Editing Basra (section)

===Post-Saddam period: 2003–present===
{{Main|Battle of Basra (2003)|Battle of Basra (2008)}}

In March through to May 2003, the outskirts of Basra were the scene of some of the heaviest fighting in the beginning of the [[Iraq War]] in 2003.<ref name=":2">{{Cite web |title=Basra |url=https://kids.britannica.com/students/article/Basra/317092 |access-date=2024-09-29 |website=Britannica Kids |language=en-US}}</ref> The British forces, led by the [[British 7th Armoured Brigade|7th Armoured Brigade]], captured the city on 6 April 2003.<ref name=":2" /> This city was the first stop for the United States and the United Kingdom during the [[2003 invasion of Iraq|invasion of Iraq]].<ref name=":2" />

On 21 April 2004, a [[21 April 2004 Basra bombings|series of bomb blasts]] ripped through the city, killing 74 people.<ref name=":2" /> The [[Multi-National Division (South-East) (Iraq)|Multi-National Division (South-East)]], under British command, was engaged in [[foreign internal defense]] missions in [[Basra Governorate]] and surrounding areas during this time.<ref name=":2" /> Political groups centered in Basra were reported to have close links with political parties already in power in the [[government of Iraq|Iraqi government]], despite opposition from Iraqi [[Sunni]]s and the [[Kurds]].<ref name=":2" /> January 2005 elections saw several radical politicians gain office, supported by religious parties.<ref name=":2" /> American journalist [[Steven Vincent]], who had been researching and reporting on corruption and militia activity in the city, was kidnapped and killed on 2 August 2005.<ref>{{cite web |title=Steven Vincent |url=https://cpj.org/killed/2005/steven-vincent.php |publisher=Committee to Protect Journalists |date=2005}}</ref>

On 19 September 2005, two [[Undercover operation|undercover]] British [[Special Air Service]] (SAS) soldiers were stopped by the [[Iraqi Police]] at a [[roadblock]] in Basra.<ref name=":2" /> The two soldiers were part of an SAS operation investigating allegations of [[Iraqi insurgency (2003–2011)|insurgent]] infiltration into the Iraqi Police.<ref name=":2" /> When the police attempted to pull the soldiers out of their car, they opened fire on the officers, killing two.<ref name=":2" /> The SAS soldiers attempted to escape before being beaten and arrested by the police, who took them to the Al Jameat Police Station.<ref name=":2" /> British forces subsequently identified the location of the two soldiers and [[Basra prison incident|carried out a rescue mission]], storming the police station and transporting them to a safe location.<ref name=":2" /> A civilian crowd gathered around the rescue force during the incident and attacked it; three British soldiers were injured and two members of the crowd were purportedly killed.<ref name=":2" /> The British [[Ministry of Defence (United Kingdom)|Ministry of Defence]] initially denied carrying out the operation, which was criticised by Iraqi officials, before subsequently admitting it and claiming the two soldiers would have been executed if they were not rescued.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/4262336.stm |title=UK soldiers 'freed from militia' |date=20 September 2005 |publisher=BBC |access-date=17 March 2012}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=/c/a/2005/09/20/MNGS5EQNGN1.DTL |title=British smash jail walls to free 2 arrested soldiers |date=20 September 2005 |work=San Francisco Chronicle |access-date=17 March 2012}}</ref>

The British transferred control of Basra province to the Iraqi authorities in 2007, four-and-a-half years after the invasion.<ref>{{cite news |url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/world/middle_east/7146507.stm |title=UK troops return Basra to Iraqis |date=16 December 2007 |publisher=BBC News |access-date=1 January 2010}}</ref> A BBC survey of local residents found that 86% thought the presence of British forces since 2003 had had an overall negative effect on the province.<ref>{{cite news |url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/world/middle_east/7144437.stm |title=Basra residents blame UK troops |date=14 December 2007 |publisher=BBC News |access-date=1 January 2010}}</ref> Major-General Abdul Jalil Khalaf was appointed Police Chief by the central government with the task of taking on the militias.<ref name=":2" /> He was outspoken against the targeting of women by the militias.<ref>{{cite news |url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/middle_east/7095209.stm |title=Basra militants targeting women |publisher=BBC News |date=15 November 2007 |access-date=1 January 2010}}</ref> Talking to the BBC, he said that his determination to tackle the militia had led to almost daily assassination attempts.<ref>{{cite news |url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/programmes/panorama/7148670.stm |title=Basra: The Legacy |publisher=BBC News |date=17 December 2007 |access-date=1 January 2010}}</ref> This was taken as sign that he was serious in opposing the militias.<ref>{{cite news |url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/world/middle_east/7145597.stm |title=Uncertainty follows Basra exit |publisher=BBC News |date=15 December 2007 |access-date=1 January 2010}}</ref>

{{anchor|2008}}
In March 2008, the Iraqi Army launched a major offensive, code-named Charge of the White Knights (''Saulat al-Fursan''), aimed at forcing the [[Mahdi Army]] out of Basra.<ref name=":1" /> The assault was planned by General Mohan Furaiji and approved by [[Prime Minister of Iraq|Iraqi Prime Minister]] [[Nouri al-Maliki]].<ref name=":1">{{Cite news |url=https://www.nytimes.com/2008/03/27/world/middleeast/27iraq.html |title=Iraqi Army's Assault on Militias in Basra Stalls |work=The New York Times |date=27 March 2008 |access-date=27 March 2008 |first=James |last=Glanz |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20081211004906/http://www.nytimes.com/2008/03/27/world/middleeast/27iraq.html |archive-date=11 December 2008 |url-status=live}}</ref> In April 2008, following the failure to disarm militant groups, both Major-General Abdul Jalil Khalaf and General Mohan Furaiji were removed from their positions in Basra.<ref>{{cite news |publisher=BBC News |url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/world/middle_east/7350434.stm |title=Basra security leaders removed |date=16 April 2008 |access-date=1 January 2010}}</ref>

Workers in Basra's oil industry have been involved in extensive organization and labour conflict.{{cn|date=September 2024}} They held a two-day strike in August 2003, and formed the nucleus of the independent [[General Union of Oil Employees]] (GUOE) in June 2004. The union held a one-day strike in July 2005, and publicly opposes plans for privatizing the industry.{{cn|date=September 2024}}

Basra was scheduled to host the [[22nd Arabian Gulf Cup]] tournament in [[Basra Sports City]], a newly built multi-use sports complex.<ref name=":2" /> The tournament was shifted to [[Riyadh]], [[Saudi Arabia]], after concerns over preparations and security.<ref name=":2" /> Iraq was also due to host the 2013 tournament, but that was moved to Bahrain.<ref name=":2" /> At least 10 demonstrators died as they [[2015–2018 Iraqi protests#2018 protests|protested]] against the lack of clean drinking water and electrical power in the city during the height of summer in 2018.<ref name=":2" /> Some protesters stormed the Iranian consulate in the city.<ref>{{Cite news |url=https://www.reuters.com/article/us-iraq-protests-idUSKCN1LN1M9 |title=Unrest intensifies in Iraq as Iranian consulate and oil facility stormed |work=Reuters|date=8 September 2018}}</ref> In 2023, the city hosted the long scheduled [[25th Arabian Gulf Cup]] where the Iraqi team won.<ref name=":2" />