"Operation Steel Curtain" to Establish Permanent Bases

Operation Steel Curtain, the latest Coalition-Iraqi joint military campaign along the Syrian border, is intended to set up a permanent security presence in the area. Past operations have succeeded in killing and capturing hundreds of terrorist insurgents and foreign terrorists, but no garrison was left to prevent re-infiltration of terrorist forces once the operations were over.

From a CENTCOM press release:

The operation is the second in Karabilah. Operation Rohme (Spear) took place in the city last June. The operation was notable for the torture chamber that was found in an abandoned house that contained two Iraqi men who were found chained to the floor. The men had been tortured for refusing to cooperate with al Qaeda in Iraq terrorists who operated throughout the city. They were treated by medical personnel and released after recovering from their wounds. Unlike Operation Spear, Operation Steel Curtain will create a permanent presence in the city comprised of Iraqi and Coalition Forces.

Operation Steel Curtain’s goal is to restore Iraqi sovereign control along the Iraqi-Syrian border and destroy the al Qaeda in Iraq terrorists operating throughout the al Qaim region. The offensive is part of Operation Sayaid (Hunter), designed to deny terrorists the ability to operate in the Euphrates River Valley and to establish a permanent security presence along the Syrian border.