Afghan War:General McKenzie Carries On

On 26 August 2021,General Kenneth McKenzie,US Marine Corps,Commander,US Central Command,gave a virtual briefing to journalists gathered at the Pentagon on the terrorist attack at HKIA in Kabul and continuance of the US military mission in Afghanistan.In the suicide bombing and firefight claimed by the Islamist extremist ISIL-K (another word for Islamic State)organisation,13 US troops were killed in action,including 10 US Marines,a US Navy hospital corpsman,and two other as of yet unidentified military members;18 other service members were wounded-some of them critically.There were also at least 60 Afghan civilians killed and 140 wounded.General McKenzie explained that the attack occurred at the Abbey Gate,which requires physical contact with those seeking to enter the airport.At such interface points,there's no substitute for a young man or woman to search a person.Ultimately,Americans have to do the searches.There's just no substitute for it.There's no way you can do that from a distance.If a person were to carry a bomb on a plane,there could be massive loss of life. We have extremely active threat streams against the airport,tactical streams that threaten rocket attacks;Vehicle-Borne Improvised Explosive Devices (both small and large vehicles);and suicide walkers wearing an explosive vest. To counter the threats,we have the necessary troops to protect ourselves with anti-rocket and mortar systems;MQ-9 and other UAVs;F/A-18 Super Hornet fighters and AC-130 gunships;as well ss AH-64 Apache helicopters on the ground and aircraft overhead with thermal imaging systems.All of these are being deployed. We've reached out to the Taliban,telling them they need to push out the perimeter.They have a practical reason to cooperate:they want us out of the country.They've been useful to work with going forward. We thought this would happen sooner or later.The general went on: I think we can continue to conduct our mission.The plan was designed to maximise our mission even as we bgin to reconfigure ourselves and defend ourselves.The plan is designed to operate under stress and we intend to do that.We believe it is their desire to continue their attaclks and we expect them to do so.We have established contact with our evacuees and are directing them along various routes to get to the airport.These have been conducted by our JTACS (Joint Terminal Attack Controllers) very effectively. We don't know that they have manpads that can take our aircraft down.Wewatch that keenly to protect our aircraft.With our ISR (Intelligence,Surveillance and Reconnaissance) we look closely to see if there might be something to target our aircraft.* In the past 24 hours,12,500 more people have been evacuated.

US Continues Combat Air Role in Afghanistan - plus the future of the Iraq Mission

According to GEN Kenneth McKenzie,US Marine Corps,Commander,US Central Command: We have increased airstrikes against the Taliban in support of Afghan forces over the past several days,and we are prepared to continue this heightened support in the coming weeks if the Taliban continue their attacks.Taliban victory is not inevitable.* In addition,the US will continue giving the Afghan Air Force logistical support following the withdrawal of all US and foreign forces as of 31 August 2021.* Meanwhile,about 900 US troops,including some in Infantry Figthing Vehicles, continue to support Operation Inherent Resolve against Islamic State militants in Syria.With regard to Iraq,US President Joseph R. Biden received Iraqi Prime Minister Mustafa Al-Kadhimi at the White House yesterday.The two leaders discussed the ongoing strategic dialogue between the two countries,which includes health care;climate change;energy;strengthening Iraqi democracy;and security cooperation-especially our shared fight against ISIS (another word for Islamic State) and our counterterrorism effort.* President Biden noted that: Today our relations are stronger than ever.I think things are going well.Our troops will continue to train,to assist,to help,and to deal with ISIS as it arises.* Mr.Biden announced that the 2500 US troops in Iraq will no longer be in a combat role after the end of 2021,however.Indeed,it has been some time since they exercised such a function.NATO has a separate training mission in Iraq as well.* The Iraqi Security Forces still need more training.What is more,they need the intelligence support that the US troops provide through their presence in Iraq,observed CNN correspondent Arwa Damon.*

US,British Troops Killed in Rocket Attack on Coalition Base - Updated

Two US troops, reportedly a US Army Soldier and a US Air Force Airman,as well as a British service member, were killed in a rocket attack on the Operation Inherent Resolve base Camp Taji,Iraq on 11 March 2020, several official sources reported.Twelve other Coalition members were wounded.Identities are being withheld pending family notification.*
Camp Taji hosts Coalition personnel for their train, advise and assist mission to the Iraqi Security Forces.The base was hit by about 18 107mm Katyusha rockets.The ISF located an abandoned rocket launcher truck a few miles from Camp Taji.*
Subsequently the monitoring group Syrian Observatory for Human Rights said an airstrike by unidentified aircraft hit Iranian-backed militia bases in the al-Hasyan area of Syria near the Iraqi border, killing 26 militia members and wounding more than 15 others.Apparently this was a retaliatory strike.Both US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo and British Prime Minister Boris Johnson had promised to hold those responsible for the rocket attack to account.*
Update:The US says it launched airstrikes on five bases containing advanced Iranian weapons such as Katyusha rockets.The bases belong to the Iranian-backed militia Kitaib Hezbollah,which US CENTCOM commander Kenneth "Frank" McKenzie,USMC,notes is the only militia that has attacked Coalition bases with such weaponry.At the same time,the US denies that it participated in the airstrikes reported by the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights.
Possibly Israel carried out those strikes.*
Most likely the rocket attack by Iranian proxies in the region is a continuation of Iran's hostility to the West in general, and the United States in particular, which flared up in 2019 with similar attacks on OIR bases that killed an American contractor.In response, the US carried out an airstrike that killed Major General Qasem Soleimani of Iran's Revolutionary Guard.*