Key Facts
- Duration of fighting
- Approximately 2.5 months
- Coalition airstrikes
- Over 850 (July 2015–Feb 2016)
- Airstrike contribution
- US credited airstrikes with 80% of recapture
- City destruction estimate
- Up to 90% of city destroyed
- Tamim District clearance
- At least 9 months needed to clear bombs
Strategic Narrative Overview
Iraqi forces, backed by a US-led coalition conducting over 850 airstrikes in the Ramadi area between July 2015 and late February 2016, launched a campaign to retake the city. Fighting was intense and protracted, lasting approximately two and a half months. Coalition air power was credited with playing the dominant role, with the US attributing 80% of the success to airstrikes.
01 / The Origins
ISIL seized Ramadi, the capital of Iraq's Anbar Province, in May 2015 during a rapid offensive that exploited weaknesses in Iraqi security forces. The fall of the city was a major blow to the Iraqi government and its coalition partners, demonstrating ISIL's continued capacity for large-scale offensive operations even as the group faced pressure elsewhere in Iraq and Syria.
03 / The Outcome
By February 2016, Iraqi forces declared Ramadi recaptured. However, the city had sustained catastrophic damage, with estimates suggesting up to 90% destruction — more than any other Iraqi city at that time. ISIL left extensive improvised explosive devices throughout, requiring at least nine months to clear the Tamim District alone, severely delaying civilian return and reconstruction.
Belligerents & Mobilization Analysis
Side A
1 belligerent
Side B
2 belligerents
Kinetic Engagement Axis
Scroll horizontally to view full axis. Events plotted relatively.