Camp Fallujah

Still commonly referred to as Camp Fallujah, MEK Compound is a military base located in Fallujah and used for the common conflicts in Iraq. The base is relatively small and is adjacent to another base nearby – Dreamland. Dreamland was known as Camp Baharia among the US troops. These days, the bases is operated by the Iraqi Army. It is an expeditionary base involved in many of the recent local conflicts.

History

The base was initially used by the Mujahideen e Khalg people. MEK is an Iranian organization dealing with various political events. It was founded in the ’60s by a group of students that decided their country should never be the subject of the western powers for various local resources. They decided to fight against the invasion of the western imperialism and established headquarters in both Iraq and France. Its life in Iran was not too long, as they were overrun by their enemies. However, Saddam Hussein decided to support them and hosted the units on the Iraqi territories, from where they conducted multiple attacks on the Iranian military forces that tried to exterminate them.

In 2003, the American invasion of Iraq forced the MEK to give up some of its military bases. Camp Fallujah was used as a training site. The 82-nd Airborne group of the US Army took over the base after the MEK troops surrendered. Although this fight had nothing to do with the so called liberation of Iraq, no measures were taken. These days, the MEK and the American forces have a little armistice and cease fire agreement. The base was then turned over to the 1-st Marine Expeditionary Force in the spring of 2004. That was the moment when the military base was turned into an expeditionary base.

In 2009, the United States of America realized that the base was not that important for its mission in Iraq. By that time, they also took over Iraq and installed a government to support their actions. Therefore, they found appropriate to pass by the control of this base to the new Iraqi Army. In the first days of 2009, the Iraqi government took over and installed the 1-st Division on site. These days, the base hosts the headquarters of this important unit of the Iraqi Army.

Among the most important operations Camp Fallujah was part of, you can count Operation Iraqi Freedom and its two less important operations – Operation Phantom Fury and Operation Vigilant Resolve. Both of these operations were lead and conducted by the American forces.

Units

The only unit hosted at Camp Fallujah is the 1-st Division, part of the Iraqi Army. Since the new Iraqi Army is not entirely built yet, the unit doesn’t have any subdivisions, companies or groups.

Facilities

The facilities on site are not among the greatest in the world. The base is basically a small human community in the middle of a plain arid field. There are a few concrete buildings, while the rest of the base consists of tents and less significant sleeping facilities.