Husayba, Iraq

Husayba, Iraq is located in Anbar Province, approximately 200 miles west of Baghdad. The town is three square miles in size, and was once a thriving trade city of some 30,000 people.

Today, Husayba is largely deserted, with only an estimated 5,000 residents choosing to remain in the troubled town. Its close proximity to the Syrian border makes Husayba a natural holdout for Iraqi insurgents, and a gateway for foreign fighters to arrive in Iraq.

Surrounded by desolation along the lawless border, Husayba is the ideal center of enemy operations. While firmly in control of the town, al Qaeda can filter its enemy fighters and weaponry through any of Iraq's cities, enforcing the pockets of resistance throughout.

Tight alleyways weave through the center of town, pathways that lead to the various government structures, schools and mosques the insurgents use to launch fierce attacks against the incoming Coalition troops.