U.S. to Iraq: Keep ‘foot on the gas’, don’t be distracted by suicide attacks in Baghdad

U.S. to Iraq: Keep ‘foot on the gas’, don’t be distracted by suicide attacks in Baghdad

by WorldTribune Staff, May 20, 2016 Iraqi forces should remain on the front-lines to “keep the pressure” on Islamic State of Iraq and Levant (ISIL) rather than redeploy to Baghdad to deal with an uptick in suicide bombings, a spokesman for the U.S.-led coalition said. “Our advice to the Iraqi government is to keep the […]

Russia’s new Sukhoi fighter jets dumping ‘dumb’ bombs on Syria

Russia’s new Sukhoi fighter jets dumping ‘dumb’ bombs on Syria

Special to WorldTribune.com In an age of increasingly precise munitions, Russia is almost exclusively dropping “dumb” bombs in Syria, the U.S. military said. “They’re using mostly dumb bombs, guided only by gravity and fins,” said Army Col. Steven Warren, the top military spokesman in Baghdad, according to a report by national security correspondent Rowan Scarborough […]

ISIL fighters take pay cut: New air strikes incinerate hundreds of millions in cash

ISIL fighters take pay cut: New air strikes incinerate hundreds of millions in cash

Special to WorldTribune.com The U.S.-led coalition bombed ten Islamic State of Iraq and Levant (ISIL) cash depots this past weekend, incinerating hundreds of millions in currency. Col. Steve Warren, the spokesman for the American-led campaign against ISIL in Iraq and Syria, said the targeting of ISIL’s cash hoards is having an impact on the terror […]

War of words erupts between Russia, U.S. over air strikes in Aleppo, Syria

War of words erupts between Russia, U.S. over air strikes in Aleppo, Syria

Special to WorldTribune.com The U.S. and Russia have traded accusations over recent airstrikes in Aleppo, Syria. After the U.S. said Russian warplanes destroyed two hospitals in the besieged city, Moscow responded by claiming U.S. warplanes bombed Aleppo on Feb. 10, an accusation the Pentagon said was a total “fabrication.” “Just before 2 p.m. Moscow time […]

U.S. commander: Iraq’s Mosul dam on verge of catastrophic collapse

U.S. commander: Iraq’s Mosul dam on verge of catastrophic collapse

Special to WorldTribune.com The potential for a collapse of the Mosul dam in northern Iraq is real, according to the commander of the U.S.-led coalition fighting Islamic State of Iraq and Levant (ISIL). “The likelihood of the dam collapsing is something we are trying to determine right now … all we know is when it […]

New U.S. ISIL strategy: bomb the ‘Daesh cash’

New U.S. ISIL strategy: bomb the ‘Daesh cash’

Special to WorldTribune.com The United States has unleashed a new strategy against Islamic State of Iraq and Levant (ISIL): bomb the “Daesh cash.” According to Col. Steve Warren, a Baghdad-based spokesman for the U.S.-led coalition, nine air strikes in Iraq and Syria in the past few months have destroyed “tens of millions” of dollars of […]

ISIL using tunnel networks, civilians as human shields in Ramadi

ISIL using tunnel networks, civilians as human shields in Ramadi

Special to WorldTribune.com Islamic State of Iraq and Levant (ISIL) has kept Iraqi forces from gaining full control of Ramadi by launching attacks through a network of tunnels and using local residents as human shields. “What we see are small groups of enemy forces and in that group is maybe five to seven, maybe as […]

U.S.-led coalition parachutes ammo to anti-ISIL Syrian rebels

U.S.-led coalition parachutes ammo to anti-ISIL Syrian rebels

Special to WorldTribune.com The U.S.-led coalition has begun dropping ammunition to rebel forces via parachute in northern Syria. The Pentagon announced last week that it was changing its strategy from training moderate rebels to arming rebel groups already on the ground and engaged in fighting ISIL jihadists. Col. Steve Warren, the Baghdad-based spokesman for the […]

New war on terror: Iraq joins Russia, Iran, Syria against ISIL

New war on terror: Iraq joins Russia, Iran, Syria against ISIL

Special to WorldTribune.com Iraq’s military said on Sept. 27 that it will coordinate with Russia, Iran and Syria on “security and intelligence” details in the ongoing battle against Islamic State of Iraq and Levant (ISIL). Iraq will “help and cooperate in collecting information about the terrorist Daesh (ISIL) group,” according to a statement from the […]

U.S. air strike in Libya said to kill ‘uncatchable’ Islamist militant

U.S. air strike in Libya said to kill ‘uncatchable’ Islamist militant

Special to WorldTribune.com A United States air strike carried out on June 13 inside Libya is said to have killed Islamist militant Mokhtar Belmokhtar, who had been dubbed “uncatchable” by French forces in North Africa. “I can confirm that the target of last night’s counterterrorism strike in Libya was Mokhtar Belmokhtar,” Pentagon spokesman Col. Steve […]