War on terror

U.S. warplanes take out ISIS sleeper cell in Iraq

U.S. and allied warplanes destroyed an Islamic State sleeper cell near the terror group’s former stronghold of Mosul Tuesday, ending with roughly 12 jihadists dead, military officials in Baghdad say.

The strikes targeted a segment of underground bunkers and tunnels used by Islamic State, or ISIS, fighters to defend the northern Iraqi city against Iraqi troops, backed by U.S. and coalition airpower, during last year’s offensive to retake Mosul.

The recent airstrikes come amid questions whether the White House and the Pentagon will maintain its military presence in Iraq to support Baghdad’s efforts to stamp out remaining ISIS cells, or withdraw U.S. troops from the country. The Trump administration has already indicated its desire to scale back American military forces battling the Islamic State in Syria.

Members of the Iraqi military’s Directorate of Intelligence were in the midst of a clearing operation in the Husseiniya area of Mosul on Tuesday, when they came upon a group of ISIS fighters near the targeted bunker and tunnel complex, Iraqi Brig. Gen. Yahya Rasool, Iraq’s spokesman for the Joint Military Command, told al Hurrah. During the ensuring firefight, Iraqi troops killed two fighters and subsequently called for coalition air support.