(B2) For the past week, Iraq has once again been the scene of rising tensions between the Americans and Iraqi Shiites supported by Iran. An escalation that began with the death of three coalition soldiers in Iraq last week
(credit: twitter Operation Inherent resolve)
Attack on Camp Taji kills three
A " XNUMX rockets were launched from a truck against the Iraqi training base on Camp Taji, near Kirkuk, which is home to forces of the International Coalition against Daesh, on Wednesday (March 11), US Defense Minister Mark Esper said. The attack killed five people.
Two Americans...
Faithful to their tradition of transparency, the Americans fairly quickly confirmed the identity of the victims. The first (27-year-old Juan Miguel Mendez Covarrubias) belongs to the 227th Aviation Regiment of the 1st Cavalry Air Brigade (1st Air Cavalry Brigade, 1st Cavalry Division), posthumously elevated to the rank of Army Specialist (corporal). The second (28-year-old Sgt. Marshal D. Roberts) is an engineer, Oklahoma National Guard Air Force (Engineering Installation Squadron).
... and a Briton
The Briton (Brodie Gillon, 26) was Corporal Lance du Scottish and North Irish Yeomanry, a reserve regiment of light cavalry. A sports therapist, she joined the armed forces in September 2015 as a reservist in her specialty, combat medical technician. She had volunteered to be part of the deployment to Iraq of the Irish Guards battle group, the elite regiment of Northern Ireland, as clarified by the british ministry of the defense.
Several injured
Fourteen soldiers were injured (Americans, British, Poles and contractors). On the Polish side, we are less talkative. All we know is that " life [from wounded soldier] is not in danger as confirmed by the command Polish operational. " Polish soldiers are safe and the situation in the base is under constant control added Defense Minister Mariusz Błaszczak via Twitter.
Iran indicted
It is the predominantly Shia and pro-Iranian militia that operates in Iraq, Kataeb Hezbollah, who " led the attack “says the Pentagon. In addition, according to the Americans, the militia and by extension Iran, " has been implicated in 12 rocket attacks against coalition forces in the past six months ».
A “defensive” response from the Americans
The United States is quick to respond. The next day, Thursday (March 12), they announced " strikes that are defensive, proportionate and in direct response to the threat posed by Iran-backed Shiite militias “, justifies the US Department of Defense. Their objective : " five [Kataeb Hezbollah] weapons storage facilities, to significantly degrade their ability to carry out future attacks against Coalition forces ". The confrontation could have ended here. But apparently the militias continue to strike.
... but condemned by Iraq
Iraq" condemns the [US] action as a violation of national sovereignty “, said the presidency via Twitter. " This attack resulted in the martyrdom and injuries of a number of Iraqi security forces personnel as well as innocent Iraqi civilians “, including three soldiers, two policemen and a civilian reports the BBC the next day.
Soon a new escalation?
Saturday (March 14), at 10:51 a.m. (Iraq time), at least 25 107 mm rockets » again touch the c& Taji, says the spokesperson for the Coalition against Daesh, Colonel Myles B. Caggins III via Twitter. Three coalition soldiers are injured as well as two Iraqis. On Monday (March 16), a new attack hits a training base south of Baghdad, where coalition troops and NATO trainers are present. This time, without victims. The United States does not respond, at least not in an apparent way. Latest attack: On Tuesday (March 17), rockets hit Baghdad's 'green zone', landing 2km from the US Embassy.
Commentary: renewed tension and stoicism
The area had been rather 'quiet' since the skirmishes following the death of the Coalition's American contractor last December. He had been killed in the attack on an Iraqi military base near Kirkuk. Already at that time, the US was accusing Kataeb Hezbollah. An action which had justified, in particular, the American strike on Iranian General Qassem Soleimani in January. This was followed by the escalation of tensions between Iran and the US for two weeks, before the situation finally calmed down.
Amazing stoicism
Unlike this period, this time, the Americans endure without really (over)reacting, at least by the immediate strong way. Which seems surprising when we know the hyper-sensitivity across the Atlantic to Iranian threats and in comparison with the escalation we experienced in January (1). The reason for this stoicism must doubtless be sought elsewhere. The coalition forces do not want to fall into the game of provocation and escalation. Which seems to be the intended goal. A response that is too strong could justify a new action, more political this time, aimed at not renewing the 'lease' of Western troops in Iraq. We'll have to see how long... this stoicism will last.
