The US military has carried out a raid with the Iraqi army against the Islamic State (IS) jihadist group in western Iraq, killing 15 of its fighters, the US Central Middle East Command (CENTCOM) announced in a statement on Friday, August 30.
“This IS group was equipped with numerous weapons, grenades and explosive belts. There are no indications of civilian casualties.”Centcom adds.
The operation, carried out on Thursday morning but made public on Friday evening, “targeted ISIS leaders to disrupt and undermine ISIS’s ability to prepare, organize, and carry out attacks against civilians in Iraq, as well as against U.S. citizens, allies, and partners in the region and beyond.”US Central Command said.
Centcom claims Iraqi army “Continue exploring the raid location”without giving further details about the operation. “It remains a threat to the region, our allies and our homeland”Centcom adds.
Seven American soldiers were wounded during this raid, Centcom reported to Agence France-Presse during the night from Friday to Saturday. They are “in stable conditions”a manager reported.
Sporadic attacks by jihadist cells
The United States deploys around 2,500 troops in Iraq and nearly 900 in Syria as part of the international coalition created to fight the Islamic State group. After its meteoric rise to power in 2014 and the conquest of vast territories in Iraq and neighboring Syria, ISIS saw its “caliphate” self-proclaimed collapse under the influence of successive offensives in these two countries.
If the Iraqi authorities have proclaimed their “victory” Against ISIS in late 2017, jihadist cells continue to sporadically attack soldiers and police, particularly in rural and remote areas, outside major cities.
Iraq announced on August 15 the postponement of the end of the mission on its territory of the international anti-jihadist coalition led by Washington, justifying this delay by the “latest developments” in an explosive regional context.
