The Battle of Ain Sifni (7 April 2003) was a tactical engagement that took place during the 2003 Invasion of Iraq, involving U.S. Special Forces and Kurdish Peshmerga fighters against Iraqi forces.[13] Though it was a smaller engagement compared to other battles in the region, the battle was significant due to the strategic importance of Ain Sifni, which served as a route to Mosul from the north.[14]
| Battle of Ain Sifni | |||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Part of 2003 Invasion of Iraq | |||||||
| |||||||
| Belligerents | |||||||
 United States[1] Iraqi Kurdistan Peshmerga[2] |
 Ba'athist Iraq[3] | ||||||
| Strength | |||||||
|
24 U.S. Special Forces Operators[4] 2 Air Force Combat Controllers[5] 2 Military Intelligence Operators[6] approx. 200 Kurdish Peshmerga fighters[7] | Iraqi infantry company (approx. 120 soldiers)[8] | ||||||
| Casualties and losses | |||||||
|
United States 3 wounded[9] Iraqi Kurdistan 12 killed, 30 wounded[10] | 3 T-55 tanks, 6 armoured personnel carriers destroyed,[11] unknown number of soldiers killed, 15 captured[12] | ||||||
Background
editAs part of the coalition's broader mission to secure northern Iraq, U.S. Special Forces, working alongside Kurdish Peshmerga forces, sought to neutralize Iraqi military positions in and around Mosul.[9] Ain Sifni was identified as a critical location due to its strategic proximity to Mosul and the surrounding areas, which allowed coalition forces access to the city from the north.[14]
Battle
editOn 7 April 2003, U.S. Special Forces and an estimated 200 Kurdish Peshmerga fighters engaged Iraqi forces stationed in Ain Sifni.[7] The Iraqi forces consisted of a motorized infantry company of approximately 120 soldiers, equipped with three T-55 tanks and six armored personnel carriers (APCs).[8] The Kurdish and U.S. forces, though outgunned in terms of armor, employed superior tactics and close air support to overcome the Iraqi defenses.[11]
Using advanced equipment, including Javelin anti-tank missiles supplied by U.S. forces, the Kurdish fighters and Special Forces successfully neutralized the Iraqi tanks and armored vehicles. Combined air support from coalition aircraft further tipped the balance, allowing the Kurdish-U.S. coalition to penetrate Iraqi defensive lines.[15]
Outcome
editThe battle concluded with a decisive U.S. and Peshmerga victory, resulting in significant Iraqi losses. Iraqi casualties included the destruction of all three T-55 tanks and six APCs, along with a large number of infantry casualties and 15 captured.[12] Coalition casualties were lighter, with 3 U.S. Special Forces operators wounded and 12 Peshmerga fighters killed along with 30 wounded.[16]
Aftermath
editThe victory at Ain Sifni provided the coalition with a direct northern approach to Mosul, which played a key role in the eventual coalition control over the region. The battle further demonstrated the effectiveness of collaboration between U.S. forces and local Kurdish fighters, setting a precedent for future engagements throughout the 2003 invasion.[17]
See also
editReferences
edit- ^ Gordon & Trainor 2006, p. 182.
- ^ Pollack 2003, p. 3.
- ^ Gordon & Trainor 2006, p. 183.
- ^ Gordon & Trainor 2006, p. 185.
- ^ Pollack 2003, p. 5.
- ^ Gordon & Trainor 2006, p. 186.
- ^ a b Pollack 2003, p. 6.
- ^ a b Pollack 2003, p. 7.
- ^ a b Gordon & Trainor 2006, p. 190.
- ^ Pollack 2003, p. 9.
- ^ a b Gordon & Trainor 2006, p. 195.
- ^ a b Pollack 2003, p. 8.
- ^ Gordon & Trainor 2006, p. 187.
- ^ a b Pollack 2003, p. 4.
- ^ Gordon & Trainor 2006, p. 199.
- ^ Gordon & Trainor 2006, p. 203.
- ^ Pollack 2003, p. 10.
Bibliography
edit- Gordon, Michael R.; Trainor, Bernard E. (2006). Cobra II: The Inside Story of the Invasion and Occupation of Iraq. Pantheon. ISBN 978-0375422621.
- Pollack, Kenneth (20 June 2003). "The Peshmerga and the U.S. Coalition Effort in Northern Iraq". The Middle East Quarterly.