June 9, 2016
An explosion (click here) within two to three kilometres of Camp Taji in northern Baghdad where 106 NZ Defence Force personnel are currently deployed has resulted in a number of casualties, but all New Zealanders are safe.
Defence Minister Gerry Brownlee confirmed reports of an explosion this evening.
"Open source reporting suggests the blast resulted in a number of casualties, however all New Zealand personnel at Taji are safe," Mr Brownlee said.
"Reports from Taji are that at 5.58pm New Zealand time a car bomb was detonated close to a checkpoint outside the south-western secure perimeter of the camp.
"It is estimated the blast occurred between two and three kilometres from where New Zealand and Australian troops are accommodated," he said....
12 April 2015
By Daniel Hurst
Tony Abbott has confirmed (click here) the deployment of 330 Australian personnel to help train the Iraqi army and refused to rule out the mission lasting longer than the planned deadline of two years.
The prime minister said on Tuesday his cabinet had approved the move as part of the fight to reclaim territory from Islamic State.
Abbott has also left the door open to potential involvement in air strikes in Syria.
The departure of trainers for Iraq follows the government’s decision in March to start preparing for such a mission, which he said at the time would be subject to final signoff.
Abbott said the personnel, largely drawn from the army’s 7th brigade based in Brisbane, would work alongside 100 New Zealand military personnel at the Taji military complex north of Baghdad....
18 August 2014
An explosion (click here) within two to three kilometres of Camp Taji in northern Baghdad where 106 NZ Defence Force personnel are currently deployed has resulted in a number of casualties, but all New Zealanders are safe.
Defence Minister Gerry Brownlee confirmed reports of an explosion this evening.
"Open source reporting suggests the blast resulted in a number of casualties, however all New Zealand personnel at Taji are safe," Mr Brownlee said.
"Reports from Taji are that at 5.58pm New Zealand time a car bomb was detonated close to a checkpoint outside the south-western secure perimeter of the camp.
"It is estimated the blast occurred between two and three kilometres from where New Zealand and Australian troops are accommodated," he said....
12 April 2015
By Daniel Hurst
Tony Abbott has confirmed (click here) the deployment of 330 Australian personnel to help train the Iraqi army and refused to rule out the mission lasting longer than the planned deadline of two years.
The prime minister said on Tuesday his cabinet had approved the move as part of the fight to reclaim territory from Islamic State.
Abbott has also left the door open to potential involvement in air strikes in Syria.
The departure of trainers for Iraq follows the government’s decision in March to start preparing for such a mission, which he said at the time would be subject to final signoff.
Abbott said the personnel, largely drawn from the army’s 7th brigade based in Brisbane, would work alongside 100 New Zealand military personnel at the Taji military complex north of Baghdad....
18 August 2014
British troops have been (click here) back on the ground in Iraq for the first time since 2009, as the Government said the UK's mission "was not simply humanitarian".
Soldiers from the 2nd Battalion Yorkshire regiment were sent to Irbil, as RAF aircraft continued reconnaissance missions to help the fight against Islamic State (IS) militants.
They were in the capital of Iraq's Kurdistan region for 24 hours to prepare the ground for a possible rescue operation by Chinook helicopters.
But Defence Minister Michael Fallon told pilots and other service members taking part in the UK's general Iraq mission that it was likely to last "weeks and months".
But David Cameron insisted this morning that troops would not become involved in another war in Iraq....
This Marine is at least the second American soldier killed in Iraq. The other was killed on a hostage raid. (click here) This was in March 2016. The Iraqis are abandoning their post, still yet.
They were in the capital of Iraq's Kurdistan region for 24 hours to prepare the ground for a possible rescue operation by Chinook helicopters.
But Defence Minister Michael Fallon told pilots and other service members taking part in the UK's general Iraq mission that it was likely to last "weeks and months".
But David Cameron insisted this morning that troops would not become involved in another war in Iraq....
This Marine is at least the second American soldier killed in Iraq. The other was killed on a hostage raid. (click here) This was in March 2016. The Iraqis are abandoning their post, still yet.
After a U.S. Marine was killed (click here) defending a position abandoned by Iraqi troops, they were supposed to have toughened up. … Nope.
March 26, 2016
By Wladimir von Wilgenberg
TEL REEM, Iraq – At first, Iraqi soldiers involved in an operation to capture villages close to Mosul on Friday were in good spirits. “Allah Akbar,” Arabic for “God is Great,” they shouted after they hit an alleged Islamic State (ISIS) suicide bomber with US-provided mortars. But just one hour later many of them fled, fearing ISIS would strike back.
Early in the day, there were already signs of trouble. A sergeant named Hussein from the artillery battalion told The Daily Beast, “There has been some delays in what we expected, but it’s mostly because of their heavy use of sniper fire and of IEDS. We have not been really advancing today, but that is not part of our plan as of yet, but in coming hours, we are planning to move forward.”
The first challenge was to capture the strategic little village of Nasr that would open the road for the Iraqi military to take the rest of the area. The ultimate short-term aim is to cross the Tigris River and take Qayarrah. This would open the road to the city of Mosul for future operations.
Early in the day, there were already signs of trouble. A sergeant named Hussein from the artillery battalion told The Daily Beast, “There has been some delays in what we expected, but it’s mostly because of their heavy use of sniper fire and of IEDS. We have not been really advancing today, but that is not part of our plan as of yet, but in coming hours, we are planning to move forward.”
The first challenge was to capture the strategic little village of Nasr that would open the road for the Iraqi military to take the rest of the area. The ultimate short-term aim is to cross the Tigris River and take Qayarrah. This would open the road to the city of Mosul for future operations.
