“Both Mahmudiya and Yusufiya are in the so-called Triangle of Death, an extremely dangerous area along the Euphrates River valley that has become a melting pot of insurgents, criminal gangs and lawless tribes. The American military considers the region a crucial strategic approach to Baghdad, with important highways running south to the holy city of Najaf and the oil center of Basra, but has never been able to establish control in the region.”
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