The Islamic State militant group carried out a coordinated suicide bombing attack against an airbase in western Iraq housing 320 US Marines.
The Pentagon confirmed IS forces have taken control of the city of al-Baghdadi, which is just eight km away from the base.
The Friday attack was conducted by approximately 25 IS militants, the Pentagon said, and several suicide bombers were involved. Some of them reportedly detonated their vests, though the exact number is unclear. Some of the militants were able to sneak into the base wearing Iraqi uniforms, and they were killed by Iraqi troops when fighting broke out, Reuters reported.
There are approximately 320 Marines at the base training Iraqi security forces, though the Pentagon said Marines were not involved in the fighting. No US or Iraqi casualties have been reported.
Al-Baghdadi, located in Iraq’s Anbar province, had been under siege by IS for months and much of the Anbar Province was captured by the militant group during its rapid advance into northern and western Iraq last summer.
Militants attacked al-Baghdadi from two directions and then advanced into the town on Thursday, according to intelligence sources and Iraqi army officials.
The death toll from the fighting has not been revealed.
Officials also said the US is readying plans to resupply Jordan with munitions in the coming weeks, possibly including precision-guided arms, expediting support for the kingdom as it expands its role in airstrikes against IS.
Several US officials, speaking on condition of anonymity, said that planning was well underway to help replenish Jordan’s supplies of ordnance.
US efforts to expedite delivery of munitions and other weapons follow a vocal appeal from Jordan’s King Abdullah to American lawmakers last week for greater US support.
A source close to the Jordanian government said the Arab state believes its supplies of bombs are being stretched too thin as it expands its role in strikes following the IS grisly execution of a Jordanian pilot.
