2000s

2001 Battle Date Combatant 1 Combatant 2 OutcomeTearce attack22 JanuaryMacedoniaNational Liberation Army (Macedonia)NLA victory, start of the 2001 insurgency in MacedoniaAmbush near Tanuševci4 MarchMacedoniaNational Liberation Army (Macedonia)NLA victoryBattle of Tetovo16 March – 13 AugustMacedoniaNational Liberation Army (Macedonia)Ohrid AgreementOperation MH25–27 MarchMacedoniaNational Liberation Army (Macedonia)Macedonian victoryOperation MH-128–29 MarchMacedoniaNational Liberation Army (Macedonia)Macedonian victory2001 Bangladesh–India border clashes16–20 AprilBangladeshIndiaStatus quo ante bellumFirst Vaksince offensive3 MayMacedoniaNational Liberation Army (Macedonia)Macedonian failureBattle of Slupčane2 May – 11 JuneMacedoniaNational Liberation Army (Macedonia)NLA victoryOperation MH-28 MayMacedoniaNational Liberation Army (Macedonia)InconclusiveBattle of Oraovica13–14 MaySerbia and MontenegroLiberation Army of Preševo, Medveđa and BujanovacSerbian victoryLisec ambush22 MayMacedoniaNational Liberation Army (Macedonia)NLA victoryBattle of Matejče24 May – 5 JuneMacedoniaNational Liberation ArmyNLA victoryOperation Vaksince25 MayMacedoniaNational Liberation ArmyDecisive Macedonian victoryAračinovo crisis12–25 JuneMacedoniaNational Liberation ArmyInconclusiveBattle of Raduša20 June – 13 AugustMacedoniaNational Liberation Army (Macedonia)Ohrid AgreementAlkhan-Kala operation22–28 JuneRussiaChechen Republic of IchkeriaRussian victoryBattle of Vedeno13–26 AugustRussiaChechen insurgentsChechen victoryBattle of Kheli Hama24 SeptemberPatriotic Union of KurdistanAnsar al-IslamInitial Ansar al-Islam victory, later PUK victoryOperation Crescent Wind7 October – 17 DecemberUnited States United KingdomTalibanAmerican and British victoryOperation Rhino19–20 OctoberUnited StatesTalibanAmerican victoryBattle of Mazar-e-Sharif9–10 NovemberUnited States Northern AllianceTaliban al-Qaeda IMU TNSM ETIMAmerican and Northern Alliance victorySiege of Kunduz11–25 NovemberUnited States Northern AllianceTaliban al-Qaeda IMUAmerican and Northern Alliance victoryBattle of Herat12 NovemberUnited States Iran Northern AllianceTalibanAmerican, Iranian and Northern Alliance victoryBattle of Kabul12–13 NovemberUnited States Northern AllianceTalibanAmerican and Northern Alliance victoryBattle of Tarin Kowt13–14 NovemberUnited States Eastern AllianceTalibanAmerican and Eastern Alliance victoryOperation Trent?–? (mid to late November)United States United KingdomTaliban al-QaedaAmerican and British victoryBattle of Kandahar22 November – 9 DecemberUnited States Australia Local Pashtun militia Eastern AllianceTalibanAmerican victoryBattle of Qala-i-Jangi25 November – 1 DecemberUnited States United Kingdom Northern AllianceTaliban al-Qaeda IMU ETIMAmerican, British and Northern Alliance victoryBattle of Tora Bora30 November – 17 DecemberUnited States-led coalition Northern Allianceal-Qaeda ETIM TalibanInconclusiveBattle of Shawali Kowt3 DecemberUnited States Eastern AllianceTalibanAmerican and Eastern Alliance victoryBattle of Sayyd Alma Kalay4 DecemberUnited States Eastern AllianceTalibanAmerican and Eastern Alliance victory2001–2002 India–Pakistan standoff13 December 2001 – 10 June 2002PakistanIndiaStatus quo ante bellum, nuclear war avertedBattle of Amami-Ōshima22 DecemberJapanNorth KoreaJapanese victoryTsotsin-Yurt operation30 December 2001 – 3 January 2002RussiaChechen insurgentsStalemate

2002 Battle Date DescriptionOperation Anaconda 1–19 March The largest land battle between US forces and Taliban militia ends in an unsuccessful US attempt to dislodge the Taliban from their mountain strongholdsBattle of Takur Ghar4-5 Marchcoalition victoryOperation Defensive Shield 29 March – 3 May Israeli operation in the West Bank, aimed to halt Palestinian suicide bombings against civilians in Israel during the Second Intifada, which results in extensive damage to terrorist infrastructure and an important decrease of Palestinian attacks:Battle of Bethlehem 2 April – 10 May Israel occupies Bethlehem and tries to capture wanted Palestinian militants who are hiding in the Church of the Nativity.Battle of Jenin 3–11 April Israel defeats Palestinian militants in the city of Jenin.Battle of Nablus 5–8 April Israel defeats Palestinian militants in the city of Nablus.2002 Grozny OMON ambush18 AprilChechen insurgents attack Russian-backed Chechens.Second Battle of Yeonpyeong 29 June A naval confrontation between South Korea and North KoreaBattle of Galashki23-25 SeptemberChechen rebels raid a village in Ingushetia, starting a firefight with Russian troops. They then flee back to Chechnya.2002 Hebron ambush15 November 2002Palestinian Islamic Jihad ambush and kill IDF soldiers

2003 Battle Date DescriptionOperation Mongoose27 January-10 FebruaryAmerican and ISAF forces launch a cave-clearing operation, leading to multiple battles in the Adi Ghar mountains.2003 Lejay firefight10 FebruaryTaliban forces ambush American soldiers.Battle of Al Faw 20–24 March One of the first battles of the Iraq WarBattle of Umm Qasr 21–25 March One of the first battles of the Iraq WarBattle of Basra 21 March-6 April British forces manage to secure Basra after a month of some of the fiercest fighting since the outbreak of the war.Battle of Nasiriyah 23–29 March American armored and mechanized units force a crossing over the Euphrates River, despite stiff resistance from the Iraqis.2003 attack on Karbala24 MarchAmericans attempt to destroy the Medina division, but fail.Operation Northern Delay26 MarchAmerican paratroopers land in northern Iraq.Battle of Najaf 26 March – 3 April The American 327th Infantry Regiment defeats the Iraqis and takes Najaf, allowing them to protect vital supply lines for Coalition forces.Battle of Karbala 27 & 28 March The American 3rd Infantry Division defeats Iraq's elite Republican Guard, resulting in 200 Iraqi casualties.Operation Viking Hammer28-30 MarchAmerican and Kurdish forces defeat the Islamic Emirate of Byara.Battle of Samawah30 March-4 AprilAmerican forces capture Samawah.Battle of Hillah31 March-2 AprilAmerican forces capture Hillah, and destroy the 2nd Al Medina Armored Division in the process.Battle of Haditha Dam1-10 AprilAmerican forces capture Haditha Dam, a key electrical hub for Iraq.Battle of the Karbala Gap (2003)2-4 AprilAmerican forces capture the outskirts of Karbala leading to Baghdad.Battle of Al Kut3-4 AprilAmericans storm Al-Kut, capturing the city.Battle of Baghdad 3–12 April American forces capture Baghdad from Saddam Hussein's forces, causing the downfall of his government.Wamena incident 4 April Indonesian army raided Free Papua Movement members, causing a battle. The aftermath led to the death of 50 civilians by the Indonesian Army.Battle of Debecka Pass 6 April The US forces capture a major crossroad near the village of Debecka in Iraq.Battle of Baghdad International Airport11 AprilAmerican forces capture the airport from Muqtada al-Sadr's Mahdi army.2003–2004 Indonesian offensive in Aceh19 May 2003 – 13 May 2004Indonesian forces severely defeat the Free Aceh Movement. Combined with the 2004 Indian Ocean earthquake and tsunami which devastated the region, the offensive brought the insurgency in Aceh to an end.Battle of Majar al-Kabir24 JuneAfter a misunderstanding regarding patrolling through the town of Majar al-Kabir, British forces use rubber bullets in a crowd control measure, which escalates and are attacked by Iraqi civilians.Siege of Monrovia18 July-14 AugustLURD rebels shell the city until Charles Taylor resigns.Sétif offensiveSeptemberAlgerian forces launch an offensive against the remaining Armed Islamic Group of Algeria militantsBattle of Bhalubang13 OctoberNepalese government forces defeat Maoists.Ramadan Offensive26 October-24 NovemberBeginning of the Iraqi insurgency.Operation All Clear15 December 2003 – 3 January 2004The Bhutanese army launches an offensive against Assamese separatists from India.

2004 Battle Date DescriptionBattle of Wana 16–23 March Part of the Waziristan War, Pakistani army takes over Taliban positions.Defense of the Karbala City Hall3-6 AprilPolish and Bulgarian forces defeat Mahdist insurgents attempting to capture the Karbala city hall.First Battle of Fallujah 4 April – 1 May Also called Operation Vigilant Resolve; US forces attempt to retake Fallujah from the control of Iraqi insurgency, resulting a ceasefire and American withdrawal.Siege of Sadr City4 April 2004 – 11 May 2008American forces blockade the Shi'a district of Baghdad for four years. The end of the siege marked the end of the Iraqi Civil War.Battle of Ramadi6-10 AprilAround the same time as the battle in Fallujah, Iraqi insurgents attempt to pin down American troops in Ramadi, but fail.2004 Iraq KBR convoy ambush9 AprilIraqi insurgents attack and execute American soldiers.Battle of Husaybah17 AprilIraqi insurgents launch a surprise offensive on American soldiers in Husaybah, but fail to capture the city.Battle of Danny Boy14 MayBritish forces defeat a Mahdist ambush at Checkpoint Danny Boy near al-Amara.Operation Rainbow 18–23 May Successful Israeli military operation against Hamas, Islamic Jihad and the PCR.2004 Nazran raid 21 – 22 June Chechen and Ingush separatists capture a lot of weapons.First Battle of Avtury12-13 JulyChechen militants attack a city, and then disperse after some fighting.Battle of Najaf5-27 AugustAmerican forces retreat from Najaf, much of the city's historic sites are damaged.Battle of the CIMIC House5-28 AugustMahdist forces under Muqtada al-Sadr lay siege to a British checkpoint in al-Amarah.2004 raid on Grozny21-22 AugustChechen militants fail to attack Russian forces.Operation Days of Penitence 30 September – 16 October Israeli offensive launched into the northern Gaza Strip. Israel claims victory after stating its goal of preventing Palestinian militants from firing Qassam rockets into Israeli settlements in Gaza and at the town of Sderot.Battle of Samarra1-3 OctoberAmerican forces capture Samarra.2004 French–Ivorian clashes6-9 NovemberThe Ivorian Army attacks French forces during a peacekeeping mission. In return, France nearly destroys the Ivorian Air Force and massive anti-French uprisings occur.Second Battle of Fallujah 7 November – 23 December Also known as Operation Phantom Fury and Operation al-Fajr; Coalition forces recapture rebel-held Fallujah in the largest post-invasion clash so far in the war.Battle of Mosul8-16 NovemberAmerican-Kurdish forces defeat an attempt by Islamist rebels to capture Mosul.

2005