Triangle of Death

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[edit] Algeria

During the Algerian Civil War, in particular the years 1997-1998, the name Triangle of Death was given to an area south of Algiers, whose "corners" were Algiers, Larbaa and Blida, where some of the worst massacres took place.

[edit] Iraq

This article documents a current event.
Information may change rapidly as the event progresses.

During the 2003-2006 occupation of Iraq, the name Triangle of Death was given by U.S. and allied forces to a region south of Baghdad which saw major combat activity during the last months of 2004.

The "Triangle of Death" (not to be confused with the much larger Sunni Triangle further north) lies between Baghdad and Karbala, is inhabited by both Sunni and Shia Muslims, and contains several large towns in the Babil Governorate including Yusufiyah, Mahmoudiyah, Iskandariyah, Musayyib and Latifiyah. The major terrain feature of the Triangle of Death is the Euphrates River. The terrain is mostly farm land, but is sliced by many irrigation ditches. These farms are usually small, being maintained by the families that own the land. The weather is generally constant with the rest of Iraq, with the exception of increased humidity due to the area's proximity to the Euphrates River and irrigation canals used for farming.

Analysts generally attribute this area's high level of violence to the tension from the mixed Sunni-Shia population, the Saddam Hussein era military industrial complex in the area (such as the al-Quds General Company for Mechanical Industries, the al-Musayyib Ammunition Depot, and the Al Qa'qaa Munitions Facility), the current lack of economic alternatives to joining the insurgency, and the near endless supply of munitions stored throughout the area (in part due to the looting of the munitions facilities after the fall of the Hussein Regime). After the fall of the Hussein Regime, the area's population suffered from unemployment. One city in the Northern Babil Governorate, al Hillah, has been a frequent target of insurgent attacks. As of JAN 2006, al Hillah has seen the single most deadly suicide bombing in the Iraqi War when on 28 FEB 2005 125 Iraqis were killed. Other suicide attacks on 30 MAY 2005 (20 killed), 30 MAY 2006 (12 killed), and 30 AUG 2006 (12 killed) have occurred in al Hillah. On 16 JUL 2005, Musayyib saw one of the most savage attacks of the war, when a suicide bomber driving a fuel truck detonated himself and the fuel truck killing at least 98 Iraqis. The Triangle of Death often sees catastrophic attacks like these due to the proximity to both Baghdad and Fallujah-Ramadi area, where suicide bombers usually meet before heading to their intended targets. The Triangle of Death has also reportedly used as the staging area for attacks in Baghdad, specifically the 24 October 2005 attack on the Palestine Hotel. Musayyib is home to the Musayyib Power Plant, a frequent target of insurgent attacks due to its infrastructure importance. The power plant is capable of supplying one-fourth to one-third of Iraq's electricity demands if it were fully operational. As of October 2006, it is at roughly 33% of its maximum output. Because of the indirect fire attacks on the facility, US forces currently man a Forward Operating Base on the grounds of the power plant.

In addition to the New Iraqi Army and Iraqi Police, the Iraqi unit Hillah SWAT (falling under the Iraqi Interior Ministry) routinely performs successful counter-insurgency operations in the Triangle of Death. On 13 OCT 2006, a bomb killed the Hillah SWAT commander. It is currently unknown how this will affect the unit or who will become the de facto leader of the counter-insurgency unit. The "Triangle of Death" has seen several US Army, British Army and US Marine units since the start of the 2003 Iraq War, including:

2d Brigade of U.S. 3d Infantry Division (2003)

1st BCT of 10th Mtn Division (2003-2004)

24th Marine Expeditionary Unit (2004)

2nd Battalion 2nd Marines (2004)

The Black Watch, 3rd Battalion, Royal Regiment of Scotland (November, 2004)