“When we find opportunities to do things that will effectively prosecute the campaign, we are going to do that…so raids is one of those categories, and I suspect we will have further opportunities in the future,” Carter said.
On Thursday, the Pentagon confirmed that US special forces in coordination with Iraqi and Peshmerga forces carried out a raid and hostage rescue at an ISIL compound in Iraq. The raid resulted in the freeing of 70 hostages, and the first US casualty in the war against ISIL.
Carter clarified that the US participation in the raid does not mean Washington is taking on a combat role in Iraq.
“It represents a continuation of our advise and assist mission,” he stated.
There are currently about 3,300 US troops in Iraq, including a substantial contingent charged with training and capacity building for Iraqi Security Forces and Kurdish Peshmerga.
