2004 Iraq spring fighting

This article needs additional citations for verification. Please help improve this article by adding citations to reliable sources. Unsourced material may be challenged and removed. Find sources: "2004 Iraq spring fighting" – news · newspapers · books · scholar · JSTOR (May 2008) (Learn how and when to remove this message)

2004 Iraq spring fighting
Part of the Iraq War
US soldiers peer over a rooftop ledge to fix in enemy targets in Fallujah
Date April 4, 2004 – June 24, 2004 Location Iraq Result Indecisive Major strategic gains by insurgents U.S. manages to retain control of at least 60% of the country
Belligerents
Coalition Forces: United States United Kingdom Spain Australia Poland New Iraqi Army Multinational forces in Iraq	Insurgent groups: Ba'ath Party loyalists Jama'at al-Tawhid wal-Jihad Islamic Army in Iraq 1920 Revolution Brigade Army of Mujahideen Jamaat Ansar al-Sunna Ansar al-Islam Mahdi Army Other insurgent groups and militias
Commanders and leaders
Gen. John Abizaid Col. Peter Mansoor	Abu Musab al-Zarqawi (Jama'at al-Tawhid wal-Jihad) Mahdi Al-Sumaidaie (Islamist leader) Abdullah al-Janabi (Islamist leader) Omar Hadid (Islamist commander) Muqtada al-Sadr (Mahdi Army)
Strength
200,000	35,000
Casualties and losses
217 killed 1 captured 2,500 wounded 150 killed; 14,800 deserted Other coalition forces: 16 killed 107 wounded[1][2][3][4][5]	1,342 killed 430 captured (coalition claim)

The 2004 Iraq spring fighting was a series of operational offensives and various major engagements during the Iraq War. It was a turning point in the war; the Spring Fighting marked the entrance into the conflict of militias and religiously based (Shi'a and Sunni) militant Iraqi groups, such as the Shi'a Mahdi Army.