Operation Steel Curtain (Arabic: الحجاب الفولاذي Al Hejab Elfulathi) was a

military A military, also known collectively as armed forces, is a heavily armed, highly organized force primarily intended for warfare. It is typically authorized and maintained by a sovereign state, with its members identifiable by their distinct ...

operation executed by coalition forces in early November 2005 to reduce the flow of foreign insurgents crossing the

border Borders are usually defined as geographical boundaries, imposed either by features such as oceans and terrain, or by political entities such as governments, sovereign states, federated states, and other subnational entities. Political borders c ...

and joining the

Iraqi insurgency Iraqi insurgency may refer to: * Iraqi insurgency (2003–2011), part of the Iraq War ** Iraqi insurgency (2003–2006), 2003–2006 phase of the Iraqi insurgency ** Iraqi civil war (2006–2008), multi-sided civil war in Iraq * Iraqi insurgency (20 ...

. The operation was important in that it was the first large scale deployment of the

New Iraqi Army The Iraqi Ground Forces (Arabic: القوات البرية العراقية), or the Iraqi Army (Arabic: الجيش العراقي), is the ground force component of the Iraqi Armed Forces. It was known as the Royal Iraqi Army up until the coup ...

. This offensive was part of the larger

Operation Sayeed Operation Sayeed (Arabic: عملية الصياد) also known as Operation Hunter in English, was a series of operations conducted in western Al Anbar Governorate by the United States Marine Corps in 2005. It was an umbrella operation, consisting ...

(Hunter), designed to prevent al Qaeda in Iraq from operating in the Euphrates River Valley and throughout

Al Anbar Al Anbar Governorate ( ar, محافظة الأنبار; ''muḥāfaẓat al-’Anbār''), or Anbar Province, is the largest governorate in Iraq by area. Encompassing much of the country's western territory, it shares borders with Syria, Jordan, ...

and to establish a permanent Iraqi Army presence in the Al Qa’im region.

Operation

On 5 November,

Marines Marines, or naval infantry, are typically a military force trained to operate in littoral zones in support of naval operations. Historically, tasks undertaken by marines have included helping maintain discipline and order aboard the ship (refle ...

from

3rd Battalion, 6th Marines 3rd Battalion 6th Marines is an infantry battalion in the United States Marine Corps based out of Camp Lejeune, North Carolina. Also known as "Teufelhunden", it consists of approximately 1000 Marines and Sailors. They fall under the 6th Marine ...

2nd Battalion, 1st Marines 2nd Battalion, 1st Marines (2/1) is an infantry battalion in the United States Marine Corps based out of Camp Horno on Marine Corps Base Camp Pendleton, California. Nicknamed "The Professionals," the battalion consists of approximately 1,200 Mar ...

, and a TAP element from HQ 10th Marines, began their assault on insurgent-held

Husaybah Husaybah ( ar, حصيبة) is a city on the Euphrates river in the Al-Qa'im District of Al-Anbar province in Iraq Iraq,; ku, عێراق, translit=Êraq officially the Republic of Iraq, '; ku, کۆماری عێراق, translit=Komarî ...

, and had cleared the city four days later. Then on 10 November the coalition forces began to attack the city of Karabilah and pursue any insurgents who fled Husaybah. After four more days of fighting in Karabilah, the coalition

troops A troop is a military sub-subunit, originally a small formation of cavalry, subordinate to a squadron. In many armies a troop is the equivalent element to the infantry section or platoon. Exceptions are the US Cavalry and the King's Troo ...

launched another phase of the operation into the city of Ubaydi, an insurgent haven and site of the earlier Operation Matador. The fortified city fell to coalition forces after seven days of fighting, bringing a conclusion to Operation Steel Curtain. The assault on Sadah and a small portion of Karabilah was known as "Operation: Iron Fist". The assault of Husaybah and Karabilah was "Operation: Steel Curtain". So named because the resident leader of anti-coalition forces,

al-Zarqawi Abu Musab al-Zarqawi ( ar, أَبُو مُصْعَبٍ ٱلزَّرْقَاوِيُّ, ', ''Father of Musab, from Zarqa''; ; October 30, 1966 – June 7, 2006), born Ahmad Fadeel al-Nazal al-Khalayleh (, '), was a Jordanian jihadist who ran a ...

, said they would hold on to Husaybah with an "iron fist". Named by Coalition Commanders, "Operation Steel Curtain", was a hardened sweep and clear mission hence "steel curtain" because one of the SNCOs was a Pittsburgh Steelers fan.

Aftermath

U.S. officials reported that the operation killed 139 insurgents and took 256 more

prisoners A prisoner (also known as an inmate or detainee) is a person who is deprived of liberty against their will. This can be by confinement, captivity, or forcible restraint. The term applies particularly to serving a prison sentence in a prison. ...

, and considered it successful. Battle positions were constructed, preventing the insurgency from regaining control of the city. At least 10 U.S. Marines and an unknown number of Iraqi soldiers died. A local physician from

, Zahid Mohammed Rawi, said that medical workers had counted 97 civilians killed in the first week of the operation.

References

External links

CNN report on offensive
{{DEFAULTSORT:Steel Curtain, Operation Iraqi insurgency (2003–2011) Military operations of the Iraq War in 2005 Military operations of the Iraq War involving Iraq Military operations of the Iraq War involving the United States November 2005 events in Iraq United States Marine Corps in the Iraq War