A U.S. military-led raid in western Iraq resulted in the deaths of at least 15 Islamic State militants, including some leaders, during an operation carried out in conjunction with Iraqi security forces. The militants fought back using grenades and explosive suicide belts during the raid.
The operation was aimed at disrupting and degrading the Islamic State’s ability to plan and carry out attacks against Iraqi civilians, as well as U.S. citizens, allies, and partners in the region. There were no civilian casualties reported during the raid, but five U.S. soldiers sustained injuries, none of which were life-threatening.
The raid comes in the wake of a stabbing rampage in Germany by a Syrian refugee with suspected links to the Islamic State, as well as a foiled plot to attack a Taylor Swift concert in Austria by an Austrian citizen pledging allegiance to the group.
The Islamic State group, which originated from the remnants of al Qaeda in Iraq following the U.S.-led invasion, has expanded into Syria amid the country’s civil war. A U.S.-led coalition has largely liberated territory held by the group in Syria, but it still maintains a global network of affiliates and continues to inspire extremists through its online propaganda.
Approximately 2,500 U.S. troops are deployed in Iraq and 900 in Syria in an advisory role to prevent the Islamic State group from regaining strength. Talks between the U.S. and Iraq on ending the military coalition may be delayed until after the U.S. presidential elections in November.
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