U.S. troops took part in a raid in western Iraq early Saturday that targeted suspected Islamic State militants, killing 15 people, the U.S. military said.
U.S. troops have been battling Islamic State for years since driving the militants out of their self-declared caliphate across Iraq and Syria, but the deaths and injuries from Friday's attack were higher than any other since then.
US Central Command said the militants were armed with “numerous weapons, grenades and explosive 'suicide' belts” during the Iraqi military attack in the country's Anbar desert.
“This 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,” Central Command said, using an acronym for the militant group.
“Iraqi security forces continue to exploit the locations they raided.”
It added that there were “no indications of civilian casualties.”
“Airstrikes targeted the hideout, followed by airborne operations,” an Iraqi military statement said.
At its peak, the Islamic State controlled an area half the size of the UK and sought to enforce its extreme interpretation of Islam, including attacks on religious minority groups and harsh punishments for Muslims deemed apostates.
A US-led coalition of more than 80 countries was formed to fight the group, which lost territory in Iraq in 2017 and Syria in 2019.
But militants continue to operate in Iraq and Syria's Anbar Desert, while claiming others are responsible for attacks elsewhere in the world.
The Islamic State's affiliate in Afghanistan is known for carrying out fierce and bloody attacks.
