U.S. Navy Seal Killed In Iraq While Advising Peshmerga Forces

At 9:30 AM on Tuesday, May 3, 2016, a United States (US) serviceman, identified as a U.S. Navy Seal, was killed during a firefight with Islamic State (IS) militants. The serviceman was serving in an advisory capacity to Peshmerga forces in the Northern Iraq city of Irbil, which is about 20 miles north of the IS stronghold city of Mosul. The death of the servicemen is the third military fatality at the hands of the IS since 2014.

The unidentified servicemen was assigned to “advise and assist” the Peshmerga, but was forced to engage when IS penetrated Peshmerga forces front lines, according to reports.  The servicemen was stationed two miles behind the front lines and was probably killed by “direct fire” from small arms, most likely an Ak-47.

The news of the serviceman’s death comes just as the U.S. announced the deployment of 200-person special operations task force to Irbil, and last week President Obama deployed an additional 450 military personnel to Iraq and Syria.

There are 5,000 U.S. troops are still in Iraq with duties primarily focused on advising, assisting, and training Kurdish and Iraqi forces. Carter who was in Germany for the appointment of a new commander of U.S. European Command also noted, “It shows the serious fight we have to wage in Iraq.”

Despite calls from the Obama Administration to increase the tempo of offensive operations against IS, defense officials say they do not expect the Islamic State stronghold of Mosul to fall in 2016.

The two other American servicemen killed in combat with IS were U.S. Marine Sergeant Louis Cardin killed in a rocket attack on a fire base, used to provide artillery fire support, in Northern Iraq on March 20, 2016. Cardin oversaw a 100-man marine force was leading them to a bunker before he was killed.  Delta Force Master Sergeant Josh Wheeler who was killed during a rescue mission to free 70 hostages from Islamic State on October 22, 2015.

Vice President Joe Biden visited Iraq last week called for an end to internal political strife among its government leaders and to focus on defeating IS. Iraqi’s have turned on the government over the last since last August due to claims of rampant corruption and not addressing the Iraqi people’s grievances.

However, protests have gotten larger and confrontational due to the reemergence of  Muqtada al-Sadr, a cleric who holds strong anti-U.S. sentiment. Sadr called for his supporters to demand a new government. Sadrists reportedly flooded the heavily fortified “Green Zone” where Iraqi’s government and foreign embassies are located where they protested before withdrawing.

On Sunday, May 1, 2016, protestors broke through barricades and blast walls throughout the Green Zone stormed and ransacked parliament. Protestors departed the Green Zone following news of a car bombing in southern Iraqi city of Samawah killed 31 and injured 52.  IS claimed responsibility for the attack.

The fight against Islamic State in Iraq continues to be hampered by political turmoil and inadequate or politically compromised Iraqi military forces. As forces continue to push deeper into key Islamic State territory, the level and intensity of IS operations is likely to increase, which will in turn increase the risk to U.S. forces.

It is important that U.S. troops have sufficient numbers in the area of operations to complete the “advise and assist” mission, while maintaining adequate force protection measures.