Siege of Fallujah (2016)

Siege of Fallujah (2016)
	Part of the War in Iraq and the Anbar campaign (2015–16)
	; The beginning of the Operation Breaking Terrorism in the next phase of the struggle for Fallujah.
Date	2 February 2016 – 22 May 2016; (3 months, 2 weeks and 6 days)
Location	Fallujah and Al-Karmah, Anbar Governorate, Iraq
Result	Fallujah is fully besieged by Iraqi government forces; Iraqi forces capture Al-Karmah; On 22 May 2016, the Iraqi Army and its allies launch an offensive to recapture the city; Iraqi Armed forces recapture Fallujah on 26 June 2016;
Belligerents
Iraq Iraqi security forces Armed Forces; Federal Police; Shi'ite militias; ; Local Sunni tribes; Iran Quds Force; Air support: United States; United Kingdom; France; Australia;	Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant
Commanders and leaders
Haider al-Abadi (Prime Minister of Iraq); Maj. Gen. Fadhil Barwari; (ICTS commander) ; Suhaib al-Rawi (Governor of Anbar); Issa Sayyar Al Isawi (Mayor of Fallujah); Sayeer al-Essawie (Iraqi Major of Fallujah); Qasem Soleimani (Head of the Quds Force)	Abu Waheeb † (Top ISIL commander in Anbar); Hussein Alawi † (ISIL commander in south Fallujah); Ayad Marzouk al-Anbari † (Senior ISIL Fallujah commander)
Units involved
Saraya al-Jihad; ISOF	Military of ISIL Secret Police Force (Al-Hisbah);
Strength
11,000–14,500 fighters 7,000–10,500 Iraqi soldiers; 4,000 Shi'ite militiamen;	4,000 militants
Casualties and losses
180+ Iraqi tribesmen captured, and 10 executed	520+ killed (By 20 May)
	140 civilians dead from starvation; Hundreds of people executed
	90,000 civilians are besieged in Fallujah (April 2016 estimate)

The siege of Fallujah was an offensive launched in February 2016 by the Iraqi government against the Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant (ISIL) in al-Karmah and in the city of Fallujah, with the aim of enforcing a siege of the latter. During the early stages of the operation, local Sunni residents revolted against ISIL for a period of three days. On 22 May, after completing preparations around the city, the Iraqi Army and supporting Shi'ite militias launched the third Battle of Fallujah.