JPG - Photo from 1918 http://www.tayyareci.com/digerucaklar/turkiye/kurtulus/fiat-r2.jpg - Photo from 1920 http://www.tayyareci.com/digerucaklar/turkiye/kurtulus/breguet14b2.jpg - Photo from 1922 http://www.tayyareci.com/digerucaklar/turkiye/kurtulus/nieuport27-2.jpg - Photo from 1922 File:Bundesarchiv Bild 146-2005-0086, Kaiser Wilhelm II in Konstantinopel.jpg File:Ceremony to decolate the flag of 27th Regiment with Imtiyaz Medals.jpg File:Ottoman troops with flag.jpg File:Ottoman Navy at the Golden Horn.jpg - Postcard from 1914 http://www.osmanzengin.com/ESKi__iSTANBUL/kararkoy02.jpg - Postcard from 1920 http://www.osmanzengin.com/ESKi__iSTANBUL/tepebasi.jpg - Postcard from 1920 http://www.vicmart.com/ext/en/exrw/item=1416 - Ottoman medal from 1850 File:Aff_ciwl_orient_express4_jw.jpg - 1888-1889 season timetable of the Orient Express File:Ottoman conquests.jpg - Ottoman map from 1914, Public domain, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=7112828
Nov 1, 1914 CE
British invade Mesopotamia
British forces land at Basra during World War I, beginning the Mesopotamian campaign against the Ottoman Empire and eventually advancing toward Baghdad. Source — Wikipedia, "Iraq":
By the end of 1918 the British had deployed 112,000 combat troops in the Mesopotamia theatre. The vast majority of the 'British' forces in this campaign were recruited from India. By From an album compiled by Lieutenant Kindom relating to 7th Meerut Division. - https://collection.nam.ac.uk/detail.php?acc=1983-03-41-2-23, Public domain, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=92660425
Mar 11, 1917 CE
British capture Baghdad
British forces under General Stanley Maude enter Baghdad, securing Ottoman Iraq for the Allies and shifting the campaign's momentum. Source — Wikipedia, "Iraq":
Flag of Iraq By See File history below for details. - Own work. This vector image and its matching construction sheet are based on the Government flag image shown at protocol-pmo.gov.iq. Several very small adjustments have been applied to improve symmetry, character alignment, and character spacing. Note that the flag image shown on the government web page (and referenced above) is very likely derived from a previous version of this Wikimedia file. See also Flags of the World - Iraq. Also in use as current Air Force roundel seen here, Public domain, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=433202
Apr 1, 1920 CE
San Remo assigns mandate
The San Remo Conference assigns the League of Nations mandate over Mesopotamia to Britain, sparking the Iraqi revolt against British occupation. Source — Wikipedia, "Iraq":
Delegates to the San Remo conference in Italy, 25 April 1920 By Unknown author - eipa.eu.com, Public domain, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=46364985
Jul 1, 1920 CE
Iraqi revolt against British
A widespread armed uprising against British occupation erupts across Iraq, costing thousands of lives and leading Britain to reconsider its governance approach. Source — Wikipedia, "Iraq":
Flag of Iraq By See File history below for details. - Own work. This vector image and its matching construction sheet are based on the Government flag image shown at protocol-pmo.gov.iq. Several very small adjustments have been applied to improve symmetry, character alignment, and character spacing. Note that the flag image shown on the government web page (and referenced above) is very likely derived from a previous version of this Wikimedia file. See also Flags of the World - Iraq. Also in use as current Air Force roundel seen here, Public domain, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=433202
Aug 23, 1921 CE
Kingdom of Iraq established
Faisal I is crowned king of Iraq under British mandate, establishing the Hashemite monarchy and the modern Iraqi state. Source — Wikipedia, "Iraq":
Kingdom of Iraq established By Unknown author, Public domain, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=913836
Oct 3, 1932 CE
Iraq gains independence
Iraq becomes a sovereign state and joins the League of Nations, ending the British mandate while maintaining close British ties. Source — Wikipedia, "Iraq":
Iraq gains independence By Unknown author, Public domain, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=913836
Jul 14, 1958 CE
July 14 Revolution
The Hashemite monarchy is overthrown in a military coup led by Abd al-Karim Qasim, establishing the Republic of Iraq and killing King Faisal II. Source — Wikipedia, "Iraq":
عبد الكريم قاسم وعبد السلام عارف By Unknown author - http://www.iraq-archive.com/-158916081585157516041586159316101605-159315761583157516041603158516101605-1602157515871605.html, Public domain, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=62549585Video
Feb 8, 1963 CE
Ba'athist coup in Iraq
The Ba'ath Party seizes power in a coup, overthrowing Qasim, though the party is ousted months later before regaining control in 1968. Source — Wikipedia, "Iraq":
إنقلابيوا الجيش العراقي يقومون بأسقاط صورة عبد الكريم قاسم في إنقلاب 8 شباط 1963 أمام وزارة الدفاع العراقية By Unknown author - http://www.iraq-archive.com/-158916081585157516041586159316101605-159315761583157516041603158516101605-1602157515871605.html, Public domain, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=62549592
Jul 17, 1968 CE
Ba'ath Party takes power
Ahmed Hassan al-Bakr leads a bloodless coup establishing Ba'athist rule, with Saddam Hussein emerging as a key figure in the new government. Source — Wikipedia, "Iraq":
Flag of Iraq By See File history below for details. - Own work. This vector image and its matching construction sheet are based on the Government flag image shown at protocol-pmo.gov.iq. Several very small adjustments have been applied to improve symmetry, character alignment, and character spacing. Note that the flag image shown on the government web page (and referenced above) is very likely derived from a previous version of this Wikimedia file. See also Flags of the World - Iraq. Also in use as current Air Force roundel seen here, Public domain, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=433202
Jun 1, 1972 CE
Iraq nationalizes oil
The Ba'athist government nationalizes the Iraq Petroleum Company, bringing the country's oil industry fully under state control. Source — Wikipedia, "Iraq":
Flag of Iraq By See File history below for details. - Own work. This vector image and its matching construction sheet are based on the Government flag image shown at protocol-pmo.gov.iq. Several very small adjustments have been applied to improve symmetry, character alignment, and character spacing. Note that the flag image shown on the government web page (and referenced above) is very likely derived from a previous version of this Wikimedia file. See also Flags of the World - Iraq. Also in use as current Air Force roundel seen here, Public domain, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=433202
Jul 16, 1979 CE
Saddam Hussein becomes president
Saddam Hussein formally assumes the presidency of Iraq, consolidating absolute power and beginning decades of authoritarian rule. Source — Wikipedia, "Iraq":
Iraqi President Saddam Hussein is about to deliver a speech on occasion of 10th anniversary of the end of Iran-Iraq War. By Iraqi News Agency - Getty Images, Public domain, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=54584022
Sep 22, 1980 CE
Iran-Iraq War begins
Iraq invades Iran, launching an eight-year war that kills hundreds of thousands on both sides and devastates Iraq's economy. Source — Wikipedia, "Iraq":
An Iranian soldier wearing a gas mask and M1 helmet during the Iran-Iraq War. By Mahmoud Badrfar - http://gallery.sajed.ir/index.php?view=detail&id=143, GFDL, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=1793932Video
Mar 16, 1988 CE
Halabja chemical attack
Iraqi forces use chemical weapons against the Kurdish town of Halabja, killing approximately 5,000 civilians in one of the worst chemical attacks in history. Source — Wikipedia, "Iraq":
عکس مهدی جمشیدی از قربانیان بمباران شیمایی حلبچه By Mehdi Jamshidi - This image has been extracted from another file, Public domain, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=130152138
Aug 2, 1990 CE
Iraq invades Kuwait
Iraq invades and annexes Kuwait, triggering international condemnation, UN sanctions, and the Gulf War coalition response. Source — Wikipedia, "Iraq":
Tanks kuwait 1990 By Zymogen92 - Own work, Public domain, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=31425177
Jan 17, 1991 CE
Gulf War begins
A US-led coalition launches Operation Desert Storm, driving Iraqi forces from Kuwait in a six-week military campaign. Source — Wikipedia, "Iraq":
USAF aircraft of the 4th Fighter Wing (F-16, F-15C and F-15E) fly over Kuwaiti oil fires, set by the retreating Iraqi army during Operation Desert Storm in 1991. Almost the same as Image:USAF F-16A F-15C F-15E Desert Storm pic.jpg save for the size and tint By US Air Force - Source, Public domain, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=2782935Video
Mar 20, 2003 CE
US-led invasion of Iraq
A US-led coalition invades Iraq, toppling Saddam Hussein's regime within weeks and dissolving the Ba'athist state apparatus. Source — Wikipedia, "Iraq":
BAGHDAD, IRAQ (November 2003) - U.S. Army (USA) M1A1 Abrams MBT (Main Battle Tank), and personnel from A Company (CO), Task Force 1st Battalion, 35th Armor Regiment (1-35 Armor), 2nd Brigade Combat Team (BCT), 1st Armored Division (AD), pose for a photo under the "Victory Arch" in Ceremony Square, Baghdad, Iraq during Operation Iraqi Freedom. The Hands of Victory monument built at the end of the Iran-Iraq war marks the entrance to a large parade ground in central Baghdad. The hand and arm are modeled after former dictator Saddam Husseins own and surrounded with thousands of Iranian helmets taken from the battlefield. The swords made from the guns of dead Iraqi soldiers, melted and recast into the 24-ton blades. By Technical Sergeant John L. Houghton, Jr., United States Air Force - https://arcweb.archives.gov/, Public domain, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=1300600Video
Jan 30, 2005 CE
First democratic elections held
Iraq holds its first multi-party parliamentary elections since the invasion, with Shia and Kurdish parties dominating the results despite Sunni boycotts. Source — Wikipedia, "Iraq":
2005 results by governorate. the 2005 election used a proportional list. By WeaponizingArchitecture - Own work, CC BY-SA 4.0, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=174333013
Oct 15, 2005 CE
New constitution ratified
Iraqi voters approve a new permanent constitution in a referendum, establishing a federal parliamentary republic and defining Kurdish autonomy. Source — Wikipedia, "Iraq":
Coat of arms of Iraq as adapted to new 2008 form of national flag -- standard pan-Arab "Eagle of Saladin" with shield of the tricolor of national flag (with the "Takbir" الله أكبر in Kufic text, as on the flag), holding a scroll with the words جمهورية العراق; (Jumhuriyat al-`Iraq "The Republic of Iraq"). By Tonyjeff, Omar86, Kafka1 and AnonMoos; AnonMoos, Militaryace - Own work based on: Coat of arms of Iraq (2004–2008).svg by Tonyjeff, Omar86, Kafka1 and AnonMoos, Public domain, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=3454264
Dec 30, 2006 CE
Saddam Hussein executed
Saddam Hussein is executed by hanging after being convicted of crimes against humanity for the 1982 Dujail massacre. Source — Wikipedia, "Iraq":
Saddam Hussein speaking at his trial. By Unknown author - http://www.dodmedia.osd.mil/DVIC_View/Still_Details.cfm?SDAN=DDSD0503992&JPGPath=/Assets/2005/DoD/DD-SD-05-03992.JPG, Public domain, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=1345868
Jun 10, 2014 CE
ISIS captures Mosul
The Islamic State of Iraq and Syria seizes Mosul and large swaths of northern Iraq, triggering a major international military response. Source — Wikipedia, "Iraq":
Humvee down after Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant attack in Mosul, Iraq 2014-06-14 By Omar Siddeeq Yousif - Own work, CC BY-SA 4.0, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=41464040
Dec 9, 2017 CE
Iraq declares ISIS defeated
Iraq's prime minister declares the war against ISIS over after the liberation of all territory held by the group, though remnants persist. Source — Wikipedia, "Iraq":
Map showing the Battle of Mosul (November 2016 - July 2017). All credit goes to SuriyakMaps' work (https://twitter.com/suriyakmaps). By Rr016 - Own work, CC BY-SA 4.0, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=94488923
