2 US service members injured in Iraqi raid targeting ISIS leaders

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The Pentagon stated Tuesday that two U.S. military personnel were hurt overnight in an ISIS operation in Iraq that killed “multiple” ISIS terrorists and targeted key ISIS officials. At a conference, Pentagon press secretary Maj. Gen. Pat Ryder told reporters, “What I can tell you is that overnight, CENTCOM and Iraqi security forces conducted a partnered raid in Iraq targeting several senior ISIS leaders.”

According to Ryder, the two American service members were in stable condition. The new leader of ISIS in Iraq and eight other ISIS leaders were killed in an Iraqi raid in the northern Hamrin Mountains, Iraqi Prime Minister Mohammed Shia’ Al Sudani said earlier Tuesday. Regarding Tuesday’s operations, the Pentagon did not disclose many specifics.

The Islamic State leader slain in the raid was named by Iraq’s military as Jasim al-Masroui Abu Abdel Qadir. The other raid casualties were not named by the Iraqi army, but they would be identified through DNA testing. After the then-head of ISIS in Iraq was killed in another U.S.-Iraqi raid two months ago, the ISIS commander had just taken over the top position. “The raid resulted in the death of multiple ISIS operatives,” stated Ryder. “Post-mission analysis is ongoing, so we’ll provide more details once we have confirmed information, and we’ll have more to follow on it.”

“We do have reports of two U.S. service members that were injured,” Ryder stated. “I don’t have more to provide at this time.” “My understanding is that both of them are in stable condition, being treated for their injuries, but certainly we’ll have more to provide on that as it becomes available,” he added. There are still 2,500 U.S. troops in Iraq with the mission to prevent a resurgence of ISIS after it was defeated territorially in 2019. There are about 900 U.S. troops in eastern Syria on the same mission.

U.S. Central Command estimates there are still 2,500 ISIS fighters at large across Iraq and Syria. ISIS carried out 153 attacks in Iraq and Syria in the first six months of this year, according to CENTCOM figures released in July, a pace that would almost double the total number of attacks ISIS claimed in 2023.

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