ISIS Attacks US Airbase in Iraq

Washington Times:

Islamic State militants clad in Iraqi fighter uniforms and suicide vests launched a sophisticated attack Friday on the second-largest U.S. air base in Iraq, creating havoc at the site of a U.S.-led training operation.

Defense Department spokesman Rear Adm. John Kirby said during a Friday briefing at the Pentagon that 20 to 25 militants — most of them wearing the uniforms of the U.S. partner nation — rushed the Ain al-Asad base near the western Iraq town of al-Baghdadi and were able to breach the base perimeter.

Some of the militants detonated their suicide vests, though it is unknown how far into the base the militants were able to get before members of the Iraq army were able to quash the attack, Adm. Kirby told reporters.

“I can’t sit here and tell you the degree to which the perimeter was breached,” he said. “I just don’t have that level of detail. But they certainly did arrive at the perimeter of the base.”

About 320 U.S. Marines have been training troops from the Iraqi 7th Division on how to combat the Islamic State at Ain al-Asad, Reuters reported.

The attack is not the first to occur since training began. The base was struck by mortar fire at least once since December, Reuters reported.