Battle of Donkey Island

Infobox Military Conflict
conflict=Battle of Donkey Island
partof=the Post-invasion Iraq


caption=
date=June 30, 2007
place=Ramadi, Iraq
casus=
territory=
result=Decisive U.S Victory - Insurgent assault force detected and defeated
combatant1=flagicon|United States United States
combatant2=
commander1=
commander2=
strength1=30 - 50 soldiers
strength2=40 - 70 fighters
casualties1=2 KIA
11WIA
casualties2=32 KIA
notes=

The Battle of Donkey Island was a skirmish that occurred on 30 June and 01 July 2007 between elements of the U.S. Army Task Force 1-77 Armor Regiment, the 2nd Battalion 5th Marines and a numerically superior force of Al-Qaeda in Iraq insurgents on the banks of a canal leading from Ramadi to Lake Habbaniyah in the Al-Anbar province in Iraq. [cite news | author=Ann Scott Tyson | title=A Deadly Clash at Donkey Island | publisher=Washington Post | date=2007-08-20 | accessdate=2007-08-20 | url = http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2007/08/18/AR2007081801270.html?hpid=topnews ] [cite news | author=Ullrich Fichtner | title = Hope and Despair in Divided Iraq | publisher = Spiegel Online | date = 2007-08-10 | accessdate = 2007-08-20 | url = http://www.spiegel.de/international/world/0,1518,499154,00.html]

Official reports indicate that the US suffered 2 dead and 11 wounded Soldiers in the conflict while an estimated 32 insurgents were killed (out of an estimated force of 40 - 70 fighters). In military terms, the battle was a complete victory for the U.S. forces, detecting and annihilating an insurgent force before it could launch a planned assault on Ramadi. Politically, the action revealed the continuing ability of Al-Qaeda in Iraq to plan and assemble forces in their attempt to destabilize the Anbar region.

Timeline of Events

On the night of June 30 2007, a routine patrol on the outskirts of Ramadi revealed the presence of a company-sized element of anti-Iraqi forces. Partially hidden behind two trucks, the AIF began firing on the reconnaissance group, forcing them to retreat to nearby cover and calling for backup forces.

A platoon sized element arrived a short while later to reinforce the US side. Although outnumbered, the Americans brought superior firepower to bear and eventually began to shift the tide of battle. With continuing ground fire and later with air support the U.S. successfully eleminated 30+ AIF and managed to destroy the 2 AIF trucks carrying massive quantities of weapons and ammunition before calm took over early in the morning.

On 01 July 2007 the AIF resumed the battle by ambushing elements of the U.S. Army which resulted in a quick fire fight which ended the battle.

In the days to follow, follow up missions were conducted by the U.S. Army and the U.S. Marines on both sides of the canal to ensure all AIF were eliminated.

References