But it became clear to us that Fallujah had become a sanctuary for insurgents and terrorists, and our mission was to remove them from the city by force. We came to Iraq to rebuild it, to stabilize it and to return it to the people of Iraq to allow them to have democracy and to enjoy some of the blessings and liberty that we’re so privileged to have. Our mission was the ultimate mission for an infantryman. It was not a friendly place to be as we tried to stabilize the country after removing Saddam’s regime. Fallujah is in the heart of Sunni Iraq, so many of these folks were empowered and enriched by the regime of Saddam Hussein. The city was very concentrated it was an old city with narrow streets, two to three story homes built like fortresses with large walls around it and heavy metal gates. Everything that came from Syria and beyond went past Fallujah. Fallujah is a big concentrated city, just under 300,000 people. It is one of the last major cities before Baghdad. Willy Buhl: The importance of Fallujah is that it lies along the supply route from the Syrian-Jordanian border. Willy Buhl, and featured Marine Sergeant and recipient of the Navy Cross Jeremiah Workman, and Army Staff Sergeant and recipient of the Silver Star David Bellavia. On November 10, 2007, just over three years since the launch of Operation Phantom Fury, three of the warriors of Fallujah came together to share their experiences at the American Veterans Center’s 10th Annual Conference. By early fall of 2004, it was clear that U.S. Hopes that local forces could provide security while quelling the insurgency—which at the time was centered in Fallujah—were not realized, and the city fell further into the hands of insurgents and violent jihadists who barricaded themselves in what was essentially a terrorist base. Despite successes on the ground, the offensive was called off before its completion following a request by the Iraqi government. These violent actions prompted the United States to launch Operation Vigilant Resolve, an action intended to capture or kill those insurgent elements responsible for the murder of the American contractors. They were beaten, set on fire, and drug through the streets before their bodies were hung from a bridge crossing the Euphrates River. Information will be added as it becomes available.On March 31, 2004, a group of American contractors working in Iraq were attacked and dragged from their vehicles in Fallujah, a city in the Al Anbar province, located about 43 miles west of Baghdad. Operation Inherent Resolve is still ongoing. By 2019, the footprint of ISIS had all but been eliminated in Iraq and Syria. The cities of Mosul and Tikrit have been liberated, and coalition forces defeated insurgent counterattacks and reclaimed thousands of square kilometers. allies and partners, preserve freedom of navigation, and maintain the free flow of commerce.īy July 2017, CJTF-OIR coalition, Syrian and Iraqi partnered forces made enormous progress against ISIS ambitions. While in the region, ships and strike groups conducted missions to annihilate the Islamic state group as well as reassure U.S. fleet area of operations and provided maritime security and support. Navy ships and assets deployed to the Arabian Gulf in the U.S. By June 2014, the security situation in Syria and Iraq had severely deteriorated with the Iraqi cities of Mosul and Tikrit falling into ISIS hands.ĭuring the operation, U.S. forces departed Iraq on 15 December 2011, ISIS rose to power and claimed to have an Islamic caliphate throughout the region. On 17 October 2014, Combined Joint Task Force – Operation Inherent Resolve was formally established by the Department of Defense in response to ongoing military actions against the rising threat posed by the Islamic State of Iraq and Syria (ISIS).
0 Comments
Leave a Reply. |
AuthorWrite something about yourself. No need to be fancy, just an overview. ArchivesCategories |