The US military denied a report published Monday that alleged US special forces joined Iraqi Kurdish militants in firefights and regular on-the-ground combat in the war against the Islamic State (ISIL).
Based on the testimony of twelve Kurdish Peshmerga fighters and officers, The Guardian had said that American special forces were in combat in various parts of Iraqi Kurdistan, between April and September.
“No US or coalition SOF [special operations forces] were engaged in any of these events you listed,” The Pentagon claimed in response. “The coalition continues to support local partners through our advise and assistance role, but we have no reports of any coalition advise and assist teams becoming engaged during the actions you referenced.”
Some of the UK-based newspaper’s sources had photographic and video evidence, but were not willing to share it for publication due to concerns about punishment from superiors.
“Karwan Hama Tata, a Peshmerga volunteer, showed a Guardian reporter a video which appeared to show two Americans in the midst of the battle accompanied by three peshmerga fighters,” the paper noted. “He said: “They fight and they even fight ahead of the Peshmerga. They won’t allow anyone to take photos of them, but they take photos of everyone.”
The paper highlighted two flashpoints near Kirkuk. In one, US forces are alleged to have “fired about 47 mortars at [ISIL] positions.” In the other, they are said to have taken part in a Kurdish offensive that recaptured the town of Wastana. One Peshmerga fighter, Major Loqman Mohammed told the paper that “Americans rained fire” on the formerly ISIL-held town.
The Pentagon, however, disputed the description of US special forces engaging in firefights.
“As US senior leaders have repeatedly stated, the US is not conducting a combat mission,” it said. “We continue to conduct an advise and assist mission.”
In spite of promises made by President Obama, the administration has acknowledged the existence of some US “boots on the ground” in the war against ISIL.
Most prominently, The Guardian noted, it did so twice: in October, after an otherwise successful hostage rescue operation in Iraq saw Master Sergeant Joshua Wheeler killed, and in May, after a raid in Syria killed ISIL commander Abu Sayyaf.
In September, the Obama administration revealed in congressional testimony that US special forces had been working with Syrian Kurdish militants last year before the Pentagon’s now-defunct “train-and-equip” program was finalized.
“At the very outset, they began to engage elements like the YPG and enable those elements,” said Gen. Lloyd Austin, leader of Central Command. “They are making a difference on the battlefield. And there are tens of thousands of the YPG out there that are right now fighting ISIL.”
“Because the Syria train and equip program is slower getting started than we’d like for it to be doesn’t mean we’re not creating effects on the battlefield,” he also said.
