The Battle of Karbala took place during the US-led 2003 invasion of Iraq as US Army troops and marines fought to clear the city of Iraqi Army and Fedayeen forces. The city had been bypassed during the armored advance to Baghdad, leaving US units to clear it in two days of street fighting against fierce resistance.
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 were wounded.