Special to WorldTribune.com

Despite tasting “bitter defeat”, fighters from Islamic State of Iraq and Levant continue to mount attacks near the strategic Assad air base in the Iraqi province of Anbar where U.S. Marines are training members of the Iraqi 7th Division.

The threat to the reported 320 U.S. military personnel and defense contractors at Assad was heightened as ISIL captured Al Baghdadi, some eight kilometers from the air base.

On Feb. 13, militants wearing Iraqi military uniforms penetrated the perimeter of the base U.S. troops are stationed, military officials told Stars and Stripes.

In June 2014, the U.S. military evacuated the Assad air base after ISIL came within two kilometers of the air base. The air base had been slated to receive the first of 26 F-16 Block 52 multi-role fighters ordered by the Baghdad government.

[Related: 320 U.S. Marines, contractors face ‘threat’ as ISIL again approaches air base in Anbar, Feb. 15]

Although jihadists control much of the town, local fighters have prevented ISIL from establishing a stronghold in Baghdadi, a local commander told the Asharq Al-Awsat newspaper.

“Although ISIL has tasted bitter defeat in Baghdadi, they are congregating their forces and re-launching their attacks on the city every now and then, despite their losses,” Baghdadi security official Shaaban Barzan Al-Obeidi said.

Obeidi credited local Baghdadi fighters and air strikes by the U.S.-led anti-ISIL international coalition.

“We have suffered losses . . .But we have been able to kill a lot of the ISIL fighters,” Obeidi said.

  ISIL continues attacks in Anbar after penetrating key air base with U.S. trainers, Key air base with U.S. Marines was briefly penetrated by ISIL forces in Iraqi uniforms, WorldTribune.com