Marines Wrap Up Assault in West Iraq

Troops estimate they killed 125 fighters and captured 39 suspects in their weeklong offensive that sent the remaining rebels fleeing into Syria.

By Solomon Moore
Times Staff Writer

May 15, 2005

QAIM, Iraq — Marines concluded their offensive into insurgent strongholds in western Iraq on Saturday, saying they had pushed guerrillas out of villages and towns where they had become entrenched but acknowledging that many of the fighters had escaped.

Marine officials said Operation Matador, among the largest military deployments since last year's battle against insurgents in Fallouja, had disrupted the guerrillas' capacity to coordinate attacks elsewhere in Iraq.

They also said the assault sent a clear message that the U.S. military would brook no insurgent havens in Iraq, even in the remote badlands of Al Anbar province along the border with Syria.

But Marines expressed regret that they had not captured more insurgents and said they had no illusions that the guerrillas would not soon return.

"We got brought here to catch lots of insurgents. That's what we thought we were here for," said Maj. Kei Braun, executive officer of Lima Company, 3rd Battalion, 25th Regiment, which took part in the offensive. "But as it turned out, it didn't quite work out that way."

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