Fall of Mosul

Fall of Mosul
Part of the War in Iraq (2013–2017)
A Humvee damaged after an IS attack in Mosul on 14 June 2014
Date 4–10 June 2014 (6 days) Location Mosul, Iraq Result IS victory Continuing IS offensive on multiple targets in Iraq[1] The Islamic State announced the formation of an unrecognized 'Caliphate' with Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi named as the 'Caliph' on 29 June 2014 Territorial changes IS takes over Mosul on June 10.[2][3][4] Iraqi Security Forces abandon Mosul.[1] IS seizes the provincial government headquarters, Mosul International Airport, the local prisons and banks.[1]
Belligerents
Iraq	Islamic State
Commanders and leaders
Mahdi Al-Gharrawi	Muhammad Sa'id Abdal-Rahman al-Mawla[5] Abu Abdulrahman al-Bilawi †
Units involved
2nd Division (Iraq) 3rd Division (Iraq) PMC Awakening Councils Private militias	Military of the Islamic State
Strength
60,000[6] 30,000 soldiers (Two divisions, with security forces outnumbering attackers by more than 15-to-1)[7][8] 30,000 federal police[6] minus unknown number of no-show ghost soldiers, possibly reducing man-power to 20% of its official count.[9]	800–1,500 mujahid[7][10][11]
Casualties and losses
2,500 killed or wounded[12] 4,000 prisoners executed[13] Thousands deserted	At least 105 killed[14]
6,605+ killed overall Around 500,000 civilians displaced from Mosul[15]

The fall of Mosul occurred between 4 and 10 June 2014, when Islamic State (IS) insurgents, initially led by Abu Abdulrahman al-Bilawi, captured Mosul from the Iraqi Army, led by Lieutenant General Mahdi Al-Gharrawi.

On 4 June, the insurgents began their efforts to capture Mosul. The Iraqi army officially had 30,000 soldiers and another 30,000 federal police stationed in the city, facing a 1,500-member attacking force. The Iraqi forces' actual numbers were much lower due to ghost soldiers, severely reducing combat ability.^[9] After six days of combat and massive desertions, Iraqi soldiers received orders to retreat. The city of Mosul, including Mosul International Airport and the helicopters located there, all fell under IS's control. An estimated 500,000 civilians fled from the city.

A former commander of the Iraqi ground forces, Ali Ghaidan, accused former Prime Minister Nuri al-Maliki of being the one who issued the order to withdraw from the city of Mosul.^[16] Mosul would remain under IS control for a few years. Iraqi forces initiated an offensive to retake the city in 2016; the Battle of Mosul ended in its liberation in July the following year.