Al-Musayab

The city has had its occurrences of violence since the start of Operation Iraqi Freedom in March 2003. Most notably, the city experienced two large truck bombs - one on the Musayyib Bridge, which links Baghdad to Karbala, in late 2004 and one in the town center in 2005 that killed 90 people. Musayyib also saw the largest combat operation the US Army's 4th Infantry Division fought during its tour of duty in 2006. In July 2006, elements of the Mahdi Militia attacked a US patrol in the city after a dispute between the local Iraqi Police and Militia members. Elements of the 1st Battalion, 67th Armor Regiment, backed by the 2nd Battalion, 4th Brigade, 8th Iraqi Army Division and Iraqi Police Special Forces, counterattacked the defending militia members in the city and wrested control, killing 33 militiamen.