Al Sahawa - The Awakening, Volume 4: Al Anbar Province, Area of Operations Topeka, Ramadi
Abstract
The purpose of the Anbar Awakening project, and the five volumes that document its findings, is to tell the story of Al Anbars Sahawa. In doing so, it will show that there were a number of developments throughout Al Anbar between 2003 and 2008 that significantly contributed to the overall Awakening story. This document, Volume IV, addresses events in the Ramadi district of the Coalitions Area of Operations (AO) Topeka. In 2004, as media, world and Coalition attention was captured by insurgent domination of Fallujah, a lesser publicized but just as lethal insurgency was developing in the neighboring city of Ramadi. That insurgency grew and became more dominant after Operation AL FAJR in November and December 2004, as insurgents fled west from the fighting in Fallujah to Ramadi, the Hadithah-Hit Corridor, Al Qaim along the Syrian border and north to Mosul.Throughout 2005 the Coalition and Iraqis increased forces in the Al Qaim area and the Corridor. As they started to take control of those areas, insurgents were pushed or perhaps willingly gravitated to Ramadi. After all, Ramadi was AQIs proclaimed Caliphate. Blocked by operations in Fallujah to the east and driven by an increased Coalition and Iraqi security presence in the west, the insurgency was running out of room to maneuver. In 2006, Ramadi had become AQIs last major safe haven in Al Anbar and the most dangerous city in the world. This volume discusses conditions during 2004 and 2005 as background but focuses on the period 2006-2007 in Ramadi and includes Sheikh Sattar Albu-Rishas 14 September 2006 Al Sahawa pronouncement, the event that most people associate with the Awakening movement. However, the evolution of the Awakening movement and success in ridding Ramadi of AQIs domination was much deeper and complex than the storybook scenario most people visualize when they think of the Awakening. Partnering with the tribes was key, but there was much more to it than that.
Document Details
- Document Type
- Technical Report
- Publication Date
- Aug 01, 2016
- Accession Number
- AD1020271
Entities
People
- Carolyn Leonard
- Dale Alford
- David B. Graves
- Jennifer Goodman
- John Frost
- Mary Hawkins
- Matt Coursey
- Matthew Dobson
- Thomas Jones
- Tracy King
- William Knarr
Organizations
- Institute for Defense Analyses