Suicide bombers target base in Makhmour, US confirms no casualties
ERBIL, Kurdistan Region – Three suicide attackers targeted a US military base near a village in Makhmour, southwest of Erbil on Sunday morning, a Peshmerga official told Rudaw. The attack did not result in any losses among the US servicemen.
One of the attackers blew himself up, while the other two were killed by the US fire, Sirwan Barzani, a Peshmerga commander told Rudaw.
The commander also said that the US servicemen did not suffer any casualties.
He explained the US base has recently been established by the US-led Global Coalition against ISIS in a village of Qaraj sub-district to coordinate the anticipated Hawija offensive southwest of Kirkuk.
The coalition confirmed there was an attack on a base in the vicinity of Hawija on Sunday morning to Rudaw.
"Three attackers with small arms and suicide vests were killed by security forces. No Coalition forces were injured in the attack," stated the coalition.
"However, any temporary bases that are established are always done so in coordination with the government of Iraq and in support of Iraqi Security Forces," stated the coalition. "The Coalition has established and closed several of these temporary posts throughout Iraq as we support the ISF in the fight against Da'esh [ISIS]."
In March 2016, a US soldier was killed in an ISIS mortar attack at the Makhmour base.
Most recently in August, two US service members died and another five were injured in an area near Mosul.
ISIS claimed responsibility for the attack; however, the coalition later said the incident was not due to enemy contact.
“An Army artillery section was conducting a counterfire mission against an ISIS mortar site when a mishap occurred, injuring seven soldiers,” Pentagon spokesman Colonel Robert Manning later explained.
More than 5,000 US troops are training, advising, assisting, and supporting local partners in the war against ISIS in Iraq and Syria.
Strategic Makhmour has served as a primary front for the Kurdistan Region.
In February 2016, Peshmerga forces in coordination with Sunni Arab tribesmen and warplanes from the US-led coalition launched a massive assault on the militants in the village of Kudila on the Makhmour front.
Peshmerga launched a multi-pronged assault on the Gwer-Makhmour fronts in August of 2016.
The strategic Gwer bridge linking Erbil to Mosul was taken by the Peshmerga. This later helped military forces launching the final Mosul offensive in October 2016 using this road.
One of the attackers blew himself up, while the other two were killed by the US fire, Sirwan Barzani, a Peshmerga commander told Rudaw.
The commander also said that the US servicemen did not suffer any casualties.
He explained the US base has recently been established by the US-led Global Coalition against ISIS in a village of Qaraj sub-district to coordinate the anticipated Hawija offensive southwest of Kirkuk.
The coalition confirmed there was an attack on a base in the vicinity of Hawija on Sunday morning to Rudaw.
"Three attackers with small arms and suicide vests were killed by security forces. No Coalition forces were injured in the attack," stated the coalition.
During last month's Tal Afar liberation, the coalition would not confirm or deny the locations of bases because of operational security and force protection.
"However, any temporary bases that are established are always done so in coordination with the government of Iraq and in support of Iraqi Security Forces," stated the coalition. "The Coalition has established and closed several of these temporary posts throughout Iraq as we support the ISF in the fight against Da'esh [ISIS]."
In March 2016, a US soldier was killed in an ISIS mortar attack at the Makhmour base.
Most recently in August, two US service members died and another five were injured in an area near Mosul.
ISIS claimed responsibility for the attack; however, the coalition later said the incident was not due to enemy contact.
“An Army artillery section was conducting a counterfire mission against an ISIS mortar site when a mishap occurred, injuring seven soldiers,” Pentagon spokesman Colonel Robert Manning later explained.
More than 5,000 US troops are training, advising, assisting, and supporting local partners in the war against ISIS in Iraq and Syria.
Strategic Makhmour has served as a primary front for the Kurdistan Region.
In February 2016, Peshmerga forces in coordination with Sunni Arab tribesmen and warplanes from the US-led coalition launched a massive assault on the militants in the village of Kudila on the Makhmour front.
Peshmerga launched a multi-pronged assault on the Gwer-Makhmour fronts in August of 2016.
The strategic Gwer bridge linking Erbil to Mosul was taken by the Peshmerga. This later helped military forces launching the final Mosul offensive in October 2016 using this road.
Last updated at 2 p.m.