Marines, Iraqi Security Forces add to Fallujah's storied history
Marine Corps News
Story Identification #: 2004113094018
Story by Lance Cpl. T.J. Kaemmerer
FALLUJAH, Iraq (Nov. 30, 2004) -- Fallujah has been a city prone to violence dating back to Roman times.
Formerly named Misiche, a great war was waged in this area when the Romans clashed swords with the Sassanians in 244 A.D. Though the militaries and weaponry may have changed, the city is still war-torn and ravaged.
Iraqi security forces and U.S. Marines recently took the first steps in creating a peaceful and more stable Fallujah by aggressively targeting anti-Iraqi forces during Operation Al Fajr.
The ISF and Marine forces fought house to house in the nearly-abandoned city, clearing them of insurgents and weapons caches as they went.
In one fierce battle, the Marines of Company A, 1st Battalion, 3rd Marine Regiment, entered an enemy safehouse, where they battled 30 insurgents. After insurgents fled the firefight, the Marines found the enemy's global positioning system receiver, leading the troops to multiple safehouses and caches throughout area of operations in Fallujah.
Though the warriors couldn't relax while storming the city, there were occasions when Marines and ISF exchanged thoughts, jokes and ideas, allowing them to mesh on a cultural level.
With so much emphasis being put on the importance of Iraqi troops taking over responsibility for security of their country, operations like Al Fajr should continue to provide the experience and confidence they need to perform security operations in the future.
The Marines and their Iraqi counterparts continue to operate in and around Fallujah in an effort to provide the security needed to allow civilians back in the city and start the rebuilding process.
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