In 2005, then Colonel H. R. McMaster commanded the 3d Armored Cavalry Regiment during the Battle of Tal Afar. At the time, the city was a key stronghold for al-Qaeda in Iraq and a staging ground for fighters and suicide bombers crossing into northwestern Iraq from Syria. Operation Restoring Rights was launched to clear insurgents, restore order, and protect the civilian population from the sectarian violence ravaging the city. It is often referenced as a model example of the clear, hold, build approach to counterinsurgency.
In this episode of the Urban Warfare Project Podcast, McMaster shares his uniquely insightful perspective on the battle. He describes how the fight was shaped by lessons from Fallujah, how his team integrated Iraqi security forces and tribal leaders, and how planning focused not just on clearing the city but holding it and restoring life afterward. He also emphasizes the extreme lethality involved in urban combat against an entrenched and well-armed enemy. The conversation then applies the lessons of the Battle of Tal Afar to the ongoing fighting in Gaza, highlighting some of the enduring truths of urban warfare.
You can listen to the episode below or find it on Apple Podcasts, Stitcher, Spotify, TuneIn, or your favorite podcast app. Be sure to subscribe, and if you’re enjoying the Urban Warfare Project Podcast, please take a minute and leave the podcast a review or give it a rating!
Image credit: Pfc. James Wilt, US Army