Camp Fallujah

"MEK Compound" redirects here. For the organic compound also known as Methyl Ethyl Ketone, see Butanone.

Camp Fallujah (formerly known as the MEK (Mujahedin-E Khalq) Compound) is a large compound in Fallujah, Iraq formerly used by the U.S. Army and U.S. Marines from 2004 to 2009 and now used by the Iraqi Ground Forces.

Camp Fallujah FOB St. Mere
Fallujah, Al Anbar Governorate, Iraq in Iraq
Camp Fallujah Insignia
Site information
Owner	Ministry of Defence
Operator	United States Army  United States Marine Corps
Location
Camp Fallujah Shown within Iraq
Coordinates	33°18′54″N 43°52′59″E
Site history
Built	1980s
In use	2003-2009 (2009)
Battles/wars	Iraq War Iraqi insurgency (2003-2006) First Battle of Fallujah Second Battle of Fallujah
Garrison information
Garrison	HQ, 1st Division (Iraq)

History

Before the Marine occupation, the Iranian dissident group called Mujahideen-e-Khalq used the MEK as a training camp, but turned it over to the U.S. Army 3rd Armored Cavalry Regiment on May 11, 2003 after the Mujahideen-e-Khalq surrender. The 82nd Airborne Division took over the facility in August 2003 and created Forward Operating Base St. Mere. On March 24, 2004, the 1st Marine Expeditionary Force took control from the 82nd Airborne and renamed the FOB, Camp Fallujah in order to better associate the camp with the local Iraqi city.^[1] On January 12, 2009, the Government of Iraq took control of the compound from the United States military.^[2]

The camp is adjacent to the other major U.S. base in Fallujah, the former Ba'athist resort Camp Baharia (also known as "Dreamland").

An M198 howitzer firing from Camp Fallujah, Iraq in 2004

U.S. Operational Names

• 3d Armored Cavalry Regiment - MEK Compound
• 82nd Airborne - FOB St. Mere
• United States Marine Corps - Camp Fallujah

See also

• History of the United States Marine Corps
• List of United States Marine Corps installations
• List of United States Military installations in Iraq