This Day in Iraqi History - May 31

1915 British forces set out to capture Amarah from Ottomans

1931 Iraq made first payment of oil revenues to Turkey in return for giving up claims

            to Mosul

1932 Kurdish revolt led by Barzanji put down by RAF

1941 Mayor of Baghdad worked out peace treaty with British surrendering city

1941 Yunis Sabawi pro-Nazi leader appointed himself governor of southern Iraq

            and told Jews to stay in homes

1941 Ger Amb to Iraq told Berlin UK-Iraq armistice signed False rumor British seized

            Mosul airport forced ambassador to flee to Syria

1941 German High Command told German planes heading to and based in Iraq to

            gather in Aleppo until further notice

1967 Jordan invited Iraqi army to deploy troops in its territory for war with Israel

1971 Nixon went to Tehran Shah asked U.S. help to aid Kurds against Baghdad

            leading to covert CIA operation

1981 Iran attacked Iraqi forces in Qasr-e-Shirin and Dehloran in central and northern

            Iran

1992 Bush proposed doubling budget for covert action to overthrow Saddam

2001 1^st of four Deputies Committee of NSC meetings on revising Iraq policy

2003 Badr Brigade claimed it gave up its heavy weapons Wasn’t true

2003 DepDefSec Wolfowitz said that US would find Iraq’s WMD

2003 CIA Dir Tenet said that CIA had not compromised its intelligence on Iraq

2005 Basra police chief said he had no control of 3/4 of his officers who were loyal to

            political parties and militias and were carrying out assassinations

2005 Basra police chief said militias were the real power in the province and they were

            criminals and bad people Said 2 main groups were Badr and Mahdi Army

2006 Maliki declared one month state of emergency in Basra after 100 killed in

            fighting

2007 Islamic Army of Iraq and ISI got into gun battle in Amiriya Baghdad ISI claimed

            it controlled neighborhood US forces called in

2008 US put PKK on sanctions list as a terrorist group

2008 Report only 15% of Sawha integrated into govt as promised

2009 Ex-Trade Min Sudani placed in Samawa prison for trial after arrested trying

            to leave country Charged with corruption

2011 ISI cell arrested that created fake human rights organization as front group

2011 Protests in Ramadi demanding army withdraw from city after police chief

            killed in raid

2012 2^nd day of 4^th auction round for Iraq oil and gas fields Only 2 winning bids

2012 Iraq announced 5^th auction round for Iraqi oil and gas fields would be held

            after disappointing 4^th auction

2012 Ninewa Gov Nujafi claimed almost enough votes in parliament to hold

            no confidence move against Maliki

2013 Fight broke out amongst protesters in Fallujah between those for and against

            Anbar becoming federal region

2014 ISIS kidnapped and killed 8 Naqshibandi members in Baiji who would not

            give it allegiance

2014 Operation started to clear Saqlawiya north of Fallujah in Anbar

2015 Kurdish MP said 1205 Peshmerga killed 6595 wounded fighting IS since

            Jun 2014

2015 Badr head Amiri dismissed PM Abadi’s plans to retake Ramadi Claimed

            only Hashd could free city

2017 ABC News story offered more information on Rapid Reaction unit abuses first

            Reported in Der Spiegel during Mosul campaign

View the Iraq History Timelines