Iraqi Airbase Hosting U.S. Military Trainers Under ‘Regular Indirect Enemy Fire’

Pentagon spokesman Army Col. Steve Warren addressed reporters Monday about the start of the U.S. military training mission of Iraqi and Kurdish forces in Iraq. According to Nick Simeone of DoD News, the Defense Department’s own media unit, Warren said that “four battalions of Iraqi security forces at a base in Taji, north of Baghdad” and that “[t]raining began at Asad Air Base in Anbar province for members of the Iraqi 7th Division several days earlier.” However, Warren also noted that at least one of these location is a target of “regular indirect enemy fire,” though the attacks have been ineffective:

The United States has begun training Iraqi army recruits, a central part of the strategy by the U.S.-led coalition that is working with the Iraqi government to retake territory and ultimately defeat Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant terrorists in the country. 
Pentagon spokesman Army Col. Steve Warren told reporters today that six weeks of training began Dec. 27 for four battalions of Iraqi security forces at a base in Taji, north of Baghdad. Training began at Asad Air Base in Anbar province for members of the Iraqi 7th Division several days earlier. 
Warren said all of the Iraqis going through the training by U.S. personnel already have been vetted. 
Warren said the air base has been the target of “regular indirect enemy fire,” which he said has been wholly ineffective and has drawn no return fire from U.S. forces.

President Obama has stressed that these U.S. training missions in Iraq will not involve “boots on the ground” combat for U.S. forces.

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