The largely Sunni population in Anbar was a stronghold for the Iraqi resistance during the US occupation of Iraq ( 2003 – 2011 ) . After the Fallujah killings of April 2003 and the disbandment of the Iraqi army on 25 May 2003 , many Sunni locals turned against the American occupiers . The disbandment put hundreds of thousands of Anbaris out of work as many were members of the Army or the party , and viewed its disbanding as an act of contempt towards the Iraqi people
Fallujah killings of April 2003
Fallujah killings of April 2003
Al-Karmah offensive (2015)