A suicide bombing targeting tribal leaders in Al-Karmah killed 25 people and delayed the transfer of Anbar Province to Iraqi control.
Key Facts
- Date
- 26 June 2008
- Marines killed
- 3 (including battalion commanding officer)
- Iraqi civilians killed
- 20 sheiks and the mayor of Karmah
- Interpreters killed
- 2
- Anbar handover date
- 1 September 2008 (delayed by attack)
- Insurgents later captured
- 2, in Tamariya
By the Numbers
Location
Cause → Event → Consequence
In mid-2008, Anbar Province was approaching a transfer of authority to Provincial Iraqi Control, making it politically sensitive. A meeting of tribal sheiks and US Marines was convened in Al-Karmah, providing a high-value target for insurgents seeking to destabilize the reconciliation process.
A suicide bomber disguised as an Iraqi policeman detonated an explosive vest at a meeting of tribal leaders in Al-Karmah on 26 June 2008. The blast killed three US Marines—including LtCol Max Galeai, the battalion commander—twenty Iraqi sheiks, the town's mayor, and two interpreters, totaling approximately 25 dead.
The planned transfer of Anbar Province to Iraqi control was delayed beyond its scheduled date but ultimately occurred on 1 September 2008, making Anbar the first Sunni Arab region handed back to Iraqi authority. Two insurgents linked to the bombing were subsequently captured in Tamariya. The attack's aftermath was documented by photojournalist Zoriah Miller.