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By Bill Roggio Last week, the Coalition announced that Operation Hunter (or Sayaid), designed to bolster Coalition forces in the region of Qaim on the Syrian border, was underway. Yesterday, Iraq’s Chief of Interior Ministry Commandos stated that Iraqi commandos will conduct sweeps in the border area beginning Tuesday (it is unclear if this means operations are currently underway, or if the deployment is moving forward). KUNA intimates the operations will be an Iraqi led endeavor, but no doubt the Marines based in Qaim as well as Special Operations units, Air Force, Naval and army artillery assets will participate.
This news coincides with an article in the San Francisco Chronicle that claims al Qaeda has gained control of the desert towns of Husaybah, Karabila, Sada, Qaim, and Ubaydi. Earlier this month, similar rumors about Haditha were reported, while the claim of the establishment of the “Islamic Republic of Qaim” were dismissed by Marine Major Neil Murphy as a “crock”.
Recently, Lieutenant Colonel Julian Alford, commander of the 3/6 Marines in Qaim reports the terrorists are threatening the townsfolk with beheadings if they did not clear the area. LTC Julian states “For the time being, they run these towns.” Al Qaeda is posting signs warning residents not to cooperate with the Coalition, and has passed out flyers threatening to behead residents of the towns if they do not leave. Colonel Stephen Davis, commander of the Marines Regimental Combat Team 2, states that “Marine forces have played a game of cat and mouse with the insurgency up and down the Euphrates River valley.”
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This news coincides with an article in the San Francisco Chronicle that claims al Qaeda has gained control of the desert towns of Husaybah, Karabila, Sada, Qaim, and Ubaydi. Earlier this month, similar rumors about Haditha were reported, while the claim of the establishment of the “Islamic Republic of Qaim” were dismissed by Marine Major Neil Murphy as a “crock”.
Recently, Lieutenant Colonel Julian Alford, commander of the 3/6 Marines in Qaim reports the terrorists are threatening the townsfolk with beheadings if they did not clear the area. LTC Julian states “For the time being, they run these towns.” Al Qaeda is posting signs warning residents not to cooperate with the Coalition, and has passed out flyers threatening to behead residents of the towns if they do not leave. Colonel Stephen Davis, commander of the Marines Regimental Combat Team 2, states that “Marine forces have played a game of cat and mouse with the insurgency up and down the Euphrates River valley.”
Read the rest