Operation Marne Torch

Some of this article's listed sources may not be reliable. Please help improve this article by looking for better, more reliable sources. Unreliable citations may be challenged and removed. (September 2020) (Learn how and when to remove this message)

Operation Marne Torch
Part of the Iraq War (Operation Phantom Thunder)
Soldiers from 1-30 Infantry, 2nd Brigade Combat Team, 3rd Infantry Division, storm one of the thousands of structures that was cleared during Operation Marne Torch.
Date 16 June 2007 – 14 August 2007 (Marne Torch 1) 15 September 2007 – 14 October 2007 (Marne Torch II) Location Babil Province, Iraq Result U.S. military raids successful; Disruption of insurgent supply lines; Holding operations delayed
Belligerents
United States New Iraqi Army	Islamic State of Iraq Other Iraqi insurgents
Commanders and leaders
General Rick Lynch (Task Force Marne) Colonel Terry Ferrell (2-3BCT) Colonel Wayne W. Grigsby Jr. (3-3HBCT)
Strength
3000 (2000 Coalition, 1000 Iraqi)[1]	Unknown
Casualties and losses
13 killed (U.S.), 3 killed (Iraqi security forces), 1 OH-58 Kiowa shot down	83 killed, 278 detained[2]

Operation Marne Torch refers to two operations launched by U.S.-led Coalition forces in 2007 against Islamic State of Iraq in the Arab Jabour area of Babil province. This campaign is named after Operation Torch, the joint US/British invasion of French North Africa in 1942,^[3] presumably because of the two operations' similar thrust into the enemies' southern underbellies.

The first operation, Marne Torch I, began on 16 June 2007 when Multinational Division Central launched offensive operations against Sunni and Shi'ia extremists, as well as insurgents with Iranian influence in the city and surrounding regions of Arab Jabour in Babil province.^[4] The objective was to clear terrorist sanctuaries southeast of Baghdad and reduce the flow of accelerants into the city by both combat and civil-military operations.^[4] 2000 coalition and 1000 Iraqi army soldiers disrupted insurgent operations by capturing, seizing, and clearing caches that support instability in the area.^[2]

Marne Torch II was launched on 15 September 2007 in the Hawr Rajab area. The operation resulted in the killing or capture of 250 insurgents, the destruction of twelve boats transporting weapons, and uncovering 40 weapon caches.^[1]