Country Iraq Local time Thursday 1:14 AM | Governorate Babil Population 15,000 (2013) | |
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Weather 17°C, Wind E at 16 km/h, 37% Humidity | ||
Jurf Al-Nasr (Arabic: جرف النصر) or formerly known as Jurf Al Sakhar (Arabic: جرف الصخر) until late 2014 and its reconquest by the Iraqi Government forces from the neo-Baathist-supported ISIS forces – also spelled Jurf al-Sahkar — is a small town in Iraq, located about 60 kilometers southwest of Baghdad. It is near Musayyib and approximately 80 kilometers east of Fallujah.
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Map of Jurf Sakhar, Iraq
At the start of 2014, it had about 8,000 inhabitants, mostly Sunni Muslims from the Al-Janabi and Dulaim tribes. Ever since the nearly entire ISIS and Baathist-sympathizing Sunni Arab population of the town and surrounding countryside have been made to leave after the retaking of the town from ISIS. The former residents are now largely refugees in Fallujah, Yusofiyya and beyond. Due to its prime strategic location on the main approaches to the Shia holy city of Karbala from the rebellious Fallujah, it is doubtful that any Sunni residents will be allowed back into Jurf in the future.
At Jurf Al Sakhar was a large military complex including the Al Hakum facility, at one time Iraq's most sophisticated and largest biological weapons (BW) production factory.
During the Iraq War troop surge of 2007, Jurf Al Sakhar was one of the first towns under the "concerned citizens" program, in which the local populace was paid to secure the town via checkpoints along its roads, funded by money supplied by the U.S. military. The influx of money led to an almost instantaneous decrease in violence in the area. It is also the location of some of the most bitter fighting during Operation Iraqi Freedom. Nine medals for valor were awarded to the paratroopers of Apache Company, 1st Battalion, 501st Parachute Infantry Regiment (Geronimo), for their actions in and around the town. The unit was also awarded the Valorous Unit Award, the second highest unit award in the US Army.
IS control
In 2014 Jurf Al Nasr was captured by the Islamic State (IS) terrorist organization.
On 24 October 2014 Operation Ashura was launched in the area by the Iraqi government forces and Additional forces form Shia militias and volunteers aided by U.S.-led coalition airstrikes caused the liberation of much of the city, the operation is led by the Iraqi Minister of Interior. Hadi Al-Amiri and Qasem Soleimani were main commanders of Iraqi forces in recapturing operation.
On October 29, Babil Government decided to lock the whole of Jurf Al Sakhar down to the area's displaced people for 8 months, so as to remove the numerous improvised explosive devices and clear the houses of bombs that had been placed by IS. A member of Babil Government Council declared that the old project for building a refinery in the area (Jurf Refinery) — been abandoned after 2003 war — to be reactivated, along with other projects aiming to renovate several building and streets.
Babylon Provincial Council announced that the name of Jurf al-Sakhar (جرف الصخر, meaning "rocky bank") was changed into Jurf al-Nasr (جرف النصر, meaning "victory bank") after the triumph over ISIS in the area.