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List of bombings during the Iraq War

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Bombings were a regular occurrence during the Iraq War. They resulted in tens of thousands of casualties throughout the country, killing and wounding civilians and combatants alike. Many Iraqi insurgents favoured the tactic of suicide bombing, which was used at a particularly unprecedented scale against the American-led Multi-National Force – Iraq (MNF–I).[1] Additionally, during the 2003 invasion of Iraq, the United States and the United Kingdom collectively dropped 29,199 bombs on the country.[2] This article does not list these aerial attacks, and instead concentrates on the smaller number of direct insurgent bombings during the sectarian conflict, when Shia Muslims and Sunni Muslims fought each other on the one hand and the MNF–I on the other hand.

Most of the organized bombings were carried out by Sunni insurgents affiliated with Jama'at al-Tawhid wal Jihad, Al-Qaeda in Iraq, Jama'at Ansar al-Sunna, and the Islamic State of Iraq, among others. The main targets of these bombings were MNF–I troops and private military contractors, as well as local Iraqi collaborators. Upon the outbreak of the Iraqi civil war in 2006, the various Sunni and Shia militant groups fighting in the country had effectively shifted their focus away from the MNF–I and began increasingly targeting Iraqi civilians on the basis of their sectarian affiliation.

Perpetrators

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A 2005 report by Human Rights Watch analyzed the Iraqi insurgency and highlighted: "The groups that are most responsible for the abuse, namely al-Qaeda in Iraq and its allies, Ansar al-Sunna and the Islamic State of Iraq, have all targeted civilians for abductions and executions. The first two groups have repeatedly boasted about massive car bombs and suicide bombs in mosques, markets, bus stations and other civilian areas. Such acts are war crimes and in some cases may constitute crimes against humanity, which are defined as serious crimes committed as part of a widespread or systematic attack against a civilian population."[3]

Analysis

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A 2008 research brief by the RAND Corporation on the subject of counter-insurgency tactics in Iraq between 2003 and 2006[4] depicts a chart that shows that in June and July 2004, Iraqi insurgents began to shift their focus away from attacking coalition forces with roadside bombs and instead began targeting the Iraqi population with suicide bombers and vehicle-borne IEDs. By increasing the number of suicide bombings against civilians and accepting their targeting in retribution, the insurgents sought to expose the weakness of the coalition's and Iraqi government's security and reconstruction apparatus, threaten those who collaborated with the government, generate funds and propaganda, and increasingly enact sectarian revenge. The U.S. failure to adapt to this shift had dramatic consequences. By June 2004, U.S. deaths represented less than 10% of overall deaths on the battlefield and Iraqi deaths represented more than 90%—a figure that remained constant for the next 18 months of the war.

An analysis by Iraq Body Count and co-authors published in 2011 concluded that at least 12,284 civilians were killed in at least 1,003 suicide bombings in Iraq between 2003 and 2010. The study reveals that suicide bombings killed 60 times as many civilians as they did soldiers.[5][6]

Bombings

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This article lists all major bombings of the Iraq War, which took place between 2003 and 2011. For bombings that occurred following the withdrawal of U.S. troops from the country, see: List of bombings during the Iraqi insurgency (2011–2013).

Date City Attack Deaths Perpetrator(s) Source
7 August 2003 Baghdad 2003 Jordanian embassy bombing in Baghdad 17 Unknown [7]
19 August 2003 Baghdad Canal Hotel bombing 23  Jama'at al-Tawhid wal-Jihad [8]
29 August 2003 Najaf Imam Ali Mosque bombing 95 Unknown [9]
27 October 2003 Baghdad 27 October 2003 Baghdad bombings 34 Unknown [10]
12 November 2003 Nasiriyah 2003 Nasiriyah bombing 28  Jama'at al-Tawhid wal-Jihad [11]
27 December 2003 Karbala 2003 Karbala bombings 19  Jama'at al-Tawhid wal-Jihad [12]
1 February 2004 Erbil 2004 Erbil bombings 114 Unknown [13]
2 March 2004 Karbala and Baghdad 2004 Ashura bombings in Iraq 158 Unknown [14]
21 April 2004 Basra 21 April 2004 Basra bombings 74 Unknown [15]
24 June 2004 Mosul 2004 Mosul bombings 62  Jama'at al-Tawhid wal-Jihad [16]
28 July 2004 Baqubah 2004 Baqubah bombing 68 Unknown [17]
26 August 2004 Kufa 2004 Kufa mosque bombing 74 Unknown [18]
14 September 2004 Baghdad 14 September 2004 Baghdad bombing 47 Unknown [19]
30 September 2004 Baghdad 30 September 2004 Baghdad bombing 41  Jama'at al-Tawhid wal-Jihad [20]
19 December 2004 Karbala and Najaf 2004 Karbala and Najaf bombings 66 Unknown [21]
21 December 2004 Mosul 2004 Forward Operating Base Marez bombing 22  Jamaat Ansar al-Sunna [22]
19 January 2005 Baghdad 19 January 2005 Baghdad bombings 26 Unknown [23]
28 February 2005 Hillah 2005 Al Hillah bombing 127 Raed Mansour al-Banna [24]
16 July 2005 Baghdad 2005 Musayyib bombing 100 Unknown [25]
17 August 2005 Musayyib 17 August 2005 Baghdad bombings 43 Unknown [26]
18 November 2005 Khanaqin 2005 Khanaqin bombings 74 Unknown [27]
5 January 2006 Karbala and Ramadi 5 January 2006 Iraq bombings 140 Unknown [28]
22 February 2006 Samarra 2006 al-Askari mosque bombing 0 Unknown [29]
7 April 2006 Baghdad Buratha mosque bombing 85 Unknown [30]
1 July 2006 Baghdad 1 July 2006 Sadr City bombing 77 "The Supporters of the Sunni People" [31]
23 November 2006 Baghdad 23 November 2006 Sadr City bombings 215 Unknown [32]
16 January 2007 Baghdad Mustansiriya University bombings 70 Unknown [33]
22 January 2007 Baghdad 22 January 2007 Baghdad bombings 88 Unknown [34]
3 February 2007 Baghdad 3 February 2007 Baghdad market bombing 135 Unknown [35]
12 February 2007 Baghdad 12 February 2007 Baghdad bombings 76 Unknown [36]
18 February 2007 Baghdad 18 February 2007 Baghdad bombings 63 Unknown [37]
6 March 2007 Hillah 2007 Al Hillah bombings 200 Unknown [38]
27 March 2007 Tal Afar 2007 Tal Afar bombings and massacre 152 Unknown [39]
29 March 2007 Baghdad 29 March 2007 Baghdad bombings 82 Unknown [40]
12 April 2007 Baghdad 2007 Iraqi Parliament bombing 1  Islamic State of Iraq [41]
14 April 2007 Karbala 2007 Karbala mosque bombings 42 Unknown [42]
18 April 2007 Baghdad 18 April 2007 Baghdad bombings 198 Unknown [43]
28 April 2007 Karbala 2007 Karbala mosque bombings 68 Unknown [44]
13 May 2007 Makhmour 2007 Makhmour bombing 50 Unknown [45]
13 June 2007 Samarra 2007 al-Askari mosque bombing 0 Unknown [46]
7 July 2007 Amirli 2007 Amirli bombing 156 Unknown [47]
16 July 2007 Kirkuk 2007 Kirkuk bombings 86 Unknown [48]
26 July 2007 Baghdad 26 July 2007 Baghdad market bombing 92 Unknown [49]
1 August 2007 Baghdad 1 August 2007 Baghdad bombings 74 Unknown [50]
14 August 2007 Til Ezer and Siba Sheikh Khidir Qahtaniyah bombings 796 Unknown [51]
13 December 2007 Amarah 2007 Al Amarah bombings 46 Unknown [52]
1 February 2008 Baghdad 1 February 2008 Baghdad bombings 98 Unknown [53]
10 February 2008 Balad 2008 Balad bombing 25 Unknown [54]
6 March 2008 Baghdad 6 March 2008 Baghdad bombing 68 Unknown [55]
17 March 2008 Karbala 2008 Karbala bombing 42 Unknown [56]
17 June 2008 Baghdad 17 June 2008 Baghdad bombing 51 Unknown [57]
15 July 2008 Baqubah 2008 Baquba bombings 35  Islamic State of Iraq [58]
12 September 2008 Dujail 2008 Dujail bombing 31  Islamic State of Iraq [59]
11 December 2008 Dujail Abdullah restaurant bombing 55 Unknown [60]
8 March 2009 Baghdad 2009 Baghdad police recruitment centre bombing 28 Unknown [61]
6 April 2009 Baghdad 2009 Baghdad bombings 34 Unknown [62]
23 April 2009 Baghdad and Miqdadiyah 23 April 2009 Iraqi suicide attacks 76 Unknown [63]
20 June 2009 Taza Khurmatu 2009 Taza bombing 73 Unknown [64]
24 June 2009 Baghdad June 2009 Baghdad bombing 69 Unknown [65]
30 June 2009 Kirkuk 2009 Kirkuk bombing 40 Unknown [66]
9 July 2009 Tal Afar 2009 Tal Afar bombing 40 Unknown [67]
19 August 2009 Baghdad August 2009 Baghdad bombings 101  Islamic State of Iraq [68]
25 October 2009 Baghdad October 2009 Baghdad bombings 155  Islamic State of Iraq [69]
8 December 2009 Baghdad December 2009 Baghdad bombings 127  Islamic State of Iraq [70]
25 January 2010 Baghdad 25 January 2010 Baghdad bombings 41 Unknown [71]
1 February 2010 Baghdad 1 February 2010 Baghdad bombing 54 Unknown [72]
3 March 2010 Baghdad 2010 Baqubah bombings 33 Unknown [73]
23 April 2010 Baghdad April 2010 Baghdad bombings 85 Unknown [74]
10 May 2010  Iraq 10 May 2010 Iraq attacks 114 Unknown [75]
8 July 2010 Baghdad July 2010 Baghdad attacks 70 Unknown [76]
17 August 2010 Baghdad 17 August 2010 Baghdad bombings 69  Islamic State of Iraq [77]
25 August 2010  Iraq 25 August 2010 Iraq bombings 53  Islamic State of Iraq [78]
19 September 2010 Baghdad 19 September 2010 Baghdad bombings 31  Islamic State of Iraq [79]
31 October 2010 Baghdad 31 October 2010 Baghdad bombings 69  Islamic State of Iraq [80]
2 November 2010 Baghdad 19 September 2010 Baghdad bombings 113  Islamic State of Iraq [81]
18 January 2011 Tikrit January 2011 Iraq suicide attacks 63  Islamic State of Iraq [82]
19 January 2011 Baqubah January 2011 Iraq suicide attacks 12 Unknown [83]
20 January 2011 Karbala January 2011 Iraq suicide attacks 56 Unknown [84]
24 January 2011 Baghdad and Karbala 24 January 2011 Iraq bombings 56 Unknown [85]
27 January 2011 Baghdad 27 January 2011 Baghdad bombing 48 Unknown [86]
12 February 2011 Samarra 2011 Samarra bombing 48 Unknown [87]
29 March 2011 Tikrit 2011 Tikrit assault 65  Islamic State of Iraq [88]
5 May 2011 Hillah 2011 Al Hillah bombing 24  Islamic State of Iraq [89]
21 June 2011 Diwaniyah 2011 Al Diwaniyah bombing 27  Islamic State of Iraq [90]
5 July 2011 Taji 2011 Taji bombings 35 Unknown [91]
15 August 2011  Iraq 15 August 2011 Iraq attacks 64 Unknown [92]
28 August 2011 Baghdad 28 August 2011 Baghdad bombing 32  Islamic State of Iraq [93]
25 September 2011 Karbala 2011 Karbala bombing 25 Unknown [94]
7 October 2011 Baghdad October 2011 Baghdad bombings 7 Unknown [95]
10 October 2011 Baghdad October 2011 Baghdad bombings 10 Unknown [96]
12 October 2011 Baghdad October 2011 Baghdad bombings 29 Unknown [97]
13 October 2011 Baghdad October 2011 Baghdad bombings 18 Unknown [98]
24 November 2011 Basra 2011 Basra bombings 18 Unknown [99]

See also

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References

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  1. ^ Williams, Carol J. (2 June 2005). "Suicide attacks soaring in Iraq". Post-gazette.com. Retrieved 31 January 2009.
  2. ^ Off Target: The Conduct of the War and Civilian Casualties in Iraq, Part II: Conduct of the Air War (Report). Human Rights Watch. December 2003. ISBN 1564322939. Retrieved 1 December 2021.
  3. ^ "Iraq: Insurgent Groups Responsible for War Crimes". Human Rights News. 3 October 2005. Retrieved 29 August 2006.
  4. ^ Pirnie, Bruce R.; O'Connell, Edward (17 January 2008). "Counterinsurgency in Iraq (2003-2006)". Retrieved 27 June 2015.
  5. ^ "Casualties of suicide bombings in Iraq, 2003-2010". iraqbodycount.org. 3 September 2011. Retrieved 20 March 2012.
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