WSJ: Iraqi Army Hit by Airstrike Allegedly From U.S.-Led Coalition

[MikeWB]

Gee... as soon as Iraqis get close to defeating ISIS, accidents start happening.


By
Ben Kesling
Updated Dec. 18, 2015 5:03 p.m. ET
13 COMMENTS

BAGHDAD—An airstrike by the U.S.-led coalition fighting Islamic State hit an Iraqi army unit near Fallujah on Friday, killing or injuring 10 Iraqi troops, Iraq's Defense Ministry said.

In a statement, the ministry called the bombing errant and said it occurred in Nuaimiya, near the Islamic State-held city, hitting soldiers from the army's 55th Brigade around noon.

Col. Steve Warren, spokesman for the coalition in Iraq, said the ministry's report of a strike on Iraqi forces was likely accurate, though he couldn't provide details on the type of aircraft or munitions involved.

The confusing nature of a combat environment could have contributed to the incident, he added.

"It was a dynamic strike. It was a troops-in-contact situation," he said, meaning the U.S. aircraft were likely scrambled to support Iraqi forces who were already engaged in a fight with Islamic State.

Hakim al-Zamili, a parliamentarian and the head of Iraq's security and defense committee, demanded an immediate investigation by Prime Minister Haider al-Abadi into the matter.

"We need to make sure we're not sacrificing our soldiers," he said.

Mr. Abadi's office didn't respond to a request for comment.

Fallujah sits about halfway between the Iraqi capital of Baghdad and the Anbar provincial capital of Ramadi. Both Fallujah and Ramadi are held by Islamic State, though the Iraqi army has recently pushed into Ramadi and controls much of the city.

The Iraqi army currently operates outside of Fallujah, supported by daily coalition airstrikes.

Bad weather prevented Iraqi air forces from providing support to ground troops Friday, the statement said, so coalition forces were called for assistance.

Two successful coalition strikes against Islamic State then allowed Iraqi forces to make a quick advance on the militant group's positions in the rural Nuaimiya area, it said.

The third, errant strike followed soon after, before the Iraqi troops' new positions could be relayed to the fighter jets.

"Our forces suffered casualties," the statement said.

Brigadier General Hameed Majeed, commander of the 8th Iraqi Army division in Anbar province said the troops, who were part of his division, were targeted by mistake.

The coalition has stepped up its air campaign against the Sunni Muslim extremist group across the country in recent months.

It destroyed or damaged 429 Islamic State targets during the week ending December 14, according to its spokesman.

The campaign began in fall 2014 and has targeted Islamic State in its self-declared "caliphate" in Iraq and Syria.

— Safa Majeed and Ali A. Nabhan contributed to this article.

Write to Ben Kesling at benjamin.kesling@wsj.com

http://www.wsj.com/articles/iraqi-army-hit-by-airstrike-allegedly-from-u-s-led-coalition-1450458553