‘They were armed with explosive suicide belts’: 7 US troops hurt in joint raid with Iraqi forces targeting IS operatives

The US military participated in a raid in western Iraq that resulted in the deaths of 15 IS operatives, according to a statement released by the US military’s central command early on Saturday.
“US central command (CENTCOM) forces and Iraqi Security Forces conducted a partnered raid in Western Iraq in the early hours of August 29, resulting in the death of 15 IS operatives,” the central command said in a statement.

Meanwhile, 7 US troops were also injured in the joint operation. “Five were wounded in the operation, while two others were hurt in falls,” a US military official was quoted as saying by the news agency AP.
The casualties from this operation were higher than those in other raids conducted since the militants were driven out of their self-proclaimed caliphate across Iraq and Syria.
Central command claimed that the IS militants were armed with “numerous weapons, grenades, and explosive ‘suicide’ belts” during the attack, which took place in the Anbar desert.
The operation aimed to disrupt and degrade the Islamic State group’s ability to plan, organize, and conduct attacks against Iraqi civilians, US citizens, allies, and partners throughout the region and beyond. The central command added that “Iraqi Security Forces continue to further exploit the locations raided” and said, “There is no indication of civilian casualties.”
“ISIS remains a threat to the region, our allies, as well as our homeland. US CENTCOM alongside our coalition and Iraqi partners, will continue to aggressively pursue these terrorists,” central command statement further said.
The Islamic State group, at the height of its power, controlled a region spanning half the size of the United Kingdom. Within this territory, the group sought to impose its radical interpretation of Islam, which involved targeting religious minorities and brutally punishing Muslims accused of apostasy.
In response to the Islamic State’s actions, a global coalition comprising more than 80 nations, spearheaded by the United States, was established to combat the group. As a result of the coalition’s efforts, the Islamic State lost control of its territories in Iraq in 2017 and Syria in 2019.
Despite these setbacks, the militants have persisted in operating within the Anbar Desert, situated between Iraq and Syria, while also claiming responsibility for attacks perpetrated by others in various parts of the world.