An Iraqi navy assertion mentioned “airstrikes focused the hideouts, adopted by an airborne operation.”
DUBAI, United Arab Emirates — The US navy and Iraq launched a joint raid focusing on suspected Islamic State group militants within the nation’s western desert that killed not less than 15 folks and noticed seven American troops damage within the operation, officers mentioned Saturday.
For years after dislodging the militants from their self-declared caliphate throughout Iraq and Syria, U.S. forces have fought the Islamic State group, although the casualties from the raid have been increased than others within the time since.
The U.S. navy’s Central Command alleged the militants have been armed with “quite a few weapons, grenades, and explosive ‘suicide’ belts” throughout the assault Thursday, which Iraqi forces mentioned occurred within the nation’s Anbar Desert.
“This operation focused ISIS leaders to disrupt and degrade ISIS’ capacity to plan, manage, and conduct assaults in opposition to Iraqi civilians, in addition to U.S. residents, allies, and companions all through the area and past,” Central Command mentioned, utilizing an acronym for the militant group. “Iraqi Safety Forces proceed to additional exploit the areas raided.”
It added: “There is no such thing as a indication of civilian casualties.”
An Iraqi navy assertion mentioned “airstrikes focused the hideouts, adopted by an airborne operation.”
“Among the many useless have been key ISIS leaders,” Iraq’s navy mentioned, with out figuring out them. “All hideouts, weapons, and logistical assist have been destroyed, explosive belts have been safely detonated and necessary paperwork, identification papers and communication gadgets have been seized.”
A U.S. protection official, talking on situation of anonymity to debate particulars of the operation but to be made public, instructed The Related Press that 5 American troops have been wounded within the raid, whereas two others suffered accidents from falls within the operation. One who suffered a fall was transported out of the Mideast, whereas one of many wounded was evacuated for additional remedy, the official mentioned.
“All personnel are in secure situation,” the official mentioned.
It wasn’t instantly clear why it took two days for the U.S. to acknowledge it took half within the raid. Iraq didn’t say the U.S. took half within the operation when initially saying it, as politicians debate the way forward for having American troops within the nation. There are roughly 2,500 U.S. troops within the nation.
For the reason that U.S. toppled dictator Saddam Hussein with its 2003 invasion of Iraq, the nation has struggled to steadiness relations between America and neighboring Iran. For the reason that Israel-Hamas battle broke out, Iraqi militias allied to Iran have focused U.S. forces there, resulting in American airstrikes focusing on them.
At its peak, the Islamic State group dominated an space half the dimensions of the UK, the place it tried to implement its excessive interpretation of Islam, which included assaults on spiritual minority teams and harsh punishment of Muslims deemed to be apostates.
A coalition of greater than 80 international locations led by the US was shaped to battle the group, which misplaced its maintain on the territory it managed in Iraq and 2017 and in Syria in 2019.
Nonetheless, the militants have continued to function within the Anbar Desert in Iraq and Syria, whereas claiming assaults carried out by others elsewhere on the earth impressed by the group. That features the 2 suspects in a foiled plot to assault Taylor Swift reveals in Vienna. In the meantime, the IS department in Afghanistan is thought to hold out intensely bloody assaults.
