Brought back up to strength, the battalion participated in the breakout of the 2nd New Zealand Division from Minqar Qaim in June 1942, where it had been encircled by the 21st Panzer Division.
Brought back up to strength, the battalion played a key role in the breakout of the 2nd New Zealand Division from Minqar Qaim in June 1942, where it had been encircled by the 21st Panzer Division.
Al-Qaim and its neighbouring Syrian counterpart Albukamal are on a strategic supply route.
Al-Qaida in Iraq seizes control of the town of Qaim on the Syrian border as it mobilises to disrupt the referendum on a draft constitution in October.
After a period of indecision as to where the division was to be best used, it moved to Minqar Qaim with the 20th Battalion remaining behind at Matruh for two days to act as security for engineers laying minefields before joining up with the division.
It continues whether or not the border is open, he said, because it is the people from Al Qaim who are the resistance.
B7 AL QAIM -- The tenacity with which Iraqi forces in Al Qaim defended a compound against U.S. troops made officials think it hid illicit weapons.
From attacks on US and Iraqi forces it is clear that other Anbar towns, such as Qaim, Rawa, Anna and Ramadi, are to varying degrees under the sway of rebels.
The Qaim compound includes the site where Iraq extracted uranium for its nuclear weapons program in the 1980's, but it was destroyed by bombing during the 1991 war.
It has taken four strategically important towns in predominantly Sunni Anbar province - Qaim, Rutba, Rawa and Anah - in the past two days.
