The Battle of Ramadi was fought in the spring of 2004, during the same time as the First Battle of Fallujah. In April 2004, Fallujah was under siege by Coalition Forces and insurgents were looking to relieve pressure on the city by attempting an offensive of their own. Ramadi, the capital of Al Anbar province, was seen as a center of gravity to coalition forces, and thus a prime target to attack. Before the battle started, insurgents cut off the highway out of Al Anbar to Baghdad.