Seven U.S. soldiers wounded and 15 terrorists killed in raid against Islamic State in Iraq
Two US military personnel had to be evacuated. They are in stable condition.
File image of the Embassy in Baghdad
U.S. and Iraqi forces conducted a joint operation in western Iraq on Thursday that resulted in the deaths of 15 Islamic State (IS) terrorists, Central Command Middle East (Centcom) reported.
Seven U.S. military personnel were injured, five during the raid and two from accidental falls. Although two of them had to be evacuated for treatment, all are stable, officials detailed.
"The ISIS element was armed with numerous weapons, grenades, and explosive "suicide" belts. There is no indication of civilian casualties," Centcom claimed in a statement. The operation targeted leaders of the terrorist group with the aim "to disrupt and degrade ISIS' ability to plan, organize, and conduct attacks against Iraqi civilians, as well as U.S. citizens, allies, and partners throughout the region and beyond."
The U.S. deployed some 2,500 troops in Iraq and nearly 900 in Syria as part of an international coalition created to fight ISIS, AFP recalled.
The forces of that alliance have recently been the target of dozens of drone and rocket attacks in both Iraq and Syria, while the war between Israel and Hamas in Gaza continues.
Although Iraqi authorities declared "victory" over ISIS late 2017, jihadist cells continue to sporadically attack soldiers and police, especially in rural and remote areas.
On August 15, Iraq announced the postponement of the end of the end of the Washington-led international anti-jihadist coalition mission, justifying that delay on "latest developments" in a tense regional context.
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