The Battle of Karbala (March 31 to April 6, 2003), took place during the US-led 2003 invasion of Iraq as US forces fought to clear the city of Iraqi Army and Fedayeen forces. US divisions involved in the battle included the US Army 3rd Infantry Division, the 1st Armored Division, and the 101st Airborne Division. Iraqi forces consisted of members of the Republican Guard, Saddam Fedayeen and Syrian mercenaries.
The city had been bypassed during the armored advance to Baghdad, leaving three US divisions and supporting units to clear it in two days of street battles against fierce resistance.The task fell principally to the 101st Airborne Division, supported by the 1st Armoured Division. ==Urban fighting==
On 29 March, a suicide bomber (identified as Ali Jaafar al-Noamani, a noncommissioned officer), killed 4 US soldiers (Sergeant Eugene Williams, Corporal Michael Curtin and Privates First Class Michael Weldon and Diego Rincon), on Highway 9 on the outskirts of Karbala.
On April 2, a US Army UH-60 Blackhawk helicopter was shot down by small arms fire near Karbala, killing 7 soldiers. Four other soldiers onboard on board were wounded.These losses appeared to confirm a significant Iraqi presence in the city. The commander of the 101st Airborne Division decided to insert three battalions by helicopters at three landing zones (LZs) on the outskirts of Karbala, designated LZ ''Sparrow'', LZ ''Finch'' and LZ ''Robin''. M-1 Abram tanks and M-2 Bradley fighting vehicles of the 2nd Battalion, 70th Armored Regiment were tasked with supporting the helicopter-borne insertions.
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