The Battle of Baghdad ended Saddam Hussein's regime and marked the effective conclusion of the 2003 invasion of Iraq.
Key Facts
- Date
- Early April 2003
- Iraqi soldiers killed
- Over 2,000
- Coalition troops killed
- 34
- Victory declared
- April 15, 2003
- Mission Accomplished speech
- May 1, 2003
By the Numbers
Location
Cause → Event → Consequence
Three weeks into the 2003 invasion of Iraq, Coalition Forces Land Component Command advanced on Baghdad as part of a broader military campaign to remove Saddam Hussein's government. The U.S. Army's 3rd Infantry Division spearheaded the assault on the Iraqi capital.
Coalition forces, led by the U.S. Army 3rd Infantry Division, engaged Iraqi defenders in Baghdad in early April 2003. The battle resulted in over 2,000 Iraqi soldiers and 34 coalition troops killed, ending with the capture of the city and the collapse of Saddam Hussein's regime.
Following Baghdad's fall, coalition forces took Kirkuk on April 10 and Tikrit on April 15, 2003. The United States declared victory on April 15. Baghdad sustained severe damage to civilian infrastructure, its economy, and cultural heritage, compounded by widespread looting and arson in the aftermath.
Belligerents & Mobilization Analysis
Side A
1 belligerent
Side B
1 belligerent