U.S. Commando Killed during Hostage Rescue in Iraq

U.S. Special Operators accompanying Kurdish Peshmerga today attacked Islamic States militants holding a building used as a prison near the town of Hawijiah, south of Kirkuk, and freed 70 hostages who faced “imminent mass execution,” Pentagon spokesman Peter Cook said. An American Special Operator lost his life during the operation. U.S. forces thought to be from the elite Delta Force. 20 ISIL militants were killed during the operation.  

Photo credit: FP

U.S. Weighing Russian Offer for Mil-to-Mil Contact on Syria – Kerry

Secretary of State John Kerry said today the U.S. is weighing an offer from Russia to have military-to-military regular contacts and meetings on the situation in Syria. Russia is building up its military presence in the country to support Assad regime’s military operations against ISIL and the opposition groups.

Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov proposed the mil-to-mil arrangement in a phone call on Tuesday. Kerry said he favored the idea, which enables the U.S. to have a clear picture of what Russia’s intentions are in Syria following its recent military buildup there. (AP, 16 September)

Photo: Secretary of State John Kerry during a meeting at the White House; 15 September 2015 (Andrew Harnik/AP)

   

U.S. Deploy F-16s to Turkish Airbase for Counter-ISIL Operations

The United States deployed a detachment of F-16 warplanes at a Turkish base to support operations against the Islamic States. Last week Turkey decided to host the deployment of U.S. aircraft conducting counter-ISIL operations.

Six U.S. Air Force F-16 Fighting Falcons today arrived at Incirlik Air Base, Turkey, along with support equipment and approximately 300 personnel, U.S. European Command announced. The detachment is from the 31^st Fighter Wing based at Aviano Air Base, Italy.

Photo credit: F-16 Fighting Falcons as they arrive at Incirlik Air Base, Turkey; 9 August 2015 (U.S. Air Force/AFP)

U.S. and Turkey to Set Up Buffer Zone in Northern Syria - Report

The Wall Street Journal and other major U.S. media are reporting that the United States and Turkey are close to a deal to establish a de facto no-fly zone, a "safe zone," in northern Syria. The broad sketches of the understanding include eventually relying on moderate Syrian rebels to help take control of the buffer zone along the Turkish border, reportedly 65 miles long and 25 miles deep. This is the area now controlled by ISIL, between the moderate rebel-controlled areas to its left and Kurdish PYG areas to the right.

Turkey agreed to let U.S. to use bases on its soil to attack ISIL positions in Syria. Turkish officials told the Journal that Turkey’s F-16 fighter jets will also be used to help clear ISIL and other extremist insurgents from the safe zone and protect the area.

U.S. to Send More Troops to Iraq

President Obama has authorized the deployment of up to 450 additional U.S. military personnel to train, advise, and assist Iraqi Security Forces at Taqaddum military base in eastern Anbar province. The president made the decision after a request from Prime Minister Al-Abadi of Iraq. These additional U.S. troops will augment the 3,100 troops who have already been deployed to Iraq.

Obama has also directed the expedited delivery of equipment and materiel to Iraqi forces, including the Peshmerga and Sunni tribal fighters. The deliveries will be coordinated with the central government in Baghdad.

No New Recruit at U.S. Training Base in Iraq

The Hill reported on Monday that the U.S. military training mission at Al Asad base has stalled because the central government has not been sending new recruits. The base if one of the five U.S.-led coalition training sites in the country.

“Al Asad has zero. And Al Asad has had zero now for some time,” an unnamed U.S. defense official told The Hill.

President Obama said Monday after a discussion with Iraqi Prime Minister Haider al-Abadi that the U.S. and allied have more training capacity than they have recruits.

“Part of my discussion with Prime Minister Abadi was how to make sure that we get more recruits in. A big part of the answer there is our outreach to Sunni tribes. We’ve seen Sunni tribes who are not only willing and prepared to fight ISIL, but have been successful at rebuffing ISIL. But (recruiting) has not been happening as fast as it needs to,” Obama said. (The Hill, 8 June)

The training and equipping of Sunni tribal fighters became more urgent after the fall of Ramadi last month. Ramadi is the capital of Anbar Province, the Sunni heartland.

The other four U.S. training sites are located in Baghdad, Erbil, Taj and Besmaya. In Baghdad site, approximately 910 trainees, mainly Iraqi special operations forces, are being trained. There are 800 trainees at the Erbil site, 255 trainees at Besmaya, and 630 trainees at Taj. (The Hill, 8 June)

Photo credit: President Barack Obama and Iraqi Prime Minister Haider al-Abadi, left, participate in a bilateral meeting on the sidelines of G-7 summit in Garmisch, Southern Germany; Monday, 8 June 2015 (Carolyn Kaster/AP)

Senior ISIL Leader Killed by Delta Force in Syria

The White House announced that on Friday night U.S. personnel based out of Iraq conducted an operation in al-Amr in eastern Syria to capture ISIL senior leader known as Abu Sayyaf. During the course of operation, Abu Sayyaf was killed when he engaged U.S. forces. A senior U.S. official told ABC today that the operation was conducted by the Delta Force special operators.

Abu Sayyaf was overseeing ISIL’s illicit oil and gas operations, vital to organization's finances, and was also involved in ISIL’s military operations. He was believed to be behind past kidnapping of U.S. hostages. CNN’s Barbara Starr reports that sources familiar with operations believe Abu Sayyaf was in contact with ISIL leader Al Baghdadi.

File photo: Wathiq Khuzaie/Reuters 

Battle of Mosul Could Begin in April - CENTCOM

U.S. Central Command (CENTCOM) announced on Thursday that the battle to retake Mosul is expected to begin in April or May, and will require 20,000 to 25,000 Iraqi and Kurdish troops. The city fell to the Islamic State insurgents in June, and as many as 2,000 ISIL fighters are believed to be posted there.

“There are a lot of pieces that have to come together, and we want to make sure the conditions are right,” said an official from the CENTCOM. “But this is their (Iraqi and Kurdish) plan. They are bought into it. They are moving forward.” (The New York Times, 20 February)

“If they are not ready, if the conditions are not set… we have not closed the door on sliding to the right,” said the official. (Military Times, 19 February)

About 2,600 American troops are in Iraq, advising, assisting and training Iraqi troops.

Current planning envisions that five Iraqi army brigades, backed by three Peshmerga brigades will spearhead the assault on ISIL positions in Mosul, Iraq’s second largest city. Plans also call for a “Mosul fighting force,” that will include many former Mosul police officers and Sunni tribesmen, will push into the densely populated neighborhoods of the predominantly Sunni city, the CENTCOM official said. (Military Times, 19 February)

Since June, Mosul had been the capital of ISIL’s proclaimed Islamic caliphate in Iraq and Syria. The defeat of ISIL does require the liberation of Mosul.

Photo credit: CENTCOM’s Command Sgt. Maj. Christopher Greca (l.) speaking with an Iraqi army trainee; 11 February 2015, Al-Asad Air base, Iraq. (Master Sgt. Mike Lavigne/Army/Military Times)

Iraq Update

The Islamic State insurgents have retaken control of the central city of Baiji after the Iraqi military ordered its forces to retreat to the nearby refinery. The Iraqi forces, with the help of Iranian-backed Shia militias, had taken city from ISIL only last month. The militants posted a number of photos on the Internet, showing captured and destroyed armored vehicles, including M-1 tanks and Humvees, as well as weapons and ammunition that were abandoned by fleeing Iraqi forces. (The Long War Journal, 18 December)

Recapturing of Baiji was a major victory for ISIL after a string loses in recent weeks. Before retaking Baiji, however, ISIL also took control of some towns near Samarra. The Iraqi military and Shia militias had ejected ISIL from Jurf al-Sakhar, Amirli and Jalula, and the Peshmerga had retaken several northern towns. 

On Thursday, the Peshmerga, backed by U.S.-led coalition airstrikes, retook large swath of territory between Kurdish autonomous region and Sinjar, and are poised to retake the city of Sinjar in the next few days. 

Meantime, the Pentagon said hundreds of U.S. troops are now deployed in the restive Anbar province. About 350 troops are stationed at Al Asad Air Base. The force is composed of advisors and support personnel, as well as a force protection contingent, Stars and Stripes reported on Thursday. The troops on the ground are helping the Iraqi Army’s 7^th Division, stationed in Anbar, with developing strategies, mission planning and coordinating close air support operations.

Photo credit: Scene of battle at Baiji in a photo released by ISIL (The Long War Journal) 

Kurdish Forces Advance toward Sinjar

UPDATE: Peshmerga Retakes Sinjar City

A large Kurdish Peshmerga force, backed by U.S.-led coalition airstrikes, launched a major operation on Wednesday to retake the town of Sinjar, which has been under ISIL control since August. By securing Sinjar area, the Peshmerga will disrupt ISIL’s line of communication connecting areas under its control in Syria to Mosul.

The Kurdish regional security officials were quoted by the Associated Press today as saying that the Peshmerga forces have entered the town of Sinjar and have retaken at least eight villages around Sinjar, driving “large numbers” of ISIL insurgents to flee to Mosul and other nearby areas under their control.

The Combined Joint Task Force- Operation Inherent Resolve (CJTF-OIR) has been conducting airstrikes against ISIL positions near Sinjar. The CJTF, under the command of U.S. Army Lt. Gen. James Terry, oversees operations in Iraq and Syria against ISIL.  40 contributing nations are members of the combined task force.  Gen. Terry reports to CENTCOM Commander Gen. Lloyd Austin.

UPDATE: Peshmerga forces retook control of the city of Sinjar in biggest victory in months against ISIL. (Saturday, 20 December)

Photo credit: Peshmerga forces, back by U.S.-led coalition airstrikes, advancing to recapture Sinjar; 17 December 2014 (Ahmed Jadallah/Reuters)

U.S. to Leave 10,800 Troops in Afghanistan

Secretary of Defense Chuck Hagel on a visit to Afghanistan today said the U.S. commanders in the country have been authorized to retain up to 10,800 troops into early in 2015 as a temporary measure to address shortfalls in the fight against the Taliban. The increase of 1,000 in the number of troops being kept in Afghanistan, over the previously scheduled 9,800, could be in response to a gap left by other NATO countries contributing fewer troops to the anti-Taliban campaign than pledged already.

Hagel also praised Afghan President Ghani and CEO Abdullah for forming a government of national unity by “putting needs of the country first.” Hagel made the comments during a joint press conference with Ghani at Arg, the presidential palace in Kabul.

Photo credit: Secretary of Defense Chuck Hagel and Afghan President Ashraf Ghani at a joint press conference at Arg, the presidential palace in Kabul; 6 December 2014 (Twitter/@jimsciutto)

UAE: Top American Partner in Arab World

The Washington Post’s Rajiv Chandrasekaran on Sunday wrote a piece on UAE’s Al-Dhafra Air Base. The vast desert airfield hosts U.S. fighter jets, which night after night for the past six weeks have taken off heading north on bombing runs over Iraq and Syria.

The Pentagon does not publicly acknowledge the American presence at Al-Dhafra, but the twin-runway airfield has become a vital part of U.S.-led campaign against the Islamic State.

On many nights, the U.S. planes are accompanied by a wave of F-16 Fighting Falcons operated by the UAE’s air force, Chandrasekaran reports. The UAE has indeed become America’s closest ally in the fight against ISIL.

“The UAE has gone all in,” said retired General Anthony Zinni, a former CENTCOM commander. “It’s the strongest relationship that the United States has in the Arab world today.” (The Washington Post, 9 November)

Shared concerns over the rise of militant Islam and Iran’s regional policies and nuclear program are likely to be the foundation of the growing U.S.-UAE relationship.

File photo: Emblem of the 380th Air Expeditionary Wing (380 AEW), attached to U.S. Air Force Central (AFCENT) stationed at Al-Dhafar Air Base, the UAE.

U.S. to Send 1,500 More Troops to Iraq

President Obama has authorized the deployment of an additional 1,500 U.S. troops to Iraq in the coming months, the Defense Department announced today. The move will double the number of advisors sent to assist Iraqi and Kurdish security forces in the battle against the Islamic State.

The U.S. military advisors will also establish a number of additional training sites across Iraq, in a significant expansion of the American involvement in the war. A number of new advisors will be deployed to the restive Anbar province.

The Pentagon said the decision to increase the number of advisor deployed to Iraq was based on United States Central Command’s assessment of Iraqi military units, the progress Iraqi security forces have made since June, and in concert with the development of a coalition plan to defend key areas and go on offensive against ISIL.

A Pentagon official said Friday that a group of military advisors will assist Iraqi troops at the brigade level, and a second group would train troops.

No U.S.-Iran Military Coordination against ISIL - Rice

U.S. national security advisor Susan Rice said on Friday the United States is not engaged in military coordination with Iran on countering Islamic State forces in Iraq and Syria. 

“We are in no way engaged in any coordination – military coordination – with Iran on countering ISIL,” said Rice at a White House briefing. 

Photo credit: U.S. national security advisor Susan Rice at a news briefing at the White House; 7 November 2014 (Reuters)

Turkey to Facilitate Peshmerga Move to Join Battle of Kobane

 U.S. Airdrops Weapons, Ammunition, Medical Supplies in Kobane

 

Turkish Foreign Minister Mevlut Cavusoglu said Monday that Turkey would facilitate the movement of Kurdish Peshmerga forces to join Kurdish YPG fighters in the battle of Kobane against the Islamic State.

Turkey’s move to allow the Peshmerga cross over to Kobane is a major shift in policy, apparently under request from the United States. Turkish Prime Minster Erdogan in a phone call to President Obama on Saturday pledged to “strengthen cooperation” against ISIL in Syria, AFP reported today.  

Meanwhile, the U.S. military for the first time airdropped weapons, ammunition, and medical supplies to YPG fighters in Kobane. A C-130 cargo aircraft conducted multiple airdrops of the supplies provided by Kurdish government in Erbil. 

CENTCOM said the supplies airdropped in the city were “intended to enable continued resistance against ISIL’s attempts to overtake Kobane.”

U.S.-led warplanes also launched 11 airstrikes against ISIL positions in Kobane on Saturday and Sunday, bringing the total airstrikes against the insurgents in Kobane to 135. 

Meanwhile, Secretary of State John Kerry welcomed Turkish decision to allow the Pershmerga cross over to Kobane to help YPG forces in the fight against ISIL. 

“It would have been irresponsible for us and morally very difficult to turn your back on a community fighting ISIL as hard as it,” said Kerry. 

A spokesman for YPG thanks the U.S.-led coalition and called for more aid in the fight against the Islamic State. 

The airdrops, airstrikes and the impending arrival of Peshmerga forces in Kobane could lead to ISIL’s defeat in the city. Kobane seems to have become ISIL’s major strategic blunder in their four-month offensive in Iraq and Syria. 

Photo credit: A view of Kobane from Turkish side of the border, with Turkish tanks positioned at the border; Sunday 19 October 2014 9Getty Images/NYT)