2008 Karmah bombing

Last updated

26 June 2008 Karmah bombing
Location Al-Karmah, Iraq
Date26 June 2008 (UTC+3)
TargetTribal Sheik meeting
Attack type
Suicide bombing
Deaths25
InjuredUnknown
Perpetrators Islamic State of Iraq

The 26 June 2008 Karmah bombing was a suicide attack on a meeting of tribal sheiks in the town of Al-Karmah. Three Marines from 2nd Battalion 3rd Marines (including the battalion's commanding officer), as well as twenty Iraqi sheiks and the mayor of Karmah, were killed when a suicide bomber dressed as an Iraqi Policeman detonated an explosive vest. Two interpreters were also killed in the blast. [1] [2] The aftermath of the attack was captured on film by photojournalist Zoriah Miller. [3] The commanding officer of 2/3, LtCol Max Galeai and two other Marines (Captain Philip J. Dykeman and Cpl. Marcus W. Preudhomme) from the battalion were killed. [4] In June 2008, it was announced that Anbar would be the tenth province to transfer to Provincial Iraqi Control, the first Sunni Arab region to be handed back. This handover was delayed due to the attack. [5] [6] The handover did occur on September 1, 2008. [7] Two insurgents linked to the bombing were later caught in Tamariya. [6]

Related Research Articles

Events in the year 2004 in Iraq.

Zoriah Miller, or simply Zoriah, is an American photojournalist and war photographer. He has worked for international aid organizations such as the Red Cross before returning to photography after a long absence. Although having contributed photos to photo agencies World Picture News, The Image Works, Reporters Agency, and Rapport Press, Miller remains independent and produces his photo stories on a freelance basis.

Al-Qa'im is an Iraqi border town located nearly 400 km (248 mi) northwest of Baghdad near the Syrian border and situated along the Euphrates River, and located in the Al Anbar Governorate. It has a population of about 74,100 and it's the center of the Al-Qa'im District.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">3rd Battalion, 3rd Marines</span> Infantry battalion of the United States Marine Corps

3rd Battalion, 3rd Marines, abbreviated as (3/3), was an infantry battalion of the United States Marine Corps, based out of Kaneohe, Hawaii. Known as either "Trinity" or "America's Battalion", the unit normally fell under the command of the 3rd Marine Regiment of the 3rd Marine Division. When fully manned, the unit consisted of approximately 1000 U.S. Marines and United States Navy Sailors. Like most 20th century model infantry battalions of the U.S. Marine Corps, 3rd Battalion 3rd Marines was made up of three rifle companies, and a Headquarters and Services (H&S) company. The battalion was originally formed at Marine Corps Base Camp Lejeune, North Carolina in 1942 and saw action on both Bougainville and Guam during World War II, where it was awarded its first Presidential Unit Citation and Navy Unit Commendation. Marines in the battalion were also awarded one Medal of Honor and seven Navy Crosses during the war.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">2nd Battalion, 3rd Marines</span> Infantry battalion in the US Marine Corps

2nd Battalion, 3rd Marines (2/3) was an infantry battalion in the United States Marine Corps based out of Marine Corps Base Hawaii consisting of approximately 1,000 Marines and sailors. The battalion fell under the command of the 3rd Marine Regiment and the 3rd Marine Division. The battalion was deactivated in January 2022 as part of the Marine Corps' ongoing Force Design efforts.

The following lists events that happened during 2006 in Iraq.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Battle of Ramadi (2006)</span> 2006 battle in the Iraq War

The Battle of Ramadi was fought during the Iraq War from March 2006 to November 2006, for control of the capital of the Al Anbar Governorate in western Iraq. A joint US military force under the command 1st Brigade Combat Team, 1st Armored Division and Iraqi Security Forces fought insurgents for control of key locations in Ramadi. Coalition strategy relied on establishing a number of patrol bases called Combat Operation Posts throughout the city.

Events in the year 2007 in Iraq.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Diyala campaign</span>

The Diyala province campaign was a series of operations conducted by coalition forces against Iraqi insurgents and a number of bombing and guerrilla attacks against the security forces in Diyala Governorate of Iraq, with the purpose of control of the province.

Anbar Salvation Council is a collection of tribal militias in the Al Anbar province of Iraq, formed by former Ba'athists and nationalists to fight al-Qaeda in Iraq and other associated terrorist groups. In Arabic the council is known as Sahawa Al Anbar, abbreviated SAA when referred to by the US Army. The council has become a model for awakening movements across Iraq, though the Iraqi Defense Ministry has said that it plans to disband the Awakening groups due to concerns about their origins and future intent.

Al-Karmah, also sometimes transliterated as Karma, Karmah, or Garma, is a city in central Iraq, 16 km (10 mi) northeast of Fallujah in the province of Al Anbar.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Sons of Iraq</span> Iraqi military group in Al Anbar (2005–2013)

The Sons of Iraq or al-Sahwah were a coalition in the Al Anbar province in Iraq between Sunni tribal leaders as well as former Ba'athist Iraqi military officers that united in 2005 to maintain stability in their communities. A moderate group, they were initially sponsored by General Petraeus and the US military.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Operation Phantom Thunder</span>

Operation Phantom Thunder began on 16 June 2007, when Multi-National Force-Iraq launched major offensive operations against al-Qaeda and other extremist terrorists operating throughout Iraq. It was the largest coordinated military operation since the 2003 invasion of Iraq. Operation Phantom Thunder was a corps level operation, including Operation Arrowhead Ripper in Diyala Province, Operation Marne Torch and Operation Commando Eagle in Babil Province, Operation Fardh al-Qanoon in Baghdad, Operation Alljah in Anbar Province, and continuing special forces actions against the Mahdi Army in southern Iraq and against Al-Qaeda leadership throughout the country. The operation was one of the biggest military operations in Iraq since the U.S. invasion in 2003.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Operation Alljah</span>

Operation Alljah was an operation launched by Coalition forces in Iraq, mainly U.S. Marines, in June 2007 to secure the neighborhoods of Fallujah. The strategy of the operation was somewhat based on a successful operation in Ramadi conducted in 2006. Insurgents in the town of Karma nearby were also targeted during the operation, which was part of the overall operation Phantom Thunder.

The 2008 Nineveh campaign was a series of offensives and counter-attacks between insurgent and Coalition forces for control of the Nineveh Governorate in northern Iraq in early-to-mid-2008. Some fighting also occurred in the neighboring Kirkuk Governorate.

The 2008 al-Qaeda offensive in Iraq was a month-long offensive conducted by al-Qaeda in Iraq against the multinational coalition of USA, UK, Australia and Poland.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Anbar campaign (2003–2011)</span> Campaign during the Iraq War

The Anbar campaign consisted of fighting between the United States military, together with Iraqi security forces, and Sunni insurgents in the western Iraqi governorate of Al Anbar. The Iraq War lasted from 2003 to 2011, but the majority of the fighting and counterinsurgency campaign in Anbar took place between April 2004 and September 2007. Although the fighting initially featured heavy urban warfare primarily between insurgents and U.S. Marines, insurgents in later years focused on ambushing the American and Iraqi security forces with improvised explosive devices (IEDs), large scale attacks on combat outposts, and car bombings. Almost 9,000 Iraqis and 1,335 Americans were killed in the campaign, many in the Euphrates River Valley and the Sunni Triangle around the cities of Fallujah and Ramadi.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Terrorist incidents in Iraq in 2008</span>

This article details major terrorist incidents in Iraq in 2008. In 2008, there were 257 suicide bombings in Iraq. On February 1, a pair of bombs detonated at a market in Baghdad, killing 99 people and injuring 200. Two other particularly deadly attacks occurred on March 6, and June 17.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Al-Karmah offensive</span>

The Al-Karmah offensive, codenamed Fajr al-Karma, was an offensive launched by the Iraqi Army and anti-ISIL Sunni tribal fighters to recapture the Al-Karmah district taken by the Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant in Iraq. The offensive began on 14 April 2015. During the offensive the anti-ISIL forces captured part of the city of Al-Karmah, and the old road of Al-Karmah.

This is a timeline of events during the War in Iraq in 2016.

References

  1. "Suicide bomber kills 3 Hawaii Marines - Battalion commander among suicide bomber's victims". 28 June 2008. Retrieved 28 June 2008.[ permanent dead link ]
  2. "U.S. Department of Defense". U.S. Department of Defense. Archived from the original on 12 May 2020. Retrieved 9 May 2023.
  3. "Anbar Province Suicide Bombing - Zoriah's Eyewitness Account - Iraq War Diary". ZORIAH - A PHOTOJOURNALIST AND WAR PHOTOGRAPHER'S BLOG. Archived from the original on 29 January 2023. Retrieved 9 May 2023.
  4. Vorsino, Mary (28 June 2008). "Suicide bomber kills 3 Hawaii Marines - Battalion commander among suicide bomber's victims". The Honolulu Advertiser. Retrieved 28 June 2008.[ permanent dead link ]
  5. Cocks, Tim (27 June 2008). "U.S. handover of Iraqi province delayed". Reuters. Archived from the original on 20 November 2020. Retrieved 7 July 2008.
  6. 1 2 Yacoub, Sameer (1 August 2008). "Insurgents linked to US Marine deaths caught". AP via Yahoo News. Archived from the original on 4 June 2011. Retrieved 2 August 2008.
  7. "US hands over key Iraq province". BBC News. 1 September 2008. Archived from the original on 30 September 2009. Retrieved 12 September 2008.