Hawija
Encyclopedia
Hawija is a town near Kirkuk
north of Baghdad
.
Hawijah is in the Al-Tamim province of Iraq and approximately 30 miles south of Kirkuk. There are approximately 450,000 people in and around Hawijah with an estimated 80% Sunni Population. While the city itself has about 150.000 with 98% Sunni population.
U.S. and Iraqi forces have experienced numerous lethal attacks in the area from Sunni insurgents. As of March 2006, the area of Hawijah was considered one of the most dangerous in all of Iraq with
US soldiers and the foreign press corps in Baghdad dubbing Hawija "Anbar of the North," a reference to the violence wracked province in Western Iraq.
The closest US base to Hawija is FOB McHenry. FOB McHenry was established in 2003 by Alpha Company 1-12 infantry who had been operating out of an abandoned school in the town of Hawijah. As of May 2005 FOB McHenry was home to around 500 US soldiers. In March 2006, Soldiers in 1st Battalion 327th infantry regiment at FOB McHenry were finding 3-5 road-side bombs a day. From November 1, 2005 through March 2006 medics treated 120 trauma cases. Nine members of the brigade as of March 2006 have died in combat in Hawijah proper, most from a single company, C Co. 1-327th Inf, call sign 'Cold Steel.'
The battalion that replaced 1st Battalion 327th infantry regiment in August of 2006 was the 2-27 wolfhounds from the 3rd BDE, 25th ID. During their 15 months at FOB McHenry, they experienced one of the deadliest periods of the war. Over 15 months, of the estimated 250 to 300 soldiers that were regularly going outside the wire on missions, 18 were KIA. The deadliest day was on 6DEC06. 5 individuals were killed when a surface to air missile was modified into an IED, destroying the Humvee and killing everyone inside.
Hawija is considered to be just south of the traditional border of 'Kurdistan' and is a hotbed for violence between hard line Ba'athist Sunni Arabs and Sunni Kurds.
Kirkuk
Kirkuk is a city in Iraq and the capital of Kirkuk Governorate.It is located in the Iraqi governorate of Kirkuk, north of the capital, Baghdad...
north of Baghdad
Baghdad
Baghdad is the capital of Iraq, as well as the coterminous Baghdad Governorate. The population of Baghdad in 2011 is approximately 7,216,040...
.
Hawijah is in the Al-Tamim province of Iraq and approximately 30 miles south of Kirkuk. There are approximately 450,000 people in and around Hawijah with an estimated 80% Sunni Population. While the city itself has about 150.000 with 98% Sunni population.
U.S. and Iraqi forces have experienced numerous lethal attacks in the area from Sunni insurgents. As of March 2006, the area of Hawijah was considered one of the most dangerous in all of Iraq with
US soldiers and the foreign press corps in Baghdad dubbing Hawija "Anbar of the North," a reference to the violence wracked province in Western Iraq.
The closest US base to Hawija is FOB McHenry. FOB McHenry was established in 2003 by Alpha Company 1-12 infantry who had been operating out of an abandoned school in the town of Hawijah. As of May 2005 FOB McHenry was home to around 500 US soldiers. In March 2006, Soldiers in 1st Battalion 327th infantry regiment at FOB McHenry were finding 3-5 road-side bombs a day. From November 1, 2005 through March 2006 medics treated 120 trauma cases. Nine members of the brigade as of March 2006 have died in combat in Hawijah proper, most from a single company, C Co. 1-327th Inf, call sign 'Cold Steel.'
The battalion that replaced 1st Battalion 327th infantry regiment in August of 2006 was the 2-27 wolfhounds from the 3rd BDE, 25th ID. During their 15 months at FOB McHenry, they experienced one of the deadliest periods of the war. Over 15 months, of the estimated 250 to 300 soldiers that were regularly going outside the wire on missions, 18 were KIA. The deadliest day was on 6DEC06. 5 individuals were killed when a surface to air missile was modified into an IED, destroying the Humvee and killing everyone inside.
Hawija is considered to be just south of the traditional border of 'Kurdistan' and is a hotbed for violence between hard line Ba'athist Sunni Arabs and Sunni Kurds.