U.S. forces launch retaliatory air raid after 3 dead due to attack on Iraqi military base

China News Service, March 13. According to Agence France-Presse, on the 12th local time, several U.S. military officials told AFP that the U.S. military had killed three people after the attack on a military base in Iraq with U.S. troops. Revenge air strikes against Shiite militia forces in Iraq.

Reports said an anonymous official said the target was a weapon facility. The official did not specify where the attack occurred.

And another official said, "The target of the U.S. air strike is (Shiite militia) 'people's mobilization organizations' locations in Iraq's many provinces ..."

According to previous reports, the Iraqi Joint Operations Command issued a statement in the early morning of the 12th, saying that the Taj military base north of Baghdad, Iraq ’s capital, was hit by rockets on the evening of the 11th, killing three and injuring many. The Iraqi government has indicated that investigations will begin immediately.

Taji military base is stationed with US officers and soldiers responsible for training Iraqi forces. The attack killed two Americans and one British and injured at least 12 others.

The Iraqi Joint Operations Command said in a statement that the attack was a very serious security challenge and hostilities. The existence of the forces of the International League against Extremist Group "Islamic State" has been approved by the Iraqi government, and its mission is to train Iraqi forces and combat "Islamic State". The statement also pointed out that the League of Nations and the parliament's decision to end the presence of foreign troops have been formally notified, and relevant discussions are ongoing.

The Iraqi President's Office also issued a statement on the same day, strongly condemning the terrorist attack on the Taji military base and saying that it will conduct a full investigation.

After the attack, US Secretary of State Pompeo spoke on the phone with British Foreign Secretary Rabbi, and the two sides discussed the attack on the base of Taj and stressed that "the attackers should be held accountable."