Breaking News

Iraq Fast Facts

CNN Library

Updated 1840 GMT (0240 HKT) April 3, 2018

Chat with us in Facebook Messenger. Find out what's happening in the world as it unfolds.

U.S. Marines in northern Kuwait gear up after receiving orders to cross the Iraqi border on March 20, 2003. It has been more than 10 years since the American-led invasion of Iraq that toppled the regime of Saddam Hussein. Look back at 100 moments from the war and the legacy it left behind.
Photos: 100 moments from the Iraq War
U.S. Marines in northern Kuwait gear up after receiving orders to cross the Iraqi border on March 20, 2003. It has been more than 10 years since the American-led invasion of Iraq that toppled the regime of Saddam Hussein. Look back at 100 moments from the war and the legacy it left behind.
Hide Caption
1 of 100
A pedestrian looks at front-page headlines on display outside the future site of the Newseum in Washington on March 20, 2003.
Photos: 100 moments from the Iraq War
A pedestrian looks at front-page headlines on display outside the future site of the Newseum in Washington on March 20, 2003.
Hide Caption
2 of 100
Smoke and flames rise from the riverside presidential palace compound in Baghdad after a massive airstrike on March 21, 2003.
Photos: 100 moments from the Iraq War
Smoke and flames rise from the riverside presidential palace compound in Baghdad after a massive airstrike on March 21, 2003.
Hide Caption
3 of 100
President George W. Bush meets with his war council in the Situation Room of the White House on March 21, 2003. Clockwise from foreground: National Security Adviser Condoleezza Rice, CIA Director George Tenet, Chief of Staff Andy Card, Secretary of State Colin Powell, Secretary of Defense Donald Rumsfeld and Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff Gen. Richard Myers were present.
Photos: 100 moments from the Iraq War
President George W. Bush meets with his war council in the Situation Room of the White House on March 21, 2003. Clockwise from foreground: National Security Adviser Condoleezza Rice, CIA Director George Tenet, Chief of Staff Andy Card, Secretary of State Colin Powell, Secretary of Defense Donald Rumsfeld and Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff Gen. Richard Myers were present.
Hide Caption
4 of 100
A U.S. Marine from Task Force Tarawa engages Iraqi forces from an armored assault vehicle on March 23, 2003, in the southern city of Nasiriyah.
Photos: 100 moments from the Iraq War
A U.S. Marine from Task Force Tarawa engages Iraqi forces from an armored assault vehicle on March 23, 2003, in the southern city of Nasiriyah.
Hide Caption
5 of 100
Marines walk single-file through the desolate landscape in Nasiriyah on March 26, 2003. As night falls on the city, the troops are on alert for a counterattack.
Photos: 100 moments from the Iraq War
Marines walk single-file through the desolate landscape in Nasiriyah on March 26, 2003. As night falls on the city, the troops are on alert for a counterattack.
Hide Caption
6 of 100
A night-vision image shows U.S. military personnel carrying Pfc. Jessica Lynch off a helicopter on April 1, 2003, at an undisclosed location in Iraq. She had been missing since March 23, when she and members of her unit were ambushed by Iraqi forces.
Photos: 100 moments from the Iraq War
A night-vision image shows U.S. military personnel carrying Pfc. Jessica Lynch off a helicopter on April 1, 2003, at an undisclosed location in Iraq. She had been missing since March 23, when she and members of her unit were ambushed by Iraqi forces.
Hide Caption
7 of 100
Members of the 3rd Battalion, 4th Marines, storm Diyala Bridge in Baghdad on April 7, 2003.
Photos: 100 moments from the Iraq War
Members of the 3rd Battalion, 4th Marines, storm Diyala Bridge in Baghdad on April 7, 2003.
Hide Caption
8 of 100
Marines pull down a statue of Saddam Hussein, a symbolic finale to the fall of Baghdad, on April 9, 2003.
Photos: 100 moments from the Iraq War
Marines pull down a statue of Saddam Hussein, a symbolic finale to the fall of Baghdad, on April 9, 2003.
Hide Caption
9 of 100
Iraqis flee Baghdad on April 11, 2003, as the capital city descended into chaos with widespread looting and lawlessness.
Photos: 100 moments from the Iraq War
Iraqis flee Baghdad on April 11, 2003, as the capital city descended into chaos with widespread looting and lawlessness.
Hide Caption
10 of 100
Marines hold a memorial service for friends killed in a battle weeks earlier on April 13, 2003, near Al-Kut, Iraq.
Photos: 100 moments from the Iraq War
Marines hold a memorial service for friends killed in a battle weeks earlier on April 13, 2003, near Al-Kut, Iraq.
Hide Caption
11 of 100
Iraqi National Museum Deputy Director Mushin Hasan sits among destroyed artifacts on April 13, 2003, in Bagdhad. The museum was severely looted.
Photos: 100 moments from the Iraq War
Iraqi National Museum Deputy Director Mushin Hasan sits among destroyed artifacts on April 13, 2003, in Bagdhad. The museum was severely looted.
Hide Caption
12 of 100
Iraqi men push the head of a statue of Saddam Hussein after its destruction on April 18, 2003, in Baghdad.
Photos: 100 moments from the Iraq War
Iraqi men push the head of a statue of Saddam Hussein after its destruction on April 18, 2003, in Baghdad.
Hide Caption
13 of 100
Dressed in a flight suit, President Bush meets pilots and crew members of the aircraft carrier USS Abraham Lincoln who were returning to the United States on May 1, 2003, after being deployed in the Gulf region.
Photos: 100 moments from the Iraq War
Dressed in a flight suit, President Bush meets pilots and crew members of the aircraft carrier USS Abraham Lincoln who were returning to the United States on May 1, 2003, after being deployed in the Gulf region.
Hide Caption
14 of 100
Sailors applaud as President Bush addresses the nation aboard the USS Abraham Lincoln on May 1, 2003. Standing beneath a banner that read "Mission Accomplished," the president declared major fighting over in Iraq and called it a victory in the ongoing war on terrorism.
Photos: 100 moments from the Iraq War
Sailors applaud as President Bush addresses the nation aboard the USS Abraham Lincoln on May 1, 2003. Standing beneath a banner that read "Mission Accomplished," the president declared major fighting over in Iraq and called it a victory in the ongoing war on terrorism.
Hide Caption
15 of 100
A U.S. Marine pulls down a picture of Saddam Hussein at a school in Al-Kut on April 16, 2003.
Photos: 100 moments from the Iraq War
A U.S. Marine pulls down a picture of Saddam Hussein at a school in Al-Kut on April 16, 2003.
Hide Caption
16 of 100
Iraqi men check a list near the remains of bodies excavated from a mass grave on the outskirts of Al Musayyib on May 31, 2003. Locals said they uncovered the remains of hundreds of Shiite Muslims allegedly executed by Saddam Hussein's regime after their uprising following the 1991 Gulf War.
Photos: 100 moments from the Iraq War
Iraqi men check a list near the remains of bodies excavated from a mass grave on the outskirts of Al Musayyib on May 31, 2003. Locals said they uncovered the remains of hundreds of Shiite Muslims allegedly executed by Saddam Hussein's regime after their uprising following the 1991 Gulf War.
Hide Caption
17 of 100
U.S. Army 101st Airborne troops investigate a house where Saddam Hussein's sons Uday and Qusay were killed in Mosul, Iraq, on July 23, 2003. The house, in an affluent neighborhood, was the scene of a fierce gunbattle.
Photos: 100 moments from the Iraq War
U.S. Army 101st Airborne troops investigate a house where Saddam Hussein's sons Uday and Qusay were killed in Mosul, Iraq, on July 23, 2003. The house, in an affluent neighborhood, was the scene of a fierce gunbattle.
Hide Caption
18 of 100
Army Cpl. Curtis Laymon of the 101st Airborne Rakkasan regiment is reflected in a pool of oil from the Iraqi-Turkey pipeline in Iraq's Ninewa province on October 29, 2003. The pipeline was blown apart by saboteurs two weeks earlier.
Photos: 100 moments from the Iraq War
Army Cpl. Curtis Laymon of the 101st Airborne Rakkasan regiment is reflected in a pool of oil from the Iraqi-Turkey pipeline in Iraq's Ninewa province on October 29, 2003. The pipeline was blown apart by saboteurs two weeks earlier.
Hide Caption
19 of 100
An Iraqi police lieutenant's stars lie in a puddle of blood after a car bombing that targeted a police station in Baquba on November 22, 2003.
Photos: 100 moments from the Iraq War
An Iraqi police lieutenant's stars lie in a puddle of blood after a car bombing that targeted a police station in Baquba on November 22, 2003.
Hide Caption
20 of 100
A construction worker removes debris from a destroyed building in Baghdad on December 11, 2003.
Photos: 100 moments from the Iraq War
A construction worker removes debris from a destroyed building in Baghdad on December 11, 2003.
Hide Caption
21 of 100
Saddam Hussein's picture is taken December 14, 2003, after his capture a day earlier. U.S. troops found Hussein hiding near his hometown of Tikrit.
Photos: 100 moments from the Iraq War
Saddam Hussein's picture is taken December 14, 2003, after his capture a day earlier. U.S. troops found Hussein hiding near his hometown of Tikrit.
Hide Caption
22 of 100
The entrance to the "spider hole" where Saddam Hussein was hiding in Ad Dawr is seen from the inside on December 15, 2003.
Photos: 100 moments from the Iraq War
The entrance to the "spider hole" where Saddam Hussein was hiding in Ad Dawr is seen from the inside on December 15, 2003.
Hide Caption
23 of 100
A bound Iraqi informer, with his name inked in English across his back, crouches beside soldiers in the 4th Infantry Division after providing outdated information during a morning raid in in Samarra on December 19, 2003.
Photos: 100 moments from the Iraq War
A bound Iraqi informer, with his name inked in English across his back, crouches beside soldiers in the 4th Infantry Division after providing outdated information during a morning raid in in Samarra on December 19, 2003.
Hide Caption
24 of 100
Eman Mohammed, 7, stands in the Kurdish refugee camp in Kirkuk on January 7, 2004. Since 2003, thousands of internally displaced Kurds have returned to Kirkuk.
Photos: 100 moments from the Iraq War
Eman Mohammed, 7, stands in the Kurdish refugee camp in Kirkuk on January 7, 2004. Since 2003, thousands of internally displaced Kurds have returned to Kirkuk.
Hide Caption
25 of 100
Laborers work on a hotel in Baghdad on January 15, 2004.
Photos: 100 moments from the Iraq War
Laborers work on a hotel in Baghdad on January 15, 2004.
Hide Caption
26 of 100
A worker turns a valve at the Shirawa oil field outside the northern city of Kirkuk on January 19, 2004. The security of Iraq's oil infrastructure had improved, but exports through the region's main pipeline had yet to resume.
Photos: 100 moments from the Iraq War
A worker turns a valve at the Shirawa oil field outside the northern city of Kirkuk on January 19, 2004. The security of Iraq's oil infrastructure had improved, but exports through the region's main pipeline had yet to resume.
Hide Caption
27 of 100
A boy stands at the scene of a car bombing in front of the Shaheen Hotel in Baghdad on January 28, 2004.
Photos: 100 moments from the Iraq War
A boy stands at the scene of a car bombing in front of the Shaheen Hotel in Baghdad on January 28, 2004.
Hide Caption
28 of 100
Mourners carry coffins in Karbala on March 3, 2004. A day after a series of bombs killed dozens and injured hundreds during the Ashura ceremony in the Shiite holy city of Karbala, Shiite Muslims began burying their dead.
Photos: 100 moments from the Iraq War
Mourners carry coffins in Karbala on March 3, 2004. A day after a series of bombs killed dozens and injured hundreds during the Ashura ceremony in the Shiite holy city of Karbala, Shiite Muslims began burying their dead.
Hide Caption
29 of 100
Iraqi insurgents wave their national flag as they celebrate in front of a burning U.S. military tanker they hit with rocket-propelled grenade on April 9, 2004. The attack took place on the road from Baghdad to Fallujah.
Photos: 100 moments from the Iraq War
Iraqi insurgents wave their national flag as they celebrate in front of a burning U.S. military tanker they hit with rocket-propelled grenade on April 9, 2004. The attack took place on the road from Baghdad to Fallujah.
Hide Caption
30 of 100
Photographs depicting detainee abuse inside Abu Ghraib prison at the hands of U.S. troops were released in late April 2004. The fallout was immediate, and the images gave anti-war protesters ammunition to rally people to their cause.
Photos: 100 moments from the Iraq War
Photographs depicting detainee abuse inside Abu Ghraib prison at the hands of U.S. troops were released in late April 2004. The fallout was immediate, and the images gave anti-war protesters ammunition to rally people to their cause.
Hide Caption
31 of 100
Iraqis look at rows of graves at an overflowing cemetery built in a soccer arena in Fallujah on May 3, 2004.
Photos: 100 moments from the Iraq War
Iraqis look at rows of graves at an overflowing cemetery built in a soccer arena in Fallujah on May 3, 2004.
Hide Caption
32 of 100
At home in Baghdad with his new prosthetic leg, Ahsan Hameed, 20, sits while his aunt looks it over on July 17, 2004. He lost his left leg above the knee to a stray bullet in April.
Photos: 100 moments from the Iraq War
At home in Baghdad with his new prosthetic leg, Ahsan Hameed, 20, sits while his aunt looks it over on July 17, 2004. He lost his left leg above the knee to a stray bullet in April.
Hide Caption
33 of 100
Construction workers weld beams at the Ministry of Transportation building in Baghdad on July 21, 2004. The building was being rebuilt after it was gutted by a fire.
Photos: 100 moments from the Iraq War
Construction workers weld beams at the Ministry of Transportation building in Baghdad on July 21, 2004. The building was being rebuilt after it was gutted by a fire.
Hide Caption
34 of 100
Iraqi national guardsman Ridha Abdulkarim lies in a hospital bed after a car bomb detonated at a checkpoint in Baquba on August 3, 2004. The bomb killed six guardsmen and wounded six others, Iraqi authorities said.
Photos: 100 moments from the Iraq War
Iraqi national guardsman Ridha Abdulkarim lies in a hospital bed after a car bomb detonated at a checkpoint in Baquba on August 3, 2004. The bomb killed six guardsmen and wounded six others, Iraqi authorities said.
Hide Caption
35 of 100
Shiite militia members prepare to fire during clashes with U.S. forces in Najaf on August 7, 2004. It was the third day of continuous fighting in the holy city.
Photos: 100 moments from the Iraq War
Shiite militia members prepare to fire during clashes with U.S. forces in Najaf on August 7, 2004. It was the third day of continuous fighting in the holy city.
Hide Caption
36 of 100
An Iraqi militia member injured in a U.S. airstrike in Najaf is assisted by one of his comrades on August 24, 2004. They were walking past the shrine of Imam Ali to make their way to a militia hospital.
Photos: 100 moments from the Iraq War
An Iraqi militia member injured in a U.S. airstrike in Najaf is assisted by one of his comrades on August 24, 2004. They were walking past the shrine of Imam Ali to make their way to a militia hospital.
Hide Caption
37 of 100
Iraqi Shiite faithful gather in Najaf on August 27, 2004, to mark the end of a battle. Rebel leader Muqtada al-Sadr ordered his fighters to lay down their arms in a peace deal brokered by Iraq's most revered Shiite cleric, Grand Ayatollah Ali al-Sistani.
Photos: 100 moments from the Iraq War
Iraqi Shiite faithful gather in Najaf on August 27, 2004, to mark the end of a battle. Rebel leader Muqtada al-Sadr ordered his fighters to lay down their arms in a peace deal brokered by Iraq's most revered Shiite cleric, Grand Ayatollah Ali al-Sistani.
Hide Caption
38 of 100
Anti-war protesters in New York carry mock coffins draped with U.S. flags on August 29, 2004. Thousands took part in demonstrations outside Madison Square Garden on the eve of the Republican National Convention.
Photos: 100 moments from the Iraq War
Anti-war protesters in New York carry mock coffins draped with U.S. flags on August 29, 2004. Thousands took part in demonstrations outside Madison Square Garden on the eve of the Republican National Convention.
Hide Caption
39 of 100
Members of the Iraqi Intervention Forces listen to last-minute instructions before heading out with U.S. troops to begin a major offensive on the insurgent stronghold of Fallujah on November 8, 2004.
Photos: 100 moments from the Iraq War
Members of the Iraqi Intervention Forces listen to last-minute instructions before heading out with U.S. troops to begin a major offensive on the insurgent stronghold of Fallujah on November 8, 2004.
Hide Caption
40 of 100
Marines search houses in Fallujah for insurgents on November 10, 2004.
Photos: 100 moments from the Iraq War
Marines search houses in Fallujah for insurgents on November 10, 2004.
Hide Caption
41 of 100
Marines rest and check a map in a house during an offensive in Fallujah on November 11, 2004.
Photos: 100 moments from the Iraq War
Marines rest and check a map in a house during an offensive in Fallujah on November 11, 2004.
Hide Caption
42 of 100
Iraqi men are arrested during a house raid in Fallujah on November 13, 2004.
Photos: 100 moments from the Iraq War
Iraqi men are arrested during a house raid in Fallujah on November 13, 2004.
Hide Caption
43 of 100
Marines take position on a roof in the restive city of Fallujah on November 13, 2004.
Photos: 100 moments from the Iraq War
Marines take position on a roof in the restive city of Fallujah on November 13, 2004.
Hide Caption
44 of 100
U.S. Army medics treat a wounded Jordanian fighter in Fallujah on November 14, 2004.
Photos: 100 moments from the Iraq War
U.S. Army medics treat a wounded Jordanian fighter in Fallujah on November 14, 2004.
Hide Caption
45 of 100
A U.S. Marine and a soldier from the New Iraqi Army process a detainee during operations in Fallujah on November 17, 2004.
Photos: 100 moments from the Iraq War
A U.S. Marine and a soldier from the New Iraqi Army process a detainee during operations in Fallujah on November 17, 2004.
Hide Caption
46 of 100
Marines use explosives to open rooftop doors while searching houses in Fallujah for insurgents on November 22, 2004.
Photos: 100 moments from the Iraq War
Marines use explosives to open rooftop doors while searching houses in Fallujah for insurgents on November 22, 2004.
Hide Caption
47 of 100
Marines clear a home in Fallujah after four insurgents staged a bloody counterattack, killing one American and wounding many others, on November 23, 2004.
Photos: 100 moments from the Iraq War
Marines clear a home in Fallujah after four insurgents staged a bloody counterattack, killing one American and wounding many others, on November 23, 2004.
Hide Caption
48 of 100
Spc. Franklin Smith pulls away as a mortar blast is fired from the edge of the U.S. airbase in Tal Afar on January 17, 2005. U.S. teams would frequently fire "harassment and interdiction" mortar fusillades toward suspected enemy positions.
Photos: 100 moments from the Iraq War
Spc. Franklin Smith pulls away as a mortar blast is fired from the edge of the U.S. airbase in Tal Afar on January 17, 2005. U.S. teams would frequently fire "harassment and interdiction" mortar fusillades toward suspected enemy positions.
Hide Caption
49 of 100
Iraqis look over their ballots on election day in the Sadr City neighborhood of Baghdad on January 30, 2005. It was the country's first multiparty election in half a century.
Photos: 100 moments from the Iraq War
Iraqis look over their ballots on election day in the Sadr City neighborhood of Baghdad on January 30, 2005. It was the country's first multiparty election in half a century.
Hide Caption
50 of 100
Election officials count ballot papers at night on January 30, 2005, in the Shiite holy city of Najaf. Despite threats, thousands of men and women cast their votes.
Photos: 100 moments from the Iraq War
Election officials count ballot papers at night on January 30, 2005, in the Shiite holy city of Najaf. Despite threats, thousands of men and women cast their votes.
Hide Caption
51 of 100
Army Sgt. 1st Class Troy Hawkins is tended to after getting wounded during a firefight while on patrol with an Iraqi army unit in the Haifa Street neighborhood of Baghdad on February 16, 2005. Afterward, he continued to fight in the narrow streets.
Photos: 100 moments from the Iraq War
Army Sgt. 1st Class Troy Hawkins is tended to after getting wounded during a firefight while on patrol with an Iraqi army unit in the Haifa Street neighborhood of Baghdad on February 16, 2005. Afterward, he continued to fight in the narrow streets.
Hide Caption
52 of 100
An Iraqi soldier stands watch at a teahouse while on patrol with U.S. soldiers in Baghdad on February 23, 2005.
Photos: 100 moments from the Iraq War
An Iraqi soldier stands watch at a teahouse while on patrol with U.S. soldiers in Baghdad on February 23, 2005.
Hide Caption
53 of 100
President Bush shakes hands with former Sen. Charles Robb, left, and Judge Laurence Silberman during a news conference in Washington on March 31, 2005. The co-chairmen of the Iraqi Intelligence Commission issued a report indicating that U.S. intelligence agencies were wrong in most pre-war assessments about weapons of mass destruction in Iraq.
Photos: 100 moments from the Iraq War
President Bush shakes hands with former Sen. Charles Robb, left, and Judge Laurence Silberman during a news conference in Washington on March 31, 2005. The co-chairmen of the Iraqi Intelligence Commission issued a report indicating that U.S. intelligence agencies were wrong in most pre-war assessments about weapons of mass destruction in Iraq.
Hide Caption
54 of 100
Iraqi Shiite demonstrators loyal to cleric Muqtada al-Sadr burn a U.S. flag during a protest in Baghdad on April 9, 2005. The rally was called on the second anniversary of the fall of Baghdad, with protesters demanding an end to the U.S. military presence in Iraq.
Photos: 100 moments from the Iraq War
Iraqi Shiite demonstrators loyal to cleric Muqtada al-Sadr burn a U.S. flag during a protest in Baghdad on April 9, 2005. The rally was called on the second anniversary of the fall of Baghdad, with protesters demanding an end to the U.S. military presence in Iraq.
Hide Caption
55 of 100
People gather at the scene of a car bombing near a busy market in eastern Baghdad on May, 12, 2005.
Photos: 100 moments from the Iraq War
People gather at the scene of a car bombing near a busy market in eastern Baghdad on May, 12, 2005.
Hide Caption
56 of 100
A resident makes a phone call in the aftermath of a double suicide car bombing that struck civilians living near the blast walls that protect the Hamra Hotel in Baghdad on November 18, 2005.
Photos: 100 moments from the Iraq War
A resident makes a phone call in the aftermath of a double suicide car bombing that struck civilians living near the blast walls that protect the Hamra Hotel in Baghdad on November 18, 2005.
Hide Caption
57 of 100
Sgt. Thomas Gaines kisses his wife during a welcome-home ceremony in Fort Stewart, Georgia, on May 11, 2006. About 280 members of the Georgia National Guard 48th Brigade returned home from a year-long deployment to Iraq.
Photos: 100 moments from the Iraq War
Sgt. Thomas Gaines kisses his wife during a welcome-home ceremony in Fort Stewart, Georgia, on May 11, 2006. About 280 members of the Georgia National Guard 48th Brigade returned home from a year-long deployment to Iraq.
Hide Caption
58 of 100
A British Royal Air Force gunner waves to a goat herder during a patrol of northern Basra province on July 26, 2006.
Photos: 100 moments from the Iraq War
A British Royal Air Force gunner waves to a goat herder during a patrol of northern Basra province on July 26, 2006.
Hide Caption
59 of 100
A British armored vehicle is illuminated by traffic during a patrol of Basra on July 27, 2006.
Photos: 100 moments from the Iraq War
A British armored vehicle is illuminated by traffic during a patrol of Basra on July 27, 2006.
Hide Caption
60 of 100
Ousted Iraqi leader Saddam Hussein addresses the court during his trial in the heavily fortified Green Zone of Baghdad on October 17, 2006. Hussein and six co-defendants were on trial for mass killings in the Anfal campaign against Kurdish rebels in the late 1980s.
Photos: 100 moments from the Iraq War
Ousted Iraqi leader Saddam Hussein addresses the court during his trial in the heavily fortified Green Zone of Baghdad on October 17, 2006. Hussein and six co-defendants were on trial for mass killings in the Anfal campaign against Kurdish rebels in the late 1980s.
Hide Caption
61 of 100
A Palestinian woman watches the news of Saddam Hussein's execution at her home in the West Bank town of Jenin on December 30, 2006. Hussein was hanged for his role in the 1982 Dujail massacre, in which 148 Iraqis were killed after a failed assassination attempt against the then-president.
Photos: 100 moments from the Iraq War
A Palestinian woman watches the news of Saddam Hussein's execution at her home in the West Bank town of Jenin on December 30, 2006. Hussein was hanged for his role in the 1982 Dujail massacre, in which 148 Iraqis were killed after a failed assassination attempt against the then-president.
Hide Caption
62 of 100
U.S. Marines prepare for a military operation at Camp Ramadi in Anbar province on January 14, 2007.
Photos: 100 moments from the Iraq War
U.S. Marines prepare for a military operation at Camp Ramadi in Anbar province on January 14, 2007.
Hide Caption
63 of 100
American forces in Ramadi watch President Bush deliver the annual State of the Union address on January 24, 2007. The president announced plans to increase the size of the U.S. military by 92,000 troops.
Photos: 100 moments from the Iraq War
American forces in Ramadi watch President Bush deliver the annual State of the Union address on January 24, 2007. The president announced plans to increase the size of the U.S. military by 92,000 troops.
Hide Caption
64 of 100
An American Apache helicopter provides air support while a Marine takes aim after being fired upon by insurgents near the Euphrates River in Ramadi on February 2, 2007.
Photos: 100 moments from the Iraq War
An American Apache helicopter provides air support while a Marine takes aim after being fired upon by insurgents near the Euphrates River in Ramadi on February 2, 2007.
Hide Caption
65 of 100
Iraqi children watch U.S. Army soldiers climb to the roof of their school to get a high vantage point in Baghdad on April 15, 2007.
Photos: 100 moments from the Iraq War
Iraqi children watch U.S. Army soldiers climb to the roof of their school to get a high vantage point in Baghdad on April 15, 2007.
Hide Caption
66 of 100
U.S. Marines sleep at their patrol base in the area known as Zaidon in Al Anbar province on May 12, 2007.
Photos: 100 moments from the Iraq War
U.S. Marines sleep at their patrol base in the area known as Zaidon in Al Anbar province on May 12, 2007.
Hide Caption
67 of 100
Mary McHugh mourns her fiance, Sgt. James Regan, at Arlington National Cemetery in Washington on May 27, 2007. The American Special Forces soldier was killed by an IED in Iraq in February.
Photos: 100 moments from the Iraq War
Mary McHugh mourns her fiance, Sgt. James Regan, at Arlington National Cemetery in Washington on May 27, 2007. The American Special Forces soldier was killed by an IED in Iraq in February.
Hide Caption
68 of 100
U.S. soldiers and an Iraqi contractor build a concrete wall between Sunni and Shiite areas of the south Dora neighborhood of Bagdhad in the early hours of July 4, 2007.
Photos: 100 moments from the Iraq War
U.S. soldiers and an Iraqi contractor build a concrete wall between Sunni and Shiite areas of the south Dora neighborhood of Bagdhad in the early hours of July 4, 2007.
Hide Caption
69 of 100
Iraqi army commandos teach junior soldiers during a combat training course in Baquba on July 18, 2007.
Photos: 100 moments from the Iraq War
Iraqi army commandos teach junior soldiers during a combat training course in Baquba on July 18, 2007.
Hide Caption
70 of 100
Medics treat Army Spc. Jose Callazo after his mine-detecting vehicle hit a buried IED in Hawr Rajab on August 4, 2007.
Photos: 100 moments from the Iraq War
Medics treat Army Spc. Jose Callazo after his mine-detecting vehicle hit a buried IED in Hawr Rajab on August 4, 2007.
Hide Caption
71 of 100
An American soldier prepares to search a home for illegal weapons in the Hurriyah neighborhood of Baghdad on September 9, 2007.
Photos: 100 moments from the Iraq War
An American soldier prepares to search a home for illegal weapons in the Hurriyah neighborhood of Baghdad on September 9, 2007.
Hide Caption
72 of 100
Relatives help an Iraqi man at a hospital in Baghdad on September 20, 2007. He was injured when Blackwater security contractors opened fire on civilians on September 16, killing 17. The company lost its contract to guard U.S. staff in Iraq after the country's government refused to renew its operating license.
Photos: 100 moments from the Iraq War
Relatives help an Iraqi man at a hospital in Baghdad on September 20, 2007. He was injured when Blackwater security contractors opened fire on civilians on September 16, killing 17. The company lost its contract to guard U.S. staff in Iraq after the country's government refused to renew its operating license.
Hide Caption
73 of 100
Army Brig. Gen. Nolen V. Bivens presents an American flag to Maribel Ferrero during the funeral of her 23-year-old son, Army Pfc. Marius L. Ferrero, in Miami. He was killed by a roadside bomb while serving in Iraq.
Photos: 100 moments from the Iraq War
Army Brig. Gen. Nolen V. Bivens presents an American flag to Maribel Ferrero during the funeral of her 23-year-old son, Army Pfc. Marius L. Ferrero, in Miami. He was killed by a roadside bomb while serving in Iraq.
Hide Caption
74 of 100
A U.S. soldier blindfolds an Iraqi man during a raid in Mukhisa on December 3, 2007. Seven men were detained after multiple assault rifles were found in the house.
Photos: 100 moments from the Iraq War
A U.S. soldier blindfolds an Iraqi man during a raid in Mukhisa on December 3, 2007. Seven men were detained after multiple assault rifles were found in the house.
Hide Caption
75 of 100
U.S. soldiers sit in a home damaged by fighting in Baghdad on March 11, 2008, near the five-year anniversary of the war.
Photos: 100 moments from the Iraq War
U.S. soldiers sit in a home damaged by fighting in Baghdad on March 11, 2008, near the five-year anniversary of the war.
Hide Caption
76 of 100
Commanding Gen. David Petraeus, center, and Ambassador Ryan Crocker testify before the Senate Armed Services Committee in Washington on April 8, 2008. In reporting on the success of the surge in Iraq, Petraeus said the number of U.S. troops in the country should not drop below 140,000.
Photos: 100 moments from the Iraq War
Commanding Gen. David Petraeus, center, and Ambassador Ryan Crocker testify before the Senate Armed Services Committee in Washington on April 8, 2008. In reporting on the success of the surge in Iraq, Petraeus said the number of U.S. troops in the country should not drop below 140,000.
Hide Caption
77 of 100
A U.S. soldier with 2nd Brigade, 1st Armored Division, stands on a kiln overlooking more than 150 brick factories in Narwan on July 1, 2008.
Photos: 100 moments from the Iraq War
A U.S. soldier with 2nd Brigade, 1st Armored Division, stands on a kiln overlooking more than 150 brick factories in Narwan on July 1, 2008.
Hide Caption
78 of 100
A boy looks out from his family shelter at a Narwan brick factory on July 1, 2008.
Photos: 100 moments from the Iraq War
A boy looks out from his family shelter at a Narwan brick factory on July 1, 2008.
Hide Caption
79 of 100
Democratic presidential candidate Sen. Barack Obama flies over Baghdad with Gen. David Petraeus during a tour on July 21, 2008.
Photos: 100 moments from the Iraq War
Democratic presidential candidate Sen. Barack Obama flies over Baghdad with Gen. David Petraeus during a tour on July 21, 2008.
Hide Caption
80 of 100
Maj. Gen. John Kelly, left, and Anbar province Gov. Maamoun Sami Rashid al-Alwani sign papers during a handover ceremony in Ramadi on September 1, 2008. The U.S. military turned over security control of Iraq's biggest province, once a stronghold of the Sunni insurgency.
Photos: 100 moments from the Iraq War
Maj. Gen. John Kelly, left, and Anbar province Gov. Maamoun Sami Rashid al-Alwani sign papers during a handover ceremony in Ramadi on September 1, 2008. The U.S. military turned over security control of Iraq's biggest province, once a stronghold of the Sunni insurgency.
Hide Caption
81 of 100
Iraqi Prime Minister Nuri al-Maliki tries to block a shoe thrown at President Bush during a news conference in Baghdad on December 14, 2008. The Iraqi journalist who threw the shoes missed the president but could be heard yelling in Arabic, "This is a farewell ... you dog!"
Photos: 100 moments from the Iraq War
Iraqi Prime Minister Nuri al-Maliki tries to block a shoe thrown at President Bush during a news conference in Baghdad on December 14, 2008. The Iraqi journalist who threw the shoes missed the president but could be heard yelling in Arabic, "This is a farewell ... you dog!"
Hide Caption
82 of 100
Pfc. Jeremy Tomlinson, who was wounded a year before in Iraq, waits with fellow soldiers to greet returning comrades in Fort Carson, Colorado, on January 28, 2008. About 3,800 soldiers were coming home after a 15-month tour of duty.
Photos: 100 moments from the Iraq War
Pfc. Jeremy Tomlinson, who was wounded a year before in Iraq, waits with fellow soldiers to greet returning comrades in Fort Carson, Colorado, on January 28, 2008. About 3,800 soldiers were coming home after a 15-month tour of duty.
Hide Caption
83 of 100
A poll worker helps a member of the Iraqi National Police cast his ballot in Baghdad on January 28, 2009. Polls were opened early to members of the Iraqi security services, many of whom would be working during the provincial elections.
Photos: 100 moments from the Iraq War
A poll worker helps a member of the Iraqi National Police cast his ballot in Baghdad on January 28, 2009. Polls were opened early to members of the Iraqi security services, many of whom would be working during the provincial elections.
Hide Caption
84 of 100
An Iraqi soldier searches a boy at a polling station in Baghdad on January 31, 2009. People across the country voted to fill 440 provincial council seats.
Photos: 100 moments from the Iraq War
An Iraqi soldier searches a boy at a polling station in Baghdad on January 31, 2009. People across the country voted to fill 440 provincial council seats.
Hide Caption
85 of 100
President Barack Obama delivers an address on February 27, 2009, at the largest Marine post on the East Coast, Camp Lejeune in North Carolina. In his speech, Obama outlined plans for the gradual withdrawal of U.S. troops in Iraq.
Photos: 100 moments from the Iraq War
President Barack Obama delivers an address on February 27, 2009, at the largest Marine post on the East Coast, Camp Lejeune in North Carolina. In his speech, Obama outlined plans for the gradual withdrawal of U.S. troops in Iraq.
Hide Caption
86 of 100
Iraqi army special forces patrol Baghdad's al-Fadel district on March 30, 2009. U.S.-backed Iraqi forces clashed with anti-al-Qaeda militants known as the Awakening Council, or Sahwa, after fighting erupted following the arrest of Adel Mashhadani, a Sahwa leader.
Photos: 100 moments from the Iraq War
Iraqi army special forces patrol Baghdad's al-Fadel district on March 30, 2009. U.S.-backed Iraqi forces clashed with anti-al-Qaeda militants known as the Awakening Council, or Sahwa, after fighting erupted following the arrest of Adel Mashhadani, a Sahwa leader.
Hide Caption
87 of 100
A U.S. Air Force team carries a flag-draped transfer case containing the remains of Army Spc. Omar M. Albrak of Chicago at Dover Air Force Base in Delaware on May 12, 2009, just over a month after the U.S. government lifted its ban on media coverage of the returning war dead. Albrak was killed while serving in Iraq.
Photos: 100 moments from the Iraq War
A U.S. Air Force team carries a flag-draped transfer case containing the remains of Army Spc. Omar M. Albrak of Chicago at Dover Air Force Base in Delaware on May 12, 2009, just over a month after the U.S. government lifted its ban on media coverage of the returning war dead. Albrak was killed while serving in Iraq.
Hide Caption
88 of 100
Army Sgt. Donald Lewis from the 1st Cavalry Division is greeted by his wife, Nicole Lewis, after his brigade arrived home in Fort Hood, Texas, on November 10, 2009, after a year of deployment in Iraq.
Photos: 100 moments from the Iraq War
Army Sgt. Donald Lewis from the 1st Cavalry Division is greeted by his wife, Nicole Lewis, after his brigade arrived home in Fort Hood, Texas, on November 10, 2009, after a year of deployment in Iraq.
Hide Caption
89 of 100
Secretary of Defense Robert Gates speaks with soldiers at a forward operating base in Kirkuk on December 11, 2009.
Photos: 100 moments from the Iraq War
Secretary of Defense Robert Gates speaks with soldiers at a forward operating base in Kirkuk on December 11, 2009.
Hide Caption
90 of 100
An Iraqi woman votes in parliamentary elections in Kirkuk on March 7, 2010.
Photos: 100 moments from the Iraq War
An Iraqi woman votes in parliamentary elections in Kirkuk on March 7, 2010.
Hide Caption
91 of 100
U.S. soldiers salute during a handover ceremony of the entry points of Baghdad's Green Zone, now referred to as the International Zone, to Iraqi control inside the heavily fortified compound in Baghdad on June 1, 2010.
Photos: 100 moments from the Iraq War
U.S. soldiers salute during a handover ceremony of the entry points of Baghdad's Green Zone, now referred to as the International Zone, to Iraqi control inside the heavily fortified compound in Baghdad on June 1, 2010.
Hide Caption
92 of 100
A string of bullets lies across photographs of women adorning the armor of a Stryker vehicle north of Jalaulah on June 11, 2010.
Photos: 100 moments from the Iraq War
A string of bullets lies across photographs of women adorning the armor of a Stryker vehicle north of Jalaulah on June 11, 2010.
Hide Caption
93 of 100
An Iraqi explosives expert gets into a special suit for bomb disposal during a training session organized by his U.S. counterparts at the Warhorse military base near the restive city of Baquba on August 17, 2010.
Photos: 100 moments from the Iraq War
An Iraqi explosives expert gets into a special suit for bomb disposal during a training session organized by his U.S. counterparts at the Warhorse military base near the restive city of Baquba on August 17, 2010.
Hide Caption
94 of 100
Shiite worshipers pray during an Ashura commemoration ceremony at the Kadhimiya shrine in Baghdad on December 6, 2011. Ashura marks the death of Prophet Mohammed's grandson, the revered Imam Hussein.
Photos: 100 moments from the Iraq War
Shiite worshipers pray during an Ashura commemoration ceremony at the Kadhimiya shrine in Baghdad on December 6, 2011. Ashura marks the death of Prophet Mohammed's grandson, the revered Imam Hussein.
Hide Caption
95 of 100
A technician works on a prosthetic at a factory in Baghdad on December 13, 2011. Iraqis have faced a shortage of prosthetics due to a spike in war-related injuries over the years.
Photos: 100 moments from the Iraq War
A technician works on a prosthetic at a factory in Baghdad on December 13, 2011. Iraqis have faced a shortage of prosthetics due to a spike in war-related injuries over the years.
Hide Caption
96 of 100
Iraqis gather at a women's art exhibition in a posh Baghdad neighborhood on December 14, 2011.
Photos: 100 moments from the Iraq War
Iraqis gather at a women's art exhibition in a posh Baghdad neighborhood on December 14, 2011.
Hide Caption
97 of 100
Gen. Lloyd Austin retires the United States Forces-Iraq flag during a casing ceremony at the former Sather Air Base in Baghdad on December 15, 2011.
Photos: 100 moments from the Iraq War
Gen. Lloyd Austin retires the United States Forces-Iraq flag during a casing ceremony at the former Sather Air Base in Baghdad on December 15, 2011.
Hide Caption
98 of 100
Military personnel lower their heads during the flag casing ceremony in Baghdad on December 15, 2011. The ceremony officially marked the end of U.S. military operations in Iraq.
Photos: 100 moments from the Iraq War
Military personnel lower their heads during the flag casing ceremony in Baghdad on December 15, 2011. The ceremony officially marked the end of U.S. military operations in Iraq.
Hide Caption
99 of 100
A U.S. soldier prepares to fly out of the Sather Air Base in Baghdad on December 15, 2011. The last U.S. forces left Iraq and entered Kuwait on December 18, nearly nine years after launching a divisive war to oust Saddam Hussein.
Photos: 100 moments from the Iraq War
A U.S. soldier prepares to fly out of the Sather Air Base in Baghdad on December 15, 2011. The last U.S. forces left Iraq and entered Kuwait on December 18, nearly nine years after launching a divisive war to oust Saddam Hussein.
Hide Caption
100 of 100
01 iraq war02 iraq war03 iraq war04 iraq war05 iraq war06 iraq war07 iraq war08 iraq war09 iraq war10 iraq war11 iraq war12 iraq war13 iraq war14 iraq war15 iraq war16 iraq war17 iraq war18 iraq war19 iraq war20 iraq war21 iraq war23 iraq war22 iraq war24 iraq war25 iraq war26 iraq war27 iraq war28 iraq war29 iraq war30 iraq war31 iraq war32 iraq war33 iraq war34 iraq war35 iraq war36 iraq war37 iraq war38 iraq war102 iraq war39 iraq war40 iraq war41 iraq war42 iraq war43 iraq war44 iraq war45 iraq war46 iraq war47 iraq war48 iraq war49 iraq war50 iraq war51 iraq war52 iraq war53 iraq war54 iraq war55 iraq war56 iraq war57 iraq war58 iraq war59 iraq war61 iraq war62 iraq war63 iraq war64 iraq war65 iraq war66 iraq war67 iraq war68 iraq war69 iraq war70 iraq war71 iraq war72 iraq war73 iraq war74 iraq war75 iraq war77 iraq war78 iraq war79 iraq war80 iraq war81 iraq war82 iraq war83 iraq war84 iraq war76 iraq war85 iraq war86 iraq war87 iraq war88 iraq war89 iraq war90 iraq war91 iraq war92 iraq war93 iraq war94 iraq war95 iraq war96 iraq war97 iraq war98 iraq war99 iraq war100 iraq war

(CNN)Here's a look at the country of Iraq which borders Kuwait, Saudi Arabia, Jordan, Syria, Turkey, Iran and the Persian Gulf.

About Iraq:
(from the CIA World Factbook)
Area: 438,317 sq km
Population: 39,192,111 (July 2017 est.)
    Median age: 20 years
    Capital: Baghdad
    Read More
    Ethnic Groups: Arab 75%-80%, Kurdish 15%-20%, Turkman, Assyrian, or other 5%
    Religion: Muslim (official) 95%-98% (Shia 64%-69%, Sunni 29%-34%), Christian 1%, Other 1-4%
    GDP (purchasing power parity): $660.7 billion (2017 est.)
    GDP per capita: $17,000 (2017 est.)
    Unemployment: 16% (2012 est.)
    Other Facts:
    In ancient times, the area comprising Iraq was known as Mesopotamia and gave rise to some of the world's first civilizations.
    One of the religious minorities in Iraq is the Yazidi. Throughout the Middle East, Yazidi number between 200,000 and one million. Per the US State Department, between 350,000 and 400,000 live in Iraq, mostly in the north. Their beliefs draw from aspects of Judaism, Christianity and Zoroastrianism.
    Timeline:
    1921 -     After the defeat of the Ottoman Empire during World War I, Great Britain gains control of the area. It sets up a government in Mesopotamia and renames the country Iraq.
    1924 - The new Constitutional Assembly of Iraq meets to consider the Anglo-Iraq treaty. The treaty would compel Iraq to honor all agreements made by Great Britain previously, including oil concessions. In order to compel Iraq to accept the treaty, Great Britain threatens to withdraw and leave Iraq vulnerable to Saudi Arabia or Turkey. The treaty is ratified.
    October 3, 1932 - Iraq becomes an independent nation with Baghdad as its capital, and is admitted to the League of Nations.
    1943-1945 - Kurdish leader Mustafa Barzani leads an uprising, gaining control of areas of Erbil and Badinan. When the uprising is defeated, Barzani and his forces retreat to Kurdish areas in Iran and align with nationalist fighters under the leadership of Qazi Muhammad.
    March 22, 1945 - Iraq becomes a founding member of the Arab League.
    December 21, 1945 - Iraq becomes a member of the United Nations.
    July 14, 1958 - King Faisal is killed in a coup led by Abdul Karim Kassem.
    October 1959 - A group, including Saddam Hussein, attacks the motorcade of Kassem. The assassination attempt fails and most of the attackers are killed. Hussein escapes and flees to Syria and later to Egypt.
    February 1963 - Kassem is overthrown and executed. The Baath Party assumes control of the government. Hussein returns from Cairo. The new Baath government is overthrown before the end of the year.
    July 17, 1968 - In a coup, Major General Ahmed Hassan al-Bakr of the Baath party becomes Iraq's new president. Hussein becomes the secretary and acting deputy chairman of the Revolutionary Command Council.
    October 1973 - Iraq fights Israel in the Yom Kippur war.
    March 6, 1975 - Hussein and Shah Mohammed Reza Pahlavi of Iran meet to discuss a treaty. The Algiers Accord is signed by both countries later in the year.
    October 1978 - At the Shah's insistence, Hussein expels Ayatollah Ruhollah Khomeini from Iraq, where he has been in exile for 13 years.
    February 1979 - The Ayatollah returns to Iran to lead the country, after the ouster of the Shah in January.
    July 16, 1979 - Hussein takes over as president of Iraq.
    1979 - In response to the Ayatollah's call for the overthrow of the Baathist regime, comprised mostly of Sunni Muslims, President Hussein expels 40,000 Shiite Muslims. Hussein also orders the execution of Ayatollah Mohammed al-Bakr Sadr, an ally of Ayatollah Khomeini.
    September 22, 1980 - Iraq launches an air attack against Iran, beginning the Iran-Iraq war. In 1984 and 1986 Iraq is accused of using mustard gas and other chemical weapons against Iran. The war ends in a stalemate in 1988.
    March 16, 1988 - Iraq uses poison gas against the Kurdish people in Halabja in Northern Iraq. Thousands of people are believed to have died in the attack.
    August 2, 1990 - Iraq invades Kuwait.
    January 17, 1991 - Operation Desert Storm begins.
    February 28, 1991 - A ceasefire in the Gulf War takes effect.
    March 1991 - After the coalition expels Iraq from Kuwait, the US encourages the Kurds to rebel. However, Iraq crushes the rebellion and one million Kurds flee to Turkey.
    April 3, 1991 - The UN passes Security Council Resolution 687. It establishes UNSCOM.
    April 6, 1991 - Iraq accepts SCR 687.
    April 18, 1991 - Under the terms of SCR 687, Iraq gives a detailed account of its weapons inventory. It states that it has no biological weapons program.
    April 14, 1995 - The UN Security Council adopts Resolution 986 establishing the "oil-for-food" program, providing Iraq with the opportunity to sell oil to finance the purchase of humanitarian goods. Iraq does not accept the plan.
    December 16, 1998 - Great Britain and the United States launch air strikes against Iraq. The attack, called Operation Desert Fox, is in response to Iraq's refusal to cooperate with UN weapons inspectors.
    January 29, 2002 - US President George W. Bush says in his State of the Union address that Iraq, Iran and North Korea constitute an "axis of evil'' that threatens the United States.
    September 16, 2002 - Facing the threat of US air strikes, Iraq unconditionally agrees to the return of United Nations inspectors.
    September 19, 2002 - Iraqi Foreign Minister Naji Sabri sends a letter to the UN from Hussein stating that Iraq has no chemical, nuclear or biological weapons.
    November 8, 2002 - The UN Security Council unanimously adopts Resolution 1441, outlining strict new weapons inspections and threatening "serious consequences" if Iraq fails to comply.
    November 13, 2002 - Iraq agrees to comply with UN Resolution 1441.
    November 27, 2002 - UN inspectors begin working in Iraq.
    December 7, 2002 - Iraq submits a 12,000-page declaration of former weapons programs and civilian industries with military applications to the United Nations.
    January 27, 2003 - Chief inspectors Mohammad ElBaradei and Hans Blix brief the UN Security Council on Iraqi compliance with inspections.
    March 7, 2003 - Chief inspectors ElBaradei and Blix submit their final reports to the UN Security Council.
    March 19, 2003 - President Bush announces that US and coalition forces have begun military action against Iraq. (This means that military action began the morning of March 20 in Iraq.)
    March 20, 2003 - President Hussein speaks on Iraqi TV. He calls the US-led coalition attacks "shameful crimes against Iraq and humanity."
    April 9, 2003 - Coalition forces take Baghdad.
    May 1, 2003 - Speaking on the aircraft carrier USS Abraham Lincoln, President Bush declares that "major combat operations" in the Iraq war are over, despite some continued fighting.
    May 22, 2003 - The United Nations Security Council approves Resolution 1483, lifting sanctions against Iraq and reaffirms the "sovereignty and territorial integrity of Iraq." It also acknowledges the US and Great Britain's right to occupy Iraq. The resolution sets up a UN support system to work with the United States and Great Britain to facilitate the transition to a government elected by the people of Iraq.
    November 21, 2003 - The oil-for-food program ends. The Coalition Provisional Authority takes responsibility for supplying humanitarian aid to the Iraqi people.
    December 13, 2003 - Hussein is captured in a "spider hole" near a hut in Tikrit. His capture is not confirmed until December 14 by the US Defense Department.
    June 1, 2004 - The Iraqi interim government takes over from the US-backed Iraqi Governing Council (the IGC dissolves itself). The new interim government will be in charge of the country after sovereignty is handed over and until national elections for a transitional government are held by the end of January.
    June 28, 2004 - The handover of sovereignty to the interim Iraqi government takes place at 10:26 a.m. local time, two days before the June 30 deadline previously announced by the US-led coalition.
    June 28, 2004 - Ayad Allawi is sworn in as the interim prime minister of Iraq. He is the first ruler other than Hussein to lead the country in more than three decades. He steps down in April 2005.
    June 30, 2004 - The Coalition turns over legal control of Hussein and 11 other former top Iraqi officials to the interim Iraqi government. They remain, however, in the physical custody of the United States for security reasons.
    July 1, 2004 - Hussein makes his first appearance in court. A judge charges him with a variety of crimes that marked his reign, including the invasion of Kuwait and the gassing of the Kurds.
    August 2004 - US and Iraqi forces battle insurgents in Najaf. Many insurgents there are followers of Shiite cleric Muqtada al-Sadr.
    September 23, 2004 - Allawi, interim leader of Iraq, speaks before a joint session of Congress while he is in Washington for meetings with President Bush.
    November 2004 - US and Iraqi forces battle insurgents in Falluja. About 2,000 insurgents are killed. On November 14, 2004, the United States declares Falluja "liberated."
    January 30, 2005 - Millions of Iraqis cast ballots in the nation's first free election in half a century. Iraqi expatriates in Australia, the United States, Great Britain, Canada, Denmark, France, Germany, Iran, Jordan, the Netherlands, Sweden, Syria, Turkey and the United Arab Emirates also participate.
    April 6-7, 2005 - Kurdish leader Jalal Talabani is selected the country's president by the transitional national assembly. The next day he and two vice presidents are sworn in.
    May 3, 2005 - Ibrahim al-Jaafari is sworn in as Iraq's interim Prime Minister. He steps down in May 2006.
    December 15, 2005 - Millions of Iraqis participate in an election to choose a 275-seat Parliament that will serve a four-year term.
    February 10, 2006 - The results of the December 2005 election are certified. The United Iraqi Alliance wins 128 seats, the Kurdistan Alliance Party wins 53 seats, the Iraqi Accord Party wins 44 seats and the final 50 seats are split between five other parties.
    April 22, 2006 - President Talabani names Nuri al-Maliki Prime Minister-designate.
    May 20, 2006 - The Iraqi Parliament approves Prime Minister Maliki's choices for the Iraqi national unity government. There are 37 cabinet ministers, comprised of representatives from all major parties and all major ethnic and secular groups.
    November 5, 2006 - The Iraqi High Tribunal reaches a verdict in the Dujail case. Eight defendants are charged with crimes relating to the murder of 148 Iraqi men in 1982. Former President Hussein is found guilty and sentenced to death by hanging, pending appeal.
    December 30, 2006 - Former Iraqi President Hussein is hanged a few minutes after 6 a.m. Baghdad time.
    March 27, 2007 - A suicide truck, packed with 4,000 pounds (1,814 kilograms) of explosives, detonates in the northern Iraqi city of Tal Afar, killing 152.
    January 1, 2009 - The US military hands over control of Baghdad's "Green Zone" to Iraqi authorities.
    June 30, 2009 - US troops pull back from Iraqi cities and towns and Iraqi troops take over the responsibility for security operations. However, US troops remain in the country to continue combat operations and patrols in rural areas.
    March 7, 2010 - Iraqi legislative elections are held. The results are announced on March 26. The Iraqiya coalition, led by former interim Prime Minister Ayad Allawi, wins the most seats in Parliament.
    August 19, 2010 - The last US combat brigade leaves Iraq. Approximately 52,000 US troops remain in the country.
    September 1, 2010 - Operation Iraqi Freedom is renamed Operation New Dawn, to reflect the reduced role US troops will play in securing the country.
    November 25, 2010 - Maliki is named to a second term by Iraqi President Talabani in a televised ceremony.
    December 15, 2010 - The UN Security Council votes to free Iraq from sanctions that started during the Saddam Hussein era.
    October 21, 2011 - US President Barack Obama announces that virtually all US troops will come home from Iraq by the end of the year. According to a US official, about 150 of the 39,000 troops currently in Iraq will remain to assist in arms sales. The rest will be out of Iraq by December 31.
    December 15, 2011 - US troops lower the flag of command that flies over Baghdad officially ending the US military mission in Iraq.
    September 9, 2012 - Fugitive Iraqi vice-president Tariq al-Hashimi is sentenced to death after being found guilty of running a death squad.
    January 2014 - Violence erupts in Anbar province with Iraqi security forces, Sunni tribesmen and al Qaeda linked groups battling for control of the cities of Falluja and Ramadi.
    April 30, 2014 - Iraqis vote in parliamentary elections to elect members of the Council of Representatives. Prime Minister Maliki's party wins 92 seats in parliamentary elections, short of the 165 seats needed for a majority.
    June 10, 2014 - Al Qaeda splinter group ISIS seizes the province of Nineveh and its capital Mosul.
    June 11, 2014 - ISIS takes control of Tikrit.
    July 24, 2014 - Fouad Massoum succeeds Talabani as president.
    August 8, 2014 - Two US F/A-18 jet fighters bomb Sunni Islamic extremists in Iraq. US President Obama has authorized "targeted airstrikes" if needed to protect US personnel from ISIS militants. The US military also could use airstrikes to prevent what officials warn could be a genocide of minority groups by the ISIS fighters.
    August 14, 2014 - In a televised address, Prime Minister Maliki withdraws his candidacy for a third term and endorses Haider al-Abadi as his replacement.
    April 1, 2015 - Iraqi forces, working with Shiite militiamen, retake the city of Tikrit from ISIS.
    July 17, 2015 - As Iraqi civilians celebrate Eid al-Fitr, a holiday marking the end of the fast for Ramadan, ISIS detonates an ice truck in a crowded marketplace in Khan Bani Saad, killing at least 120 people and wounding at least 140 more.
    March 17, 2016 - Secretary of State John Kerry announces that the United States has determined that ISIS' action against the Yazidis and other minority groups in Iraq and Syria constitutes genocide.
    June 26, 2016 - Lt. General Abdul Wahab al-Saadi says on state TV that Iraqi troops retook the key city of Falluja from ISIS.
    July 3, 2016 - A suicide car bomb detonates in a busy shopping district in Baghdad, killing at least 292 people and injuring another 200. It is the deadliest single attack in Iraq since 2003. ISIS claims responsibility for the attack.
    October 17, 2016 - Prime Minister Haider al-Abadi makes a televised statement announcing the start of the mission to retake the key city of Mosul from ISIS control. A diverse coalition of about 100,000 troops will play a role in the operation, mostly made up of Iraqi government troops and Kurdish Peshmerga fighters. US military officials have estimated up to 5,000 ISIS fighters are in Mosul, but the terror group's supporters say there are 7,000.
    March 7, 2017 - Iraqi forces take control of key government buildings and a bridge in western Mosul as part of their push to retake the city from ISIS. The Tigris river divides Mosul into east and west. The east was liberated in January and the second phase, to clear militants from the west, was launched on February 19.
    July 10, 2017 - Prime Minister Abadi announces that Mosul has been recaptured from ISIS.
    October 3, 2017 - Former President Talabani, Iraq's first non-Arab president, dies at the age of 83.
    October 5, 2017 - Iraqi forces retake the city center of Hawiji, one of the last major ISIS strongholds in Iraq.
    December 9, 2017 - The Iraqi military says in a statement it has "fully liberated" all of Iraq's territory of "ISIS terrorist gangs" and retaken full control of the Iraqi-Syrian border.