War on terror

September 11, 2001 · The Pentagon

Global military, intelligence and legal campaign launched by the United States after the September 11 attacks against al-Qaeda and other jihadist groups, including the wars in Afghanistan and Iraq.

On the map Overview Contemporaries

Jihadist groups

United States and allies

Other

al-Qaeda

Islamic State

United States

United Kingdom

George W. Bush President of the United States, Declared the war on terror

Osama bin Laden Leader of al-Qaeda, Main target until his death in 2011

Strength and losses

Deaths: c. 4,500,000–4,600,000
Civilian deaths: c. 363,939–387,072

Units

Croatian Army Italian Army Kuwait National Guard Kuwait Naval Force Republic of China Army Republic of Korea Marine Corps Royal Thai Army XI Corps (Pakistan) XII Corps (Pakistan) 4th Marine Division 7th Infantry Division (Pakistan) 9th Infantry Division (Thailand) Capital Mechanized Infantry Division French 6th Light Armoured Division 1st Spahi Regiment 24th Infantry Regiment 2nd Foreign Parachute Regiment 77th Field Artillery Regiment 9th Infantry Regiment (United States) French Foreign Legion Air Parachute Commando No. 10 No. 15 Squadron PAF No. 25 Squadron PAF No. 27 Squadron PAF French Navy Pakistan Navy Royal Thai Navy Kuwait Air Force Royal Thai Air Force Special Service Group Special Service Group (Navy)

Battles and events 16

Operation Active Endeavour October 2001 – November 2016
Operation Enduring Freedom October 7, 2001 – December 28, 2014
- Operation Enduring Freedom – Philippines January 15, 2002 – October 23, 2017
- Operation Enduring Freedom – Horn of Africa October 7, 2002
  - Maersk Alabama hijacking April 8–12, 2009 · All hostages rescued
  - Operation Ocean Shield August 17, 2009 – November 24, 2016
Operation Eagle Assist October 9, 2001 – May 16, 2002
Insurgency in the Maghreb (2002–present) April 11, 2002
- War in the Sahel February 15, 2011
  - Operation Barkhane August 1, 2014 – November 9, 2022 · Failure of French forces in suppressing jihadists
  - Islamist insurgency in Burkina Faso August 23, 2015
Iraq War March 20, 2003 – December 18, 2011
- Anbar campaign (2003–2011) March 20, 2003 – December 7, 2011 · Ceasefire
- 2003 invasion of Iraq March 20 – May 1, 2003 · Coalition victory
  - Operation Viking Hammer March 2003 – March 30, 2003 · PUK Peshmerga-American victory
  - Battle of Al Faw (2003) March 20–24, 2003 · Coalition victory
  - Battle of Umm Qasr March 21–25, 2003 · Coalition victory
  - Battle of Basra (2003) March 21 – April 6, 2003 · Coalition victory
  - Battle of Nasiriyah March 23–29, 2003 · Coalition victory
  - Battle of Karbala (2003) March 23 – April 6, 2003 · U.S. victory
  - Battle of Najaf (2003) March 24 – April 4, 2003 · Coalition victory
  - Operation Northern Delay March 26, 2003 · U.S. victory
  - Battle of Samawah March 30 – April 4, 2003 · United States victory
  - Battle of the Karbala Gap (2003) April 2–4, 2003 · U.S. victory
  - Battle of Debecka Pass April 6–7, 2003 · U.S. and Peshmerga victory
- Battle of Umm Qasr March 21–25, 2003 · Coalition victory
- Battle of Basra (2003) March 21 – April 6, 2003 · Coalition victory
- Battle of Nasiriyah March 23–29, 2003 · Coalition victory
- Battle of Karbala (2003) March 23 – April 6, 2003 · U.S. victory
- Battle of Najaf (2003) March 24 – April 4, 2003 · Coalition victory
- Operation Northern Delay March 26, 2003 · U.S. victory
- Battle of Baghdad (2003) April 3–12, 2003 · Coalition victory
- Iraqi insurgency (2003–2011) May 1, 2003 – December 18, 2011 · Inconclusive
  - Iraqi civil war (2006–2008) February 22, 2006 – May 15, 2008 · Iraqi government and allied victory
- Capture of Saddam Hussein December 13, 2003
- 2004 Fallujah ambush March 31, 2004
- First Battle of Fallujah April 4 – May 1, 2004 · Insurgent victory
- Siege of Sadr City April 4, 2004 – May 11, 2008
- Battle of Ramadi (2004) April 6–10, 2004 · U.S. victory
- Battle of Najaf (2004) August 5–27, 2004 · Coalition Victory
- Battle of Samarra (2004) October 1–3, 2004 · Coalition victory
- Second Battle of Fallujah November 7 – December 23, 2004 · Coalition victory
- Battle of Mosul (2004) November 8–16, 2004 · Coalition victory
- Battle of Haditha August 1–4, 2005 · U.S. victory
- Battle of Tal Afar (2005) September 1–18, 2005 · American-Iraqi tactical victory
- Operation Steel Curtain November 22, 2005 · U.S. victory
- Iraqi civil war (2006–2008) February 22, 2006 – May 15, 2008 · Iraqi government and allied victory
  - Islamic Army–Al-Qaeda conflict 2006 – June 6, 2007 · Ceasefire
- Operation Together Forward June 14 – October 24, 2006 · Insurgent victory *Continued sectarian violence *Coalition Troop Surge in Baghdad
- Battle of Ramadi (2006) June 17 – November 15, 2006 · Coalition victory
- Ramadan Offensive (2006) September 23 – October 22, 2006 · Insurgent victory
- Operation Ancient Babylon December 1, 2006 · Italian Operational Success
- Iraq War troop surge January 10, 2007 – July 2008 · Escalating the Iraq War by increasing US military intervention to deal with Al Qaeda and Iraqi insurgencies.
- Battle of Najaf (2007) January 28–29, 2007 · Iraqi and Coalition victory
- Nisour Square massacre September 16, 2007
- Battle of Basra (2008) March 25–31, 2008
- 2008 Abu Kamal raid October 26, 2008
Iraqi conflict March 20, 2003 – December 9, 2017
- Iraqi insurgency (2017–present) December 9, 2017
  - December 2019 United States airstrikes in Iraq and Syria 2019
Operation Herrick June 20, 2003 – December 12, 2014 · End of Operation Herrick. Start of Operation Toral.
Southern Thailand insurgency January 4 – October 25, 2004
Insurgency in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa March 16, 2004
- Battle of Wana March 16–23, 2004 · Pakistani victory
- Siege of Lal Masjid July 3–11, 2007 · Pakistani Government victory
- Battle of Mirali October 7–10, 2007 · Ceasefire
- First Battle of Swat October 25 – December 8, 2007 · Pakistani victory
- Battle of Bajaur August 7, 2008 – February 28, 2009 · Pakistani victory
- Operation Black Thunderstorm April 26 – June 14, 2009
- Operation Rah-e-Nijat June 19 – December 12, 2009 · Pakistani victory
- Second Battle of Swat July 15, 2009 · Pakistani victory
- Orakzai and Kurram offensive September 2009 · Pakistani victory
- Operation Zarb-e-Azb June 15, 2014
- 2016 Lahore suicide bombing March 27, 2016
- August 2016 Quetta attacks August 8, 2016
- 2023 Peshawar mosque bombing January 30, 2023
- Afghanistan–Pakistan clashes (2024–present) March 16, 2024
  - 2025 Afghanistan–Pakistan conflict October 9, 2025 · Ceasefire
  - 2026 Afghanistan–Pakistan war February 21, 2026
American drone strikes in Pakistan June 18, 2004 – January 24, 2018 · American operational success
War in Somalia (2006–2009) December 20, 2006 – January 30, 2009 · Somali insurgent victory, see Consequences
- Battle of Baidoa December 20–26, 2006 · TFG/Ethiopian Victory
- Battle of Bandiradley December 23–25, 2006 · Ethiopian/Puntland victory
- Battle of Jowhar December 27, 2006 · Ethiopian/TFG victory
- Fall of Mogadishu December 28, 2006
- Fall of Kismayo January 1, 2007 · Ethiopian/TFG victory
- Battle of Ras Kamboni (2007) January 5–12, 2007 · ENDF/TFG and US forces victory
- Battle of Bargal (2007) May 31 – June 3, 2007 · United States/Puntland victory
- Battle of Mogadishu (2008) April 19–20, 2008 · Indecisive
- Siege of Baidoa July 8, 2008 – January 26, 2009 · Al-Shabaab victory; fall of Baidoa
Operation Juniper Shield February 6, 2007
- Tongo Tongo ambush October 4, 2017 · Islamic State victory
2007 Lebanon conflict May 20 – September 7, 2007 · Lebanese victory
War in the Sahel February 15, 2011
- Operation Barkhane August 1, 2014 – November 9, 2022 · Failure of French forces in suppressing jihadists
- Islamist insurgency in Burkina Faso August 23, 2015
  - 2016 Ouagadougou attacks January 15–16, 2016
  - Arbinda attack December 24, 2019 · Burkinabe victory
  - January 2022 Burkina Faso coup d'état January 23–24, 2022
  - September 2022 Burkina Faso coup d'état September 30, 2022
Killing of Osama bin Laden May 2, 2011
United States military buildup in the Caribbean during Operation Southern Spear August 2025
- United States strikes on alleged drug traffickers during Operation Southern Spear September 2, 2025

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2001

Afghan conflict

Afghan Civil War (1996–2001)

War on terror

Also involved 8

Barack Obama President of the United States, Ordered the raid that killed bin Laden · United States and allies
Mohammed Omar participant
Charles Q. Brown Jr. participant · United States and allies
Lloyd Austin participant · United States and allies
Abu Hafs al-Hashimi al-Qurashi participant
Ayman al-Zawahiri participant · Jihadist groups
Abdul Ghani Baradar participant
Baitullah Mehsud participant