U.S. and Iraqi forces carried out joint strikes targeting Islamic State militants in western Iraq on Friday, killing at least 15 people and wounding seven U.S. soldiers.
Five U.S. soldiers were wounded in Thursday's attack, two of them in a fall during the operation, The Associated Press reported, citing a U.S. defense official who spoke on condition of anonymity.
Officials also said one injured soldier had to be evacuated for further treatment and another soldier who fell had to be moved from the area, according to the Associated Press.
US Central Command (CENTCOM) said 15 ISIS operatives were killed in the attack. statement It was posted late Friday.
The operatives were armed with “multiple weapons, grenades and explosive 'suicide' belts.” CENTCOM said there were no civilian casualties.
“The operation targeted ISIS leadership and aimed to disrupt and degrade ISIS's ability to plan, organize and carry out attacks against Iraqi civilians, U.S. citizens, allies and partners in the region and beyond,” the military said in a statement, adding that Iraqi security forces continue to “leverage” the locations they raided.
“There are no indications of civilian casualties,” Central Command wrote.
The Associated Press also quoted an Iraqi military statement after the attack, which said, “Airstrikes targeted the hideout, followed by airborne operations.”
“Among the dead were key ISIS leaders,” the army said, without revealing the identities of the victims. “All hideouts, weapons and logistical support were destroyed, explosive belts safely detonated and important documents, identification cards and communication devices were seized.”
The news comes amid a three-year surge in threats from terrorist groups around the world, including the Islamic State, since the U.S. pulled out of Afghanistan. ISIS has claimed responsibility for several deadly attacks around the world this year, from Turkey to Iran to Russia.
Actors affiliated with ISIS carried out a stabbing attack in Germany this month and threatened a Taylor Swift concert in Austria.
CENTCOM said in July that the militant group carried out 153 attacks in Syria and Iraq in the first half of this year and was “on pace to more than double its claimed attack total” in 2023.
