Combat· Iraq War (Op IRAQI FREEDOM)
Kufa Raid
The raid at Kufa was part of the operations associated with the Battle of Najaf, extending the fight against the Mahdi Army to the neighboring town of Kufa, closely linked to Najaf and a center of Muqtada al-Sadr's support.
Al-Sadr used Kufa and its mosque as a base and rallying point, and Marines and Iraqi forces conducted operations there to pressure the militia and disrupt its activities as part of the broader effort to suppress the uprising. The action at Kufa reflected the way the Najaf fighting spread to the surrounding area, since the militia's strength was not confined to Najaf alone. Striking at Kufa was part of the campaign to break al-Sadr's hold across the linked towns, applying pressure on the movement's bases of support. The raid contributed to the overall effort that, combined with the fighting in Najaf itself, brought the uprising to a negotiated conclusion.
Record no. 763