Expansion of Combat Operations by American Marines in Iraq

As the Iraqi army begins operations to retake Mosul, American media report that Marine forces stationed in Iraq have expanded their "combat operations" and, in some cases, have shelled positions of the Islamic State group. The Iraqi army announced on Thursday, April 5, that it has launched operations to reclaim the city of Mosul from the forces of the group known as the Islamic State, in conjunction with militias allied with the central government. The Associated Press, citing a senior U.S. government official, reports that American Marines have engaged in launching "decoy flares" and artillery attacks to support Iraqi forces. In recent operations, areas near Makhmour, southwest of Erbil, where Iraqi forces have gathered with U.S. support over the past few weeks, have been liberated. Earlier this week, the U.S. army confirmed that it has established an artillery base in Iraq, a move unprecedented since U.S. forces withdrew from Iraq in 2014. The U.S. government has emphasized that it does not wish to engage its military in ground operations in the Middle East and prefers to focus on air support, training, and equipping local forces. The Washington Post reported on Thursday that the existence of the new base was kept secret until Monday when one Marine was killed by a missile at the site. Images released by the U.S. army also show a group of its soldiers shelling an area in Iraq. According to the Washington Post, the new base includes four M777 howitzers, 155mm, which are lightweight artillery pieces with rapid mobility capabilities. The Associated Press, citing a U.S. government official, stated that the Marines' artillery fire on Islamic State positions was conducted at the request of the Iraqi government. The Iraqi government has not yet released any news on this matter. According to the Associated Press, an important point in Thursday's operations is that the Marines were not defending Iraqi forces but rather supporting their attacks and offensive operations by shelling Islamic State positions.