All articles tagged with #iraq
An unnamed foreign journalist was kidnapped in Baghdad by unknown attackers; Iraq's Interior Ministry says one suspect has been arrested and a vehicle seized as security forces pursue those involved, with ongoing efforts to locate and secure the journalist's release; CPJ and Reporters Without Borders have urged swift action and accountability.
Nowruz in Akre (Kurdistan Region of Iraq) features dusk torch processions up the mountains, traditional dress, and a giant Kurdish flag, with attendees from Iran, Syria, Turkey and Iraq despite rain and regional conflict; the flames symbolize light over darkness and gesture toward a united Kurdish identity across four countries, echoed by the 'two plus two equals one' slogan.
NATO has pulled hundreds of personnel from Iraq, marking the exit of the NATO Mission Iraq advisory force that began in 2018. Personnel from NATO members and partner countries Austria and Australia left after Iranian attacks on bases in Iraq, with U.S. General Alex Grynkewich praising the professionalism of those who relocated and completed the mission.
A Politico report based on rare access to PJAK and other Iranian-Kurdish militias in Iraq’s Zagros mountains shows they are weighing a cross-border strike into Iran, potentially with U.S. support. While some factions want a ground offensive, PJAK insists it will not act on Washington’s orders, and U.S. policymakers face questions about the level of commitment and risk a broader intervention would entail amid regional tensions and Tehran’s countermeasures.
ISW-CTP’s daily update depicts a pronounced regional escalation: Israel’s strikes on Iran’s internal security and missile infrastructure, alongside targeted assaults on Bandar Anzali and other facilities linked to Iran’s military and its networks, have coincided with Iranian missile and drone attacks against Israel and Gulf energy assets. The United States and Israel have continued air campaigns to degrade Iran’s air defenses, missiles, and shipping routes in the Strait of Hormuz, while Iran’s proxies—Hezbollah and Iraqi militias—conduct attacks and Iran tightens internal security through arrests, internet shutdowns, and executions amid protests. Despite heavy fighting and regional spillovers, there is no evidence yet of regime collapse, though disruption and political infighting are evident within Iran’s security apparatus and leadership.
An Indiana native and Purdue University graduate, Seth R. Koval, 38, was one of six service members killed when their refueling aircraft crashed in western Iraq while supporting another aircraft. A Mooresville resident and Purdue alumnus, he served since 2006 in the Indiana National Guard before transferring to the Ohio Air National Guard in 2017, with 2,076 total flight hours (including 440 combat hours) and deployments in 2014, 2020, 2022, 2023 and this year. The crash’s cause is under investigation and not believed to be due to hostile fire; the Purdue community and state officials mourn his loss, and donations via GoFundMe were established for his family.
The family of Captain Curtis J. Angst, a 30-year-old Ohio Air National Guardsman from Wilmington, released a statement praising his decade of service, love of flying, and kindness after he was among three Guardsmen killed when a KC-135 Stratotanker crashed in Western Iraq during Operation Epic Fury. The crash is under DoD investigation and officials say it was not caused by hostile fire; the family also expressed solidarity with the other families affected.
After a missile strike on the U.S. Embassy in Baghdad, Americans are urgently told to leave Iraq. The embassy posted guidance urging enrollment in STEP, staying in touch with loved ones, keeping travel documents accessible, and monitoring official updates, while advising to avoid debris and prepare essentials. Casualties and full extent of damage were not immediately confirmed as tensions linked to Iran continue.
Six U.S. Air Force airmen died when a KC-135 Stratotanker crashed in western Iraq during Operation Epic Fury, including Capt. Ariana G. Savino, 31, of Covington, Washington; the cause is under investigation and authorities said it was not due to friendly fire.
Six U.S. service members—members of the Ohio Air National Guard and a Florida-based MacDill crew—have been identified as those killed in a KC-135 refueling aircraft crash in western Iraq on March 12; the incident is under investigation by the Defense Department.
Six crew members of a U.S. KC-135 refueling aircraft were killed when it crashed in Iraq. Among the dead is Maj. Alex Kilnner, an Alabama father; three of the victims were from Ohio’s National Guard unit the 121st Air Refueling Wing, with Ohio Gov. Mike DeWine confirming the state’s casualties as investigators continue to look into the crash.
A missile struck a helipad inside the U.S. embassy compound in Baghdad, causing smoke, with conflicting reports on whether a drone was responsible; the embassy offered no immediate comment. The incident follows a northern Iraq drone attack that killed a French soldier during an international counterterrorism training mission.
Six U.S. servicemembers were confirmed dead after a KC-135 aerial refueling tanker crashed in western Iraq during Operation Epic Fury, with officials saying the incident occurred in friendly airspace and was not due to hostile fire; initial reports suggested two aircraft were involved, and the second KC-135 reportedly landed safely, with the identities of the dead to be released after next of kin notification.
Beale Air Force Base-linked KC-135 Stratotanker crashed in western Iraq during Operation Epic Fury after an emergency landing in Israel; six crew members were killed, CENTCOM says the incident occurred in friendly airspace with no evidence of hostile or friendly-fire involvement, and the Beale-based 940th ARW is connected to the aircraft, with a second Beale-marked KC-135 landing at Ben Gurion Airport; a group loyal to Iran claimed responsibility for the downing, but no corroborating evidence is provided as investigations continue.
Three Ohio airmen were among the six U.S. service members killed when a KC-135 Stratotanker crashed during a combat mission in western Iraq, with Gov. DeWine confirming the Ohio casualties and noting they were from the 121st Air Refueling Wing at Rickenbacker.