Iraqi insurgency (2011–2013)

Quick Facts: Who was Iraqi insurgency (2011–2013)?

Subject:

Iraqi insurgency (2011–2013)

Known for:

Sectarian violence and insurgency in Iraq following the US withdrawal (2011-2013).

Verified Source:

2Day Chrono-Wiki & Primary Historical Archives

Origins & Early Life

The Iraqi insurgency was an insurgency that began in late 2011 after the end of the Iraq War and the withdrawal of U.S. troops from Iraq, resulting in violent conflict with the central government, as well as low-level sectarian violence among Iraq's religious groups. The insurgency was a direct continuation of events following the U.S.-led invasion of Iraq in 2003. Sunni militant groups stepped up attacks targeting the country's majority Shia population to undermine confidence in the Shia-led government and its efforts to protect people without coalition assistance. Many Sunni factions stood against the Syrian government, which Shia groups moved to support, and numerous members of both sects also crossed the border to fight in Syria. In 2014, the insurgency escalated dramatically following the conquest of Mosul and major areas in northern Iraq by the Islamic State in Iraq and Syria (ISIS), a Salafi jihadist militant group and unrecognised proto-state that follows a fundamentalist, Qutbi-Wahhabi doctrine of Sunni Islam.

Career & Major Achievements

ISIL gained global prominence in early 2014 when it drove Iraqi government forces out of key cities in its Western Iraq offensive, followed by its capture of Mosul and the Sinjar massacre, thereby merging the new conflict with the Syrian Civil War, into a new, far deadlier conflict. The Iraq War was a protracted armed conflict that began with the U.S.-led invasion of Iraq in 2003, which toppled the government of Saddam Hussein. However, the war continued for much of the next decade as an insurgency emerged to oppose the occupying forces and the post-invasion Iraqi government. The United States officially withdrew its troops from Iraq in 2011, but the insurgency and various dimensions of the civil armed conflict continued. The invasion began in 2003 when the United States, joined by the United Kingdom and several coalition allies, launched a "shock and awe" surprise attack without declaring war.

Enduring Legacy & Impact

Iraqi forces were quickly overwhelmed as U.S. forces swept throughout the country. The invasion led to the collapse of the Ba'athist government; Saddam was captured, and he was executed by a military court three years later. However, the power vacuum following Saddam's fall, the mismanagement of the occupation and the sectarian policies of various militias led to a lengthy insurgency against U.S., coalition forces and Iraqi government forces as well as widespread sectarian violence between Shias and Sunnis. The United States responded with a troop surge in 2007; the heavy American security presence and deals made between the occupying forces and Sunni militias reduced the level of violence. The U.S. began withdrawing its troops in the winter of 2007–2008.

Chronological Milestones & Life Events

1. 2003: 2003 Milestone — -led invasion of Iraq in 2003, which toppled the government of Saddam Hussein.
2. 2007: 2007 Milestone — The United States responded with a troop surge in 2007; the heavy American security presence and deals made between the occupying forces and Sunni militias reduced the level of violence.
3. 2011: 2011 Milestone — The Iraqi insurgency was an insurgency that began in late 2011 after the end of the Iraq War and the withdrawal of U.
4. 2014: 2014 Milestone — In 2014, the insurgency escalated dramatically following the conquest of Mosul and major areas in northern Iraq by the Islamic State in Iraq and Syria (ISIS), a Salafi jihadist militant group and unrecognised proto-state that follows a fundamentalist, Qutbi-Wahhabi doctrine of Sunni Islam.

Historical Fact-Check Quiz: Iraqi insurgency (2011–2013)

True or False: “The primary cause of the Iraqi insurgency was solely the initial 2003 US invasion and occupation.”

Answer (FALSE ❌): While the invasion was a catalyst, the insurgency was sustained by post-invasion power vacuums, mismanagement, and sectarian policies enacted by subsequent governments.

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