Battle of Baqubah

Second Battle of Baqubah Mar-Aug 2007
Part of the Iraq War (Diyala province campaign)
Soldiers assigned to the 5th Battalion, 20th Infantry Regiment, have a short meeting at an airfield in Baqouba, Iraq before an air assault into an outlying village of the city, 18 June 2007.
Date 10 March – 19 August 2007 (5 months, 1 week and 2 days) Location Baqubah, Iraq Result Coalition victory Territorial changes City largely secured by Coalition forces although insurgent presence remained in the city and surrounding areas
Belligerents
United States Iraq	Islamic State of Iraq
Commanders and leaders
COL Stephen Townsend LTC Antonia LTC Smiley LTC Goins	Abu Omar al-Baghdadi Abu Hamza al-Muhajir
Strength
Approximately 700 combat troops and 2,000 support troops between 14 March and 17 June 2007, Approximately 2,000 combat troops and 5,000 support troops between 18 June and 31 August 2007.	Approximately 2,000-3,000
Casualties and losses
22 killed 40 wounded (U.S. Task Force Regulars 14–17 March June 2007); 9 killed, 15 wounded (U.S. Operation Arrowhead Ripper 18–31 June August 2007); 7 security forces killed 15 wounded[1][2][3] 2 militia killed 3 police killed	382+ killed, some 100 detained[4][5][6][7][8][9][10] [10][11][12][13][14][15][16]

The Battle of Baqubah II (March–August 2007) took place during the Iraq War in the capital of the Iraqi province Diyala, to the north-east of Baghdad. It began in early March 2007, when U.S. and Iraqi forces commenced preliminary operations to "establish a presence in Diyala beyond their Forward Operating Base".^[17]

In June 2007 as part of a larger country wide offensive, Operation Arrowhead Ripper was launched to gain control of Baqubah and its surrounding areas from the insurgents.^[18] Baqubah was largely pacified as a result of this operation although insurgent presence still remained in the capital and throughout the province.

In August 2007, Operation Phantom Strike was launched throughout northern Iraq in order to capitalize on the gains made during Operation Phantom Thunder. As part of this offensive, Operation Lightning Hammer was launched to the northeast of Baqubah.^[17]