WATCH: Anger and tears as Iraqis give their verdicts on Tony Blair

The release of the Chilcot report on Wednesday has reignited calls for Tony Blair to face charges over allegedly misleading the country over the case for war and for the conduct of British forces during the occupation.

Millions of words have been written and said about the war from the perspective of the UK, but what do Iraqis feel about Tony Blair and the war in the run-up to the report's release?

Middle East Eye travelled to southern Iraq to speak to Iraqis in the holy cities of Najaf and Karbala and find out their views on Blair 13 years after the invasion.

Many initially welcomed the overthrow of Saddam Hussein, who had ruled the country with an iron fist for decades. 

The Shia of Iraq, who make up the majority of the population, faced particular repression under Saddam’s rule and his removal led to an explosion in Shia political and religious consciousness.

'Occupier not liberator'

Al-Jaafari said Iraqis wanted to be freed from Saddam Hussein, but “those who came to Iraq are not competent to govern Iraq.”

Others complained that electricity and water were still not working years after the war and the health and living standards of Iraqis had suffered due to the invasion.

Farhan added: “He [Blair] came as an occupier not a liberator.

"The infrastructure was destroyed."