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| Jurf al-Nasr | |
|---|---|
| Name | Jurf al-Nasr |
| Native name | الجرف النصر |
| Other name | Jurf al-Sakhar |
| Settlement type | Town |
| Subdivision type | Country |
| Subdivision name | Iraq |
| Subdivision type1 | Governorate |
| Subdivision name1 | Babil Governorate |
| Subdivision type2 | District |
| Subdivision name2 | Kifl District |
| Population total | 10000 |
| Population as of | 2014 |
Jurf al-Nasr is a town in Iraq located southwest of Baghdad near the Euphrates River and close to the Battle of Fallujah corridors. The town lies within Babil Governorate and has been the focal point of campaigns involving Iraqi Armed Forces, Popular Mobilization Forces, and Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant during the 2010s. Control of the town affected supply routes between Baghdad International Airport, Najaf, and Hillah.
The settlement was historically known as Jurf al-Sakhar and later renamed Jurf al-Nasr following operations by Iraqi Counter-Terrorism Service and allied forces; the new name references victory in Arabic similar to uses in other Iraqi toponyms after Operation Inherent Resolve, Anbar campaign (2014–2017), and post-2003 invasion of Iraq reconstruction narratives. Naming practices echo precedents such as renamings in Mosul, Ramadi, and areas retaken during the Iraqi Civil War (2014–2017).
Situated on the south bank of the Euphrates River floodplain, the town is near the administrative boundary of Baghdad Governorate and Karbala Governorate and lies along transit routes connecting Najaf to Baghdad. The local population comprised mainly Shia Arab communities with significant displacement during the Iraqi insurgency (2011–2013), the Iraqi Civil War (2014–2017), and following Operation Ashura-era security measures by Hashd al-Shaabi elements linked to Abu Mahdi al-Muhandis and Popular Mobilization Forces. Pre-conflict demographics reflected rural-urban linkages seen across Babil Governorate and adjacent districts such as Samarra and Karbala.
The town's strategic importance increased after the 2003 invasion of Iraq when lines of control shifted among Sunni insurgents, Al-Qaeda in Iraq, and later Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant. Proximity to pilgrimage routes to Karbala and Najaf made the area a site for checkpoints by Iraqi Security Forces, United States Armed Forces, and Coalition forces. During the early 2010s emboldened fighters associated with Islamic State launched operations across Anbar Governorate and into Babil Governorate, drawing responses from Iraqi Army operations, Prime Minister Haider al-Abadi-era directives, and international support from partners involved in Operation Inherent Resolve.
In late 2014 and into 2015, the town became a contested locus as Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant forces expanded from Fallujah and Ramadi toward central Iraq supply lines. ISIL occupation involved fortification similar to patterns observed in Mosul and Tikrit, prompting intervention by Iraqi Counter-Terrorism Service, Popular Mobilization Forces, and allied tribal militias such as those connected to Sadrism and Badr Organization. The occupation precipitated mass displacement, drawing humanitarian actors such as United Nations Assistance Mission for Iraq and International Committee of the Red Cross into the region to respond to internally displaced persons and reports of human rights abuses documented by organizations linked to Human Rights Watch and Amnesty International.
In 2015, combined operations involving Iraqi Armed Forces, Popular Mobilization Forces, and advisors from coalition partners liberated the town in a campaign timed with offensives elsewhere in Anbar and Nineveh Governorate. Post-liberation security operations resembled stabilization efforts in Ramadi and Tikrit, with demining by teams trained under programs associated with United Nations Mine Action Service and reconstruction funded through initiatives linked to Iraqi Reconstruction Fund and provincial authorities in Babil Governorate. Reconstruction priorities aligned with projects implemented in Mosul and Anbar including clearing explosives, rebuilding roads connecting to Baghdad, and restoring utilities aided by contractors with ties to World Bank-backed programs.
After liberation, governance involved coordination among the Iraqi Ministry of Interior, Iraqi Ministry of Defense, provincial councils in Babil Governorate, and local municipal bodies. Security responsibility was shared between reconstituted units of the Iraqi Army, Iraqi Federal Police, and elements of the Popular Mobilization Forces; this mirrored arrangements in other contested towns like Baqubah and Kirkuk. Judicial and administrative services were gradually reestablished with support from legal reform projects funded by international partners including the United Nations Development Programme and bilateral donors involved in post-conflict governance in Iraq.
The local economy historically depended on agriculture supported by irrigation from the Euphrates River, linkages to markets in Hillah and Baghdad, and trade routes similar to those servicing Najaf pilgrimages. Conflict damaged irrigation infrastructure, electrical grids, and transportation arteries; reconstruction emphasized restoring water management systems, road rehabilitation connecting to Highway 1 (Iraq), and reopening marketplaces. Economic recovery efforts drew comparisons with reconstruction in Mosul and Ramadi and involved actors such as the International Monetary Fund and United Nations Development Programme in advising provincial economic revitalization programs.
Category:Populated places in Babil Governorate Category:Towns in Iraq