Timeline of the Iraq War Inquiry

Seven years after its inception, the Chilcot Inquiry in to the Iraq War is due to be published. Credit: PA

March 2003 - Beginning of the invasion of Iraq

American and British forces, along with Australian and Polish troops launch an invasion of Iraq with the supposed aim of toppling Saddam Hussein, overthrowing his regime and seizing weapons of mass destruction.

April 2003 - Fall of Baghdad

The fall of a Saddam Hussein statue in Al-Fardoss square in Baghdad. Credit: PA

Three weeks into the invasion, US-led coalition forces move into Iraq's capital city and overpower the Republican Guard. This moment was seen as the pivotal marker of the defeat of Saddam Hussein's regime, typified by civilians taking to the streets and toppling his statue.

US President George Bush declares an 'end of major combat operations' the following month.

December 2003 - Capture of Saddam Hussein

Undated handout image of former Iraqi leader Saddam Hussein following his capture by soldiers. Credit: PA

Following months of hiding after the toppling of his regime, former Iraqi leader Saddam Hussein was found and captured on a farm near Tikrit in Operation Red Dawn. He was put on trial, and in 2006 found guilty of crimes against humanity and sentenced to death by hanging.

2003 - 2011 - Fighting Insurgency

British soldiers being extracted by a Merlin helicopter on Leaf Island, Basra province, after an operation to hunt out insurgents. Credit: PA

The war did not come to the quick conclusion which many of the generals and leaders of the coalition forces had hoped for. As searches for weapons of mass destruction proved fruitless, an insurgency against the occupying forces sprung up, dampening efforts to establish a democratic system of governance in Iraq. The country was split into four zones of occupation. With the Americans taking northern and central areas of the country, and Polish and British forces overseeing the south.

UK forces finally formally withdrew in 2009, with US troops ending operations in 2011.

June 2009 - Announcement of an inquiry into the Iraq War

Former Prime Minister Gordon Brown announced the setting up of the Chilcot Inquiry in 2009. Credit: PA

As the insurgency drags on, Prime Minister Gordon Brown announces an inquiry will be set up to "learn the lessons" of the Iraq conflict, to be led by former civil servant Sir John Chilcot.

He initially old MPs it should be held in private, but within days and under pressure from the opposition and ex-government officials, he says it will be up to Chilcot to decide how to proceed.

November 2009 - Chilcot begins public hearings at the Iraq Inquiry

Sir John Chilcot (centre), chairman of the Iraq Inquiry, arriving with Baroness Usha Prashar and Roderic Lyne to outline the terms of reference for the inquiry. Credit: PA

Launching the inquiry, Sir John says he intends to hold as many hearings as possible in public.He and his team begin to wade through thousands of government documents relating to the war. In September, the inquiry team meet relatives of some of the 179 service personnel killed in Iraq between as well as retired and serving members of the armed forces.

In November the inquiry is opened to the public and begins to hear evidence from senior officials.

January 2010 - Tony Blair gives evidence

Tony Blair arrives at the QEII Conference centre in London to give his evidence in the Chilcot Iraq Inquiry. Credit: PA

Tony Blair gives evidence to the inquiry as the man ultimately responsible for the UK's involvement in the war. He expresses "deep and profound regret" about the loss of life suffered by UK personnel and Iraqi citizens during and after the 2003 war. He addresses questions about the war's legality, admitting Former Attorney General Lord Goldsmith could have been more closely involved in decision making but his final determination was that war was lawful.

The inquiry also hears from senior figures within the Blair Government including Gordon Brown, John Prescott, Jack Straw and Alistair Campbell.

They also hear from other senior officials who deeply criticised the war and its legitimacy, including former UN Weapons Inspector Hans Blix who said it was his "firm view" that the Iraq war was illegal. Dr Blix said the UK had sought to go down the "UN route" to deal with Saddam Hussein but failed.

February 2011 - Final public hearing

Sir John Chilcot, chairman of the Iraq inquiry, as a Tory former foreign minister has warned that there will be uproar if the Government fails to publish the long-awaited inquiry. Credit: PA

Bringing an end to the public part of the inquiry, Sir John Chilcot said he would not set an "artificial deadline" for publishing its final report while indicating it would take "some months".

July 2012 - Publication is delayed again

A small protest is held outside the Houses of Parliament against the length of time Chilcot report. Credit: PA

The inquiry announces a further delay to the publication of its report. In a letter to the prime minister, Sir John Chilcot says he will not report before the middle of 2013 at the earliest - a decade after the war.

November 2013 - Delays continue awaiting publication of transcripts between George Bush and Tony Blair

The inquiry awaited transcripts between Tony Blair and George Bush in the build up to the invasion. Credit: PA

With still no firm date of publication throughout 2013, the inquiry says it cannot proceed with the next phase of its work because key information, including correspondence between Tony Blair and George W Bush, is still yet to be released. Sir John Chilcot said it had not yet agreed with the government over their publication.

January 2015 - Publication delayed until after the General Election.

David Cameron criticises further delays in the Chilcot Inquiry, as it drags on into 2015. Credit: PA

Despite the vast majority of evidence having been examined by Sir John Chilcot and those working on the inquiry, an announcement is made that the report will not be published until after the election. Prime Minister David Cameron says he would have liked the report to have been published already and criticises the previous government for not establishing it earlier.

Deputy Prime Minister Nick Clegg says the public would find the latest development "incomprehensible".

Mr Chilcott appears before the Foreign Affairs Select Committee the following month saying the primary delay in the report's publication was giving those criticised appropriate time to respond.

October 2015 - Chilcot predicts publication by 'mid 2016'

Further protests take place against delays in the publication of the report. Credit: PA

Sir John Chilcot says, in a letter written to Prime Minister David Cameron, that he expects to finish the report by April 2016. He says that allowing for National Security checking the PM should be in a position to publish the report in "June or July 2016".

A date of the 6th of July is set after the announcement of the EU referendum was to take place on the 23rd of June.

July 6th 2016 - Final publication date for the Chilcot Report

Seven years after its inception, the Chilcot report is finally ready to be published. Credit: PA

Seven years after the announcement of the inquiry and thirteen years after the invasion of Iraq, the report is due to finally be published today.

Reg Keys from Birmingham was a leading campaigner for the inquiry and against constant delays in its publication.

Mr Keys lost his son, Lance Corporal Tom Keys, during the Iraq war, he was one of six Red Caps killed by an Iraqi mob in June 2003. Mr Keys has continually called the delays 'disgraceful' and "an insult to the families of servicemen killed and veterans who served in the conflict".