The convoy of Iraqi security forces attacked by US helicopters
On January 27, a unit of Iraqi security forces was attacked by US-led coalition helicopters, according to the Iraqi Army Military Media Cell.
The source said that the unit was attacked by the US-led coalition when it was on its way back to its base after finishing its mission - to capture a commander of ISIS "Karim Afat Ali al-Samarad" in the town of al-Baghdadi in the western al-Anbar province,The Iraqi side didn't provide any information on why the accident happened.
However, the Military Media Cell hinted that a lack of coordination between the Iraqi security forces and the US-led coalition might have been the main reason.
From its side, US Army Colonel Ryan Dillon spokesman for the US-led coalition stressed in that all the US-led coalition airstrikes were coordinated with the Iraqi side.
He added that the US-led coalition is investigating the incident.
An unnamed Iraqi official revealed to Reuters that six personnel of the Iraqi security forces and two civilians including a woman were killed in the US-led coalition airstrikes. Around twenty other people including a high ranking officer of the security forces were injured, according to the source.Since 2014, the US-led coalition has been accused of attacking the Iraqi Army and the Iraqi Popular Mobilization Units (PMU) during their battles against ISIS on several occasions.
However, the US-led coalition never took any real measure to investigate the reasons behind such mistakes.
Comment: Speaking in an exclusive interview with Arabic-language
al-Sabah al-Jadid daily newspaper, Chairman of Anbar Provincial Security Council Naeem al-Kaoud
said security forces and volunteer fighters, commonly known as Hashd al-Shaabi, cleansed over 80 percent of Anbar desert areas of the extremists following multi-pronged military operations there.
"The troops also destroyed several ISIL hotbeds and remotely detonated four armored vehicles, which were used by the militant group," he added.
Kaoud went on to say that ten more people were also arrested on suspicion of joining ISIL terror group.
"Although the militants hotbeds were built underground, the troops were able to destroy them after receiving intelligence reports on their locations," the senior security official pointed out.
"The military operation, backed by the Iraqi Air Force, comes as part of ongoing efforts to eliminate ISIL militants on the country's borders with Saudi Arabia and Jordan," Kaoud noted.
Comment: Speaking in an exclusive interview with Arabic-language al-Sabah al-Jadid daily newspaper, Chairman of Anbar Provincial Security Council Naeem al-Kaoud said security forces and volunteer fighters, commonly known as Hashd al-Shaabi, cleansed over 80 percent of Anbar desert areas of the extremists following multi-pronged military operations there.