The US says that the Coalition is ready to resume the mission to fight ISIS in Iraq.
“CJTF-OIR operates at the invitation of the Government of Iraq to assist the ISF and other regional security partners in their mission to defeat ISIS. Attacks against Iraqi military bases hosting Coalition Forces obliged us to temporarily pause training and counter-Daesh operations, to focus on protecting our personnel. As our operations resume, we look forward to strong partnership with the ISF and Iraqi government, to ensure a lasting defeat of Daesh.”
However the issue of protecting areas where US forces are located, on Iraqi bases for instance, and where they have come under rocket fire, is an issue. “Force protection has always been our first priority. Now, it’s time for CJTF-OIR, and our security partners, to get back to the work of building our Iraqi partner’s lethality and capacity to crush ISIS remnants,” said Lt. Gen. Pat White, CJTF-OIR commanding general. “We share the goal of a secure Iraq and regional stability.”
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