Editing British Army (section)

==== Iraq War ====
{{Main|Iraq War|Operation Telic}}

[[File:1 RRF engage Iraqi Army positions with their 81mm Mortars. Iraq. 26-03-2003 MOD 45142764.jpg|thumb|250px|alt=Two soldiers with a mortar gun—one loading and the other aiming|British soldiers from the [[Royal Regiment of Fusiliers|1st Battalion, Royal Regiment of Fusiliers]] [[Battlegroup (army)|battlegroup]] engage Iraqi positions with an [[81mm mortar]] [[Battle of Basra (2003)|south of Basra]]]]

In 2003, the United Kingdom was a major contributor to the [[2003 invasion of Iraq|invasion of Iraq]], sending a force of over 46,000 military personnel. The British Army controlled southern Iraq, and maintained a peace-keeping presence in [[Basra]].<ref>{{cite news|url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/uk/6977914.stm|title=Timeline: UK troops in Basra|work=BBC News|access-date=9 March 2017|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090403070032/http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/uk/6977914.stm|archive-date=3 April 2009|url-status=live}}</ref> All British troops were withdrawn from Iraq by 30 April 2009, after the Iraqi government refused to extend their mandate.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.rferl.org/content/British_Troops_Leave_Iraq_As_Mandate_Ends/1789785.html |title=British Troops Leave Iraq As Mandate Ends |date=31 July 2009 |publisher=Rferl.org |access-date=22 October 2010 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20101108093957/http://www.rferl.org/content/British_Troops_Leave_Iraq_As_Mandate_Ends/1789785.html |archive-date=8 November 2010 |url-status=live  }}</ref> One hundred and seventy-nine British military personnel died in Iraqi operations.<ref name=":6" /> The [[British Armed Forces]] returned to Iraq in 2014 as part of [[Operation Shader]] to counter the [[Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant|Islamic State]] (ISIL).<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.publications.parliament.uk/pa/cm201617/cmselect/cmdfence/106/106.pdf|title=UK Operations in Syria and Iraq|year=2015|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170318085447/https://www.publications.parliament.uk/pa/cm201617/cmselect/cmdfence/106/106.pdf|archive-date=18 March 2017|url-status=live}}</ref>