Paul M. Krueger

U.S. troops capture Baghdad; Saddam Hussein’s Ba’athist regime falls two days later.

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ㅤThe Battle of Baghdad was a key military engagement in early April 2003 during the invasion of Iraq. Spearheaded by the U.S. Army’s 3rd Infantry Division, elements of the Coalition Forces Land Component Command successfully captured Baghdad approximately three weeks into the invasion. The battle resulted in the deaths of over 2,000 Iraqi soldiers and 34 coalition troops. Following Baghdad’s fall, Coalition forces moved to secure other key Iraqi cities, including Kirkuk and Tikrit, leading to the United States officially declaring victory against Saddam Hussein’s regime on April 15th.

ㅤThe aftermath of the Battle of Baghdad brought significant devastation to the city. Its civilian infrastructure, economy, and cultural heritage suffered serious damage due to the fighting and subsequent unrest, which included widespread looting and arson. During the invasion, hospitals like Al-Yarmouk in south Baghdad were overwhelmed with a high influx of patients. On April 7th, U.S. troops seized a major presidential palace along the Tigris River, hoping to find regime leaders. Shortly after this, and with media coverage spreading, U.S. forces issued a surrender ultimatum to remaining Iraqi forces in Baghdad, as Iraqi government officials had largely disappeared or conceded defeat.