Battle of Ramadi (2015–2016)
The Battle of Ramadi was a battle launched by the forces of Iraq to successfully recapture the city of Ramadi from the Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant (ISIL), which had taken the city earlier in 2015 in a previous battle. Air power was a major component of the battle, with the United States and other nations conducting over 850 airstrikes in the Ramadi area from July 2015 to late February 2016, and the US crediting airstrikes with 80% of the reason why the city was recaptured. By February 2016, Iraqi forces successfully recaptured the city after two and a half months of fighting. It was predicted that it would take several months to clear the city of the bombs ISIL left behind, with at least 9 months needed to clear the city's Tamim District. At the time, Ramadi had suffered more damage than any other city or town in Iraq.
| Battle of Ramadi (2015–2016) | |||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Part of the War in Iraq and the Anbar campaign (2015–2016) | |||||||||
Ramadi in 2008 | |||||||||
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| Belligerents | |||||||||
Air support: | Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant | ||||||||
| Commanders and leaders | |||||||||
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Haider al-Abadi Maj. Gen. Fadhil Barwari (ICTS commander) |
Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi (Leader) | ||||||||
| Strength | |||||||||
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10,000 Iraqi soldiers
| 1,100–2,000 | ||||||||
| Casualties and losses | |||||||||
| 150–297+ killed, 1,000+ wounded |
350+ killed (in Dec. 2015 airstrikes; per United States) 600 killed (per a former intelligence adviser) 700+ killed (in ground combat; per "Anbar Tribal Force") 2,000 killed (per alleged ISIL document) | ||||||||
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500,000 civilians displaced 143+ civilians killed | |||||||||
Location within Iraq | |||||||||