In pictures: The occupation of Iraq

1 of 15 The US-led toppling of Saddam Hussein proceeded with speed that surprised the entire world.

2 of 15 For many Iraqis - especially the long-suffering Kurdish and Shia communities - it was a time for celebration.

3 of 15 After a shaky administrative start, the US sent veteran diplomat Paul Bremer to take over running Iraq in June 2003.

4 of 15 Most of Iraq's former elite went to ground after the war, but US forces hunted down and killed Saddam Hussein's sons Qusay (pictured) and Uday in July.

5 of 15 A terrible setback came in August when insurgents bombed the UN headquarters in Baghdad, killing the top UN diplomat in Iraq and dozens of others.

6 of 15 Ten days later, leading Shia cleric Mohammed Baqr Hakim was among nearly 100 people killed by a car bomb in Najaf.

7 of 15 The Shia majority began to flexing its political muscles during the year, causing the coalition to rethink plans to appoint an unelected transitional government.

8 of 15 The coalition captured Saddam Hussein in December 2003.

9 of 15 Bombers struck Kurdish political offices during the Eid festival in February 2004, killing at least 100 - and a month later attacks on Shias in Najaf and Baghdad left up to 270 dead.

10 of 15 Despite a concerted effort to make a difference in people's lives, US forces have largely failed to win Iraqi hearts and minds.

11 of 15 Anti-coalition fighters have battered the country's infrastructure, particularly hampering efforts to reinstate the oil industry.

12 of 15 Fighting between Iraqis and US troops reached its height during the siege of Falluja in April, leaving hundreds dead.

13 of 15 Iraqis - and much of the world - were furious to find that detainees held by the US were mistreated at the infamous Abu Ghraib prison.

14 of 15 Kidnapping - and killing - foreigners became increasingly common as the spring wore on, with beheadings broadcast on the internet.

15 of 15 The occupation officially ended on 28 June 2004, with day-to-day control being handed to an interim Iraqi government and occupying armies joining a multinational force.