The US military said its forces conducted a raid jointly with the Iraqi security forces in western Iraq, killing 15 members of ISIS.
The operation took place on Thursday morning, the US Central Command (Centcom) said. There were no civilian casualties.
“The ISIS element was armed with numerous weapons, grenades, and explosive belts,” said the statement, posted on social media platform X.
Five US troops were wounded during the raid and another two were injured in falls, a defence official said.
“All personnel are in stable condition,” the official said.
An Iraqi military statement said “air strikes targeted the hideouts, followed by an airborne operation.”
“Among the dead were key ISIS leaders,” the Iraqi statement said, without identifying them. “All hideouts, weapons, and logistical support were destroyed, explosive belts were safely detonated and important documents, identification papers and communication devices were seized.”
Later, Iraq's Foreign Ministry said that an announcement on an end date for the US-led coalition's mission had been postponed due to the “latest developments.” It did not elaborate.
The US has some 2,500 troops in Iraq and 900 in Syria as part of the international coalition against the ISIS group.
Coalition forces have been targeted dozens of times with drones and rocket fire in both Iraq and Syria, as violence related to the Israel-Hamas war in Gaza that broke out in October last year has drawn in Iran-backed armed groups across the Middle East.
Last winter, the Islamic Resistance of Iraq, a loose alliance of Iran-backed groups, claimed some 175 rocket and drone attacks against US troops in Iraq and Syria.
US forces have carried out retaliatory strikes against these militant factions in both countries.
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Some of Darwish's last words
"They see their tomorrows slipping out of their reach. And though it seems to them that everything outside this reality is heaven, yet they do not want to go to that heaven. They stay, because they are afflicted with hope." - Mahmoud Darwish, to attendees of the Palestine Festival of Literature, 2008
His life in brief: Born in a village near Galilee, he lived in exile for most of his life and started writing poetry after high school. He was arrested several times by Israel for what were deemed to be inciteful poems. Most of his work focused on the love and yearning for his homeland, and he was regarded the Palestinian poet of resistance. Over the course of his life, he published more than 30 poetry collections and books of prose, with his work translated into more than 20 languages. Many of his poems were set to music by Arab composers, most significantly Marcel Khalife. Darwish died on August 9, 2008 after undergoing heart surgery in the United States. He was later buried in Ramallah where a shrine was erected in his honour.
Business Insights
- As per the document, there are six filing options, including choosing to report on a realisation basis and transitional rules for pre-tax period gains or losses.
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UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
LILO & STITCH
Starring: Sydney Elizebeth Agudong, Maia Kealoha, Chris Sanders
Director: Dean Fleischer Camp
Rating: 4.5/5
