Islamic State Forces Capture City in Western Iraq

Iraqi security sources reported on Thursday that forces from the Islamic State group, known as ISIS, have taken control of key parts of the city of Al-Baghdadi in western Iraq. According to the report, ISIS forces have reached near an Iraqi airbase where Iraqi troops are trained by American Marines. Najy Arak, a local official from Al-Baghdadi, told Reuters that ISIS forces have captured over 90% of Al-Baghdadi. The city, located 85 kilometers northeast of Ramadi in Anbar province, has long been besieged by ISIS forces. Iraqi security sources and Al Jazeera reported that ISIS launched attacks on Al-Baghdadi from two fronts early Thursday and managed to advance into the city. Iraqi officials stated that Islamist militants attacked the Ain al-Asad base, located five kilometers southwest of Al-Baghdadi, but were unable to penetrate the base. According to Reuters, about 320 U.S. Marines are training the 7th Division of the Iraqi forces at this base. The report indicates that ISIS forces have fired mortars towards this base. A spokesperson for the U.S. Department of Defense confirmed the clashes near the base but stated that it has not been directly attacked so far. The Islamic State group was able to capture large areas of Sunni regions in western Iraq this summer. In related news, several bomb explosions in Baghdad left at least 40 dead.