The U.S. has launched fresh airstrikes against the Islamic State militant group, also known as ISIS, in an effort to keep the Haditha Dam in western Iraq in the hands of that country's army.
Pentagon Press Secretary Rear Adm. John Kirby confirmed the airstrikes in a statement issued early Sunday, saying that the strikes destroyed five Humvees, an armed vehicle, and a checkpoint. The strikes also damaged a militant bunker. Kirby also said that the U.S. had carried out one airstrike that destroyed an ISIS humvee at the crucial Mosul Dam in northern Iraq.
Sunday's strikes bring the total number conducted by U.S. Central Command to 138 since operations began August 8.
'We conducted these strikes to prevent terrorists from further threatening the security of the dam, which remains under control of Iraqi Security Forces, with support from Sunni tribes,' said Kirby, who was traveling with Defense Secretary Chuck Hagel in the former Soviet republic of Georgia Sunday. Hagel's visit comes on the heels of the just-concluded NATO summit in Wales.
Last month Islamic State fighters were battling to capture the Haditha Dam, which has six power generators located alongside Iraq's second-largest reservoir. But, despite their attacks, Iraqi forces there backed up by local Sunni tribes have been able to hold them off.
The group was able to take control of the Mosul Dam in northern Iraq last month, but persistent U.S. airstrikes dislodged the militants. And while fighters have been trying to take it back, the U.S. has continued to use strikes to keep them at bay.
'We will continue to conduct operations as needed in support of the Iraqi Security Forces and the Sunni tribes, working with those forces securing Haditha Dam,' Kirby said.
U.S. officials have expressed concerns that militants could flood Baghdad and other large swaths of the country if they control the dams. It also would give the group control over electricity, which they could use to strengthen their control over residents.
Earlier this year, the group gained control of the Fallujah Dam on the Euphrates River and the militants used it as a weapon, opening it to flood downriver when government forces moved in on the city.
Water is a precious commodity in Iraq, a largely desert country of 32.5 million people. The decline of water levels in the Euphrates over recent years has led to electricity shortages in towns south of Baghdad, where steam-powered generators depend entirely on water levels.
On Friday and Saturday, the U.S. used a mix of attack aircraft, fighter jets and drones to conduct two airstrikes around Irbil. The strikes hit trucks and armored vehicles.
The airstrikes are aimed at protecting U.S. personnel and facilities, as well protecting critical infrastructure and aiding refugees fleeing the militants.
bberitaa.blogspot.com contributed to this report.
Posted by Unknown on Sunday, September 7, 2014 - Rating: 4.5
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