On March 20, 2003, the invasion of Iraq was launched by a multinational force led by the United States and Great Britain. Now, exactly 20 years later, the extensive consequences of the war are still being felt.
"The consequences of the US-led invasion would be much bloodier than those who planned it could have imagined," says SVT's foreign affairs reporter Stina Blomgren.
The invasion was motivated by the fact that Iraq would have, and provide terrorists with, weapons of mass destruction – something that in retrospect could not be demonstrated. It also sparked tensions between Sunni and Shia Muslims, leading to a bloody civil war and giving a foothold to international terrorism.
"For the extremist group such as al-Qaeda, the war created new opportunities to grow. At the same time, more and more foreign extremists came here to Iraq, says Stina Blomgren.
Watch the main consequences of the Iraq war in the video.