Category: Terror War

Stars & Stripes reports that the Department of Defense announced the death of two US soldiers and that five more wounded in Northern Iraq today. They claim that the casualties did not result from contact with the enemy and that the incident is under investigation.

The latest deaths bring to nine the number of Americans killed supporting Operation Inherent Resolve this year, including noncombat deaths. Nearly 50 Americans have been wounded in action since the anti-ISIS campaign began in August 2014, according to Pentagon data.

A driver plowed his car into a group of French soldiers in Paris this morning, three of whom are seriously injured, according to Fox News.

The soldiers were part of the 35th infantry regiment in the suburb of Saint-Mande and were leaving their barracks just after 8 a.m. when the attack occurred. France’s Interior Minister Gerard Collomb told reporters the driver targeted the soldiers in a calculated car attack.

The driver escaped along with his car. The French law enforcement considers the attack to be a terrorist attack;

Defense Minister Florence Parly condemned the attack, calling it “a cowardly act with the utmost firmness.”

The service members were part of Opération Sentinelle, an anti-terrorism operation that was created after the 2015 Charlie Hebdo massacre in Paris. The mission’s aim is to protect civilians.

Collomb said Wednesday’s car attack marks the sixth time soldiers with the Sentinelle operation have been targeted.

ADDED: Stars & Stripes reports that a person suspected to be the driver has been arrested;

Two officials said it is too early to say for certain that the man was the driver who rammed a car into soldiers in Levallois on Wednesday. Six soldiers were injured in the attack.

One of the officials said the arrest was violent, and police opened fire on the suspect. The other official said the arrest took place on the A16 highway when the man was stopped as police hunted for cars suspected of involvement in the attack.

The Washington Post reports that a “contingent” of US troops are on the ground in Yemen with coalition troops prepared to assault an al-Qaeda base. US Marines are off the coast preparing to assist in operations should the need arise;

Since Feb. 28, the United States has conducted roughly 80 airstrikes against al-Qaeda militants in Yemen, Davis said, a number that remains little changed in past weeks. U.S. Special Operations forces have also been involved in a limited number of ground operations in the country, including one that ended in the death of a Navy SEAL in January.

Aside from intelligence sharing, [Pentagon spokesman Capt. Jeff] Davis said, the United States is providing midair refueling and overhead reconnaissance for forces involved in the operation. The Bataan Amphibious Ready Group, a collection of U.S. Navy ships loaded with Marines, is in the region and is probably assisting the operation with aircraft and personnel. In the past, amphibious groups much like the Bataan’s have been integral in supporting U.S.-led operations against al-Qaeda in Yemen.

While the US is concentrating on the al Qaeda militants, the Saudi government is going after the Shi’te Iranian-backed Houthi rebels in Yemen.

Thanks to Chief Tango for the link.

According to TheNewArab News Australian law enforcement uncovered an “elaborate” plot to bomb a commercial aircraft.

“I can report last night that there has been a major joint counter-terrorism operation to disrupt a terrorist plot to bring down an airplane,” Australian Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull said.

Four suspects were arrested in the Sydney raids on Saturday in what Australian Federal Police Commissioner Andrew Colvin described as an “Islamic-inspired” plot.

“In recent days, law enforcement has been become aware of information that suggested some people in Sydney were planning to commit a terrorist attack using an IED (improvised explosive device),” he told reporters.

Fox News says that the plot included a bomb and poison gas.

In the early hours yesterday morning, Iran claims that they launched a rocket into space. The satellite contained pictures of Ayatollah Ruhollah Khomeini, the fellow who founded the Islamic Republic in 1979. The State Department’s Heather Nauert told Reuters that the launch violated the UN Security Council Resolution 2231;

That resolution, which endorsed a 2015 nuclear deal between Iran and world powers, calls upon Iran not to undertake activities related to ballistic missiles capable of delivering nuclear weapons, including launches using such technology. It stops short of explicitly barring such activity.

“We would consider that a violation of UNSCR 2231,” Nauert said at a briefing with reporters when asked about the launch. “We consider that to be continued ballistic missile development. … We believe that what happened overnight, in the early morning hours here in Washington, is inconsistent with the Security Council resolutions.”

Tehran denies it has missiles designed to carry nuclear warheads.

President Trump just recertified Iran’s compliance with the resolution, probably too soon.

Fox News reports that the rocket suffered “catastrophic failure” soon after lift-off and never made it to space.

Maybe another pallet load of cash would rectify their problems.

From the New York Times;

Nader Karimi Joni, a journalist close to the government of President Hassan Rouhani of Iran, said the launch on Thursday was a reaction to the House vote on Tuesday approving the new sanctions. The legislation will now go to the Senate, although it is unclear when the measure will be voted on there.

“Iran is boosting its missile capabilities to order to increase the accuracy, preciseness and range,” Mr. Joni said. “Iran will not stop the missile projects.”

According to Global News, a quick-thinking Egyptian tanker foiled a car bomber at a checkpoint last week in the Sinai. The government is crediting him with saving the lives of dozens of his mates when he drove his tank over a car bomber;

The Ministry of Defense said the maneuver helped prevent the attackers from killing more civilians, saying the blast had the potential to kill up to 50 people.

Insurgents have carried out series of suicide bombings and attacks in Egypt since the ousting of former Islamist president Mohammed Morsi, whose one-year rule proved divisive.

According to Yahoo News, the car contained four gunmen and 100 kg of explosives.

Thanks to Jerry920 for the tip.