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CAMP BLUE DIAMOND, Iraq, Nov. 14, 2005 – Iraqi army soldiers and U.S. Marines, soldiers and sailors with Regimental Combat Team 2 began a new phase of Operation Steel Curtain today by entering the town of Ubaydi. Ubaydi, located on the banks of the Euphrates River, is only 20 km from the Syrian border, and was the site of Operation Matador in May. Insurgent fighters have been battling with Iraqi and coalition forces since the operation began at dawn. Coalition air strikes hit five targets while insurgents were engaging coalition forces with small-arms fire. Preliminary reports indicate an estimated 25...

ABOARD USS THEODORE ROOSEVELT (NNS) -- Aircraft assigned to Carrier Air Wing (CVW) 8 stationed aboard USS Theodore Roosevelt (CVN 71) continued support of Operation Steel Curtain (OSC) throughout the second week of November, conducting five consecutive days of strikes against terrorist targets in support of coalition troops in Iraq. The missions flown during OSC demonstrate the quickness and flexibility of CVW 8 and the Theodore Roosevelt Carrier Strike Group (TRCSG) to provide continuous support on both land and sea. “Carrier Air Wing 8 continues to demonstrate that we can deliver a knock-out punch in support of coalition troops on...

UBEYDI, Iraq (CNN) -- Facing "significant resistance," U.S. and Iraqi forces on Monday entered the western town of Ubeydi on the tenth day of Operation Steel Curtain, an offensive designed to push insurgents from along the Iraq-Syria border. "Insurgent fighters have been battling with Iraqi and Coalition forces since the operation began at dawn," a U.S. military statement said. Col. Stephen Davis, commander of Regimental Combat Team 2, said at least 45 insurgents have been killed in the fighting with another 25 captured. "This is a fight all the way through the city. This area is well bunkered especially up...

November 14, 2005 Release A051114a New phase of Steel Curtain begins CAMP BLUE DIAMOND, AR RAMADI, Iraq –Iraqi Army soldiers and Marines, Soldiers and Sailors with Regimental Combat Team –2 began a new phase of Operation Al Hajip Elfulathi (Steel Curtain) today by entering the town of Ubaydi. Ubaydi, located on the banks of the Euphrates River, is only 20 km from the Syrian border, and was the site of Operation Matador last May. Insurgent fighters have been battling with Iraqi and Coalition forces since the operation began at dawn. Five targets were struck by Coalition air strikes. The insurgents...

US and Iraqi troops started a large-scale operation in a flashpoint western Iraqi city near the Syrian border on Wednesday following a similar offensive in a nearby town, the US military said on Friday. "Iraqi army soldiers and US forces have begun clear-and-hold operations in the city of Karabilah near Husaybah town, close to the Syrian border," the US military said in a statement. The offensive is the continuation of Operation Steel Curtain, which was staged by the US-Iraqi forces in Husaybah, as intelligence services said some insurgents, driven out of Husaybah, fled to nearby Karabilah. On Tuesday night, the...

CAMP BLUE DIAMOND, Iraq, Nov. 10, 2005 – Iraqi and U.S. forces began clearing-and-holding operations in the city of Karabilah, about two kilometers east of Husaybah, as Operation Steel Curtain entered its sixth day, officials said here today. The new phase of is intended to set conditions for a permanent security presence within the city. Patrols and targeted raids are also being conducted in Husaybah, where the operation was first launched Nov. 5, to root out any remaining al Qaeda in Iraq-led terrorists. Intelligence indicates some terrorists might have abandoned Husaybah once Iraqi and U.S. forces began clearing that city...

HUSAYBAH, Iraq — Thousands of U.S. Marines swept across the eastern half of this desolate border city Wednesday night, finding limited resistance in a key area long considered an insurgent stronghold and passageway on the route from Syria. Periodic explosions were heard across the city of roughly 40,000 residents as the Marines, assisted by an Iraqi battalion, began setting up a permanent presence in the city in the form of firm bases and battle positions. “We’ve seen stiff resistance in some places and not so stiff in others,” said Chief Warrant Officer 2 Christopher Joy, of the 3rd Battalion, 6th...

AR RAMADI, Iraq (Army News Service, Nov. 9, 2005) – Operation Steel Curtain continued into its fifth day as Iraqi forces and U.S. Soldiers and Marines completed clearing operations to root out any remaining insurgents in Husaybah, near the Syrian border. By the fourth day of the operation, 180 suspected terrorist had been detained and 17 large weapons caches had been discovered. Iraqi Army soldiers and U.S. forces set conditions for a permanent security presence within the city of Husaybah, officials said. They said patrols and raids were also being conducted to clear out any remaining al Qaeda-led insurgents. Husaybah...

One Marine died in action on the third day of US-Iraqi operation Steel Curtain in Husaybah near the Iraqi-Syrian border. Thirty-six insurgents killed US military reports they included two al Qaeda leaders responsible for deadly attacks, known as Abu Omar and Abu Hamza. Some 2,500 US Marines and 1,000 Iraqi troops have detained 200 terrorists in house-to-house battles at Abu Musab al-Zarqawi’s fighters first way station inside Iraq from Syria. DEBKAfile Reports the operation follows Washington’s “clear, hold and build” strategy for cleansing western Iraq of terrorists. For this offensive against al Qaeda, 2,500 US Marines and 1,000 Iraqi troops...

WASHINGTON, Nov. 8, 2005 – Iraqi soldiers and U.S. Marines have found numerous weapons caches - 17 of which were "substantial in size" -- during the four days of Operation Steel Curtain in Iraq's Anbar province, military officials reported today. Weapons, munitions and bomb-making material for the construction of roadside and car bombs have been some of the more commonly found items at the cache sites, officials said. One cache discovered in central Husaybah today consisted of large amounts of medical supplies and rocket-propelled grenades and launchers. Also, on the southern outskirts of the Iraqi-Syrian border town today, Marines discovered...

AR RAMADI, Iraq (Army News Service, Nov. 8, 2005) -- Iraqi and U.S. Soldiers are fighting alongside Marines near the Iraq-Syria border in Operation Steel Curtain, which began over the weekend. Thirty-six terrorists have been confirmed killed so far in the operation, near the town of Hasaybah. The objectives of Operation al Hajip Elfulathi (Steel Curtain) are to restore Iraqi sovereign control along the border and destroy the al Qaeda operating throughout the region, officials said. Terrorists masqueraded as women Iraqi troops killed three foreign fighters dressed in women’s clothing. The trio brandished weapons as they neared the checkpoint that...

Release Number: 05-11-42 FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE OPERATION STEEL CURTAIN UPDATE CAMP BLUE DIAMOND, AR RAMADI, Iraq – Iraqi Army Soldiers and U.S. Marines, Sailors and Soldiers are in the third day of fighting along the Iraq-Syria border in the town of Husaybah. The objectives of Operation al Hajip Elfulathi (Steel Curtain) are to restore Iraqi sovereign control along the Iraqi-Syrian border and destroy the al Qaeda in Iraq terrorists operating throughout al Qaim region. Iraqi Army Soldiers shot and killed three terrorists dressed in women’s clothing near the entrance to the safety zone established for displaced persons. The trio brandished...

BAGHDAD (Reuters) - U.S. and Iraqi forces killed at least 17 insurgents as they swept through a town on the Syrian border and one U.S. Marine was killed, the military and reporters in the town said on Monday. On the third day of Operation Steel Curtain in Qusayba in western Iraq, the U.S. military said troops were moving through the town, whose 30,000 residents appear mostly to have fled, clearing out insurgents in house-to-house searches. The military said in a statement one Marine was shot dead on Sunday in the biggest operation in the mainly Sunni Arab desert province of...

US and Iraqi forces have launched an offensive along the border with Syria called Operation Steel Curtain involving some 3500 troops, the US military said today. The goal of the military sweep "is to restore security along the Iraqi-Syrian border and destroy the Al-Qaeda in Iraq terrorist network operating throughout Husaybah, located on the Iraqi-Syrian border," the military said. The operation involves some 1000 Iraqi army soldiers as well as 2500 Marines, sailors and soldiers. "Operation Steel Curtain marks the first large-scale employment of multiple battalion-sized units of Iraqi Army forces in combined operations" with US-led forces, the military said.

As we approach the December 15th national elections in Iraq, American and Iraqi forces have undertaken Operation Steel Curtain. The objective of this massive offensive by Iraqi Army forces in combined operations with coalition forces is to shut down the porous Syrian border. Operation Steel Curtain is part of Operation Hunter. It has been designed to deny al Qaeda in Iraq access to the Euphrates River Valley and to permanently secure the Syrian border. They believe that success in this operation will provide a safe and secure environment for the Iraqi people in that region to vote in the December...

Offensive kills dozens of Iraqi insurgents, military says Operation near Syrian border takes aim at rebel stronghold Saturday, November 5, 2005; Posted: 2:09 p.m. EST (19:09 GMT) HUSAYBA, Iraq (CNN) -- Dozens of insurgents have been killed during Operation Steel Curtain, the major offensive kicked off Saturday in Husayba, the Iraqi city on the Syrian border, military officials told CNN. U.S. Marines, soldiers and sailors and Iraqi soldiers have been engaging in firefights with militants attempting to stand and fight. At least three Marines received minor wounds. Forces proceeding into the southwestern part of the Anbar province town have found...

CAMP BLUE DIAMOND, AR RAMADI, Iraq – Approximately 2,500 Marines, Sailors and Soldiers with Regimental Combat Team-2 and 1,000 Iraqi Army Soldiers began Operation Al Hajip Elfulathi (Steel Curtain) in western Al Anbar Nov. 5. The objectives of Operation Steel Curtain are to restore security along the Iraqi-Syrian border and destroy the al Qaeda in Iraq's terror network operating throughout Husaybah. The operation follows on the heels of Operations Iron Fist and River Gate. During Operation Steel Curtain, elements of the 1st Brigade, 1st Iraqi Army Division and specially trained scout platoons recruited from the Al Qaim region will take...

November 05, 2005 Release A051105c U.S. and Iraqi forces launch Operation Steel Curtain CAMP BLUE DIAMOND, AR RAMADI, Iraq – Approximately 2,500 Marines, Sailors and Soldiers with Regimental Combat Team-2 and 1,000 Iraqi Army Soldiers began Operation Al Hajip Elfulathi (Steel Curtain) in western Al Anbar Nov. 5. The objectives of Operation Steel Curtain are to restore security along the Iraqi-Syrian border and destroy the al Qaeda in Iraq terror network operating throughout Husaybah. The operation follows on the heels of Operations Iron Fist and River Gate. During Operation Steel Curtain, elements of the 1st Brigade, 1st Iraqi Army Division...