Joint US and Iraqi military operation results in the death of 15 Islamic State militants in western desert raid

In an operation carried out by Iraqi forces in the western region of Iraq, 15 individuals were killed, with the U.S. military also participating, targeting suspected militants from the Islamic State group, as confirmed by the American military on Saturday. Despite the ongoing conflict following the expulsion of the militants from Iraq and Syria, casualties from this raid were notably higher compared to previous incidents.

According to the U.S. military’s Central Command, the militants were found possessing various weapons, grenades, and explosive suicide belts during the attack in the Anbar Desert. The operation aimed at disrupting and weakening ISIS leaders to impede their capacity to plan and execute assaults against Iraqi civilians, U.S. citizens, as well as allies and partners in the region and beyond. The Iraqi Security Forces are actively pursuing leads from the raided locations, the Central Command stated, while emphasizing no civilian casualties were reported.

A statement from the Iraqi military mentioned that airstrikes targeted hideouts, followed by an airborne mission. The Islamic State group, at its height, controlled an area the size of half of the United Kingdom, enforcing a strict interpretation of Islam and perpetrating violence against religious minorities and Muslims labeled as apostates. A coalition of over 80 nations, spearheaded by the United States, has been combating the group, leading to their territorial losses in 2017 in Iraq and 2019 in Syria.

However, remnants of the Islamic State group persist in the Anbar Desert in Iraq and Syria, orchestrating attacks and claiming responsibility for incidents globally. The group’s branch in Afghanistan is notorious for executing brutal assaults.