2004 Iraq spring fighting

2004 Iraq spring fighting
	Part of the Iraq War
	; US soldiers peer over a rooftop ledge to fix in enemy targets in Fallujah
Date	April 4, 2004 – June 24, 2004
Location	Iraq
Result	Indecisive Major strategic gains by insurgents; U.S. manages to retain control of at least 60% of the country;
Belligerents
Coalition forces:; United States; United Kingdom; Spain; Australia; Poland; New Iraqi Army; Multinational forces in Iraq	Insurgent groups:; Jama'at al-Tawhid wal-Jihad; Islamic Army in Iraq; 1920 Revolution Brigade; Army of Mujahideen; Jamaat Ansar al-Sunna; Ansar al-Islam; Mahdi Army; Other insurgent groups and militias
Commanders and leaders
Gen. John Abizaid; Col. Peter Mansoor	Abu Musab al-Zarqawi (Jama'at al-Tawhid wal-Jihad); Mahdi Al-Sumaidaie; (Islamist leader); Abdullah al-Janabi; (Islamist leader); Omar Hadid; (Islamist commander); Muqtada al-Sadr (Mahdi Army)
Strength
200,000	35,000
Casualties and losses
217 killed; 1 captured; 2,500 wounded; 150 killed; 14,800 deserted; Other coalition forces:; 16 killed; 107 wounded	1,342 killed; 430 captured; (coalition claim)

The 2004 Iraq spring fighting was a series of operational offensives and various major engagements during the Iraq War. It was a turning point in the war; the spring fighting marked the entrance into the conflict of militias and religiously based (Shi'a and Sunni) militant Iraqi groups, such as the Shi'a Mahdi Army.