POLICY_ ISIS attacks Iraqi base housing hundreds of US troops

THE HILL

ISIS attacks Iraqi base housing hundreds of US troops
By Kristina Wong - 02/13/15 04:03 PM EST


The Pentagon said Friday about two dozen Islamic State in Iraq and Syria (ISIS) fighters staged an attack earlier in the day on an Iraqi base, where about 320 U.S. troops are currently training Iraqi forces.

The attack comes at a time when lawmakers are discussing whether U.S. troops should be able to engage in ground combat against ISIS if necessary.

During the attack, between 20 to 25 ISIS fighters approached the perimeter of the Al Asad air base in Iraq's western Anbar province at about 7:20 a.m. local time, according to Pentagon officials.

Several attackers wearing suicide vests led the assault, said Pentagon press secretary Rear Adm. John Kirby at a press briefing.

"Early indications are is that yes, some of them did detonate their vest," Kirby said. After they detonated their vests, about 15 ISIS fighters then tried to breach the perimeter. Kirby said the attackers were "immediately engaged by members of the Iraqi army" and all were killed.

Kirby said "most if not all of them were wearing Iraqi uniforms." There are no indications of any Iraqi security force casualties.

"The attempted attack was not successful on their part," he said.

Kirby said U.S. forces did not engage in any fighting and were at least two miles away on the sprawling air base from the fighting. Coalition aircraft did not conduct any airstrikes, he said.

The approximately 320 U.S. troops and 120 coalition forces are at the base to train about 800 Iraqi forces against ISIS. Currently, U.S. troops are ordered not to engage in combat with ISIS, but they do have the right to use force to defend themselves if necessary.

Although officials say the troops were nowhere near the fighting, the attack brings the possibility of combat closer as Congress deliberates troops' roles there.

The White House earlier this week formally requested Congress to grant authorization for use of military force (AUMF) against ISIS that bans "offensive ground combat operations" and lawmakers are set to debate what that would mean.

There are about 2,500 U.S. troops are deployed to Iraq on non-combat missions, mostly advising and assisting Iraqi forces. Most are special operations forces who are trained and equipped to fight.

Training Iraqi forces is a key part of the U.S.'s strategy against ISIS. The U.S. hopes that once 12 brigades of Iraqi forces are trained — nine Iraqi army units and three Kurdish peshmerga units — they can take back territory in Iraq seized by ISIS.

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