U.S. says it killed IS militant who killed Marine in Iraq

BAGHDAD (Reuters) - The anti-Islamic State coalition conducting airstrikes in Iraq and Syria has killed the IS militant believed responsible for an attack on U.S. troops in northern Iraq last month that left a Marine dead, it said on Sunday.

Militant Jasim Khadijah, a former Iraqi officer not considered a high-value target, was killed by a drone strike overnight in northern Iraq, coalition spokesman U.S. Army Col. Steve Warren told reporters in Baghdad.

"We have information (that) he was a rocket expert, he controlled these attacks," said Warren, referring to the shelling of a base used by U.S. troops near the town of Makhmour, located between Mosul and Kirkuk.

That attack killed Marine Staff Sergeant Louis Cardin and wounded eight others, all part of a company-sized detachment of less than 200 troops. They provide force protection fire to Iraqi army troops, who are making slow progress in a campaign to clear areas around Mosul, an IS stronghold.

Cardin's was the second combat death of an American service member in Iraq since the start of the campaign to fight the militant group in 2014.

Warren said five other Islamic State fighters were killed in the air strike.

(Reporting by Stephen Kalin; Editing by Clelia Oziel)

Vanguard learned that the duo were part of a five man robbery gang who besieged the home of a business woman in the community, name withheld, and attempted to rob her of her valuables. According to the source, “the armed men actually stormed the home of the woman at about 10pm on Saturday night just minutes after she had returned from her business place. “After forcing their way into the woman’s house, they threatened to kill her and her children if she did not surrender all the money in her possession to them. “The woman immediately acted fast and raised an alarm which attracted neigbours and members of the local vigilante group in the area who immediate rushed to the scene. “Sensing danger, members of the gang fled from the village but two of them were not so lucky, the villagers caught up with them and beat them to death after which their bodies were set ablaze and burnt beyond recognition.” It was gather that the charred remains of the suspects were later evacuated by the Police in the area. When contacted, the Benue state Police Public Relations Officer, PPRO, Assistant Superintendent, ASP, Moses Yamu confirmed incident.

Read more at: http://www.vanguardngr.com/2016/04/irate-mob-set-two-robbers-ablaze-gboko/

BAGHDAD (Reuters) - The anti-Islamic State coalition conducting airstrikes in Iraq and Syria has killed the IS militant believed responsible for an attack on U.S. troops in northern Iraq last month that left a Marine dead, it said on Sunday.

Militant Jasim Khadijah, a former Iraqi officer not considered a high-value target, was killed by a drone strike overnight in northern Iraq, coalition spokesman U.S. Army Col. Steve Warren told reporters in Baghdad.

"We have information (that) he was a rocket expert, he controlled these attacks," said Warren, referring to the shelling of a base used by U.S. troops near the town of Makhmour, located between Mosul and Kirkuk.

That attack killed Marine Staff Sergeant Louis Cardin and wounded eight others, all part of a company-sized detachment of less than 200 troops. They provide force protection fire to Iraqi army troops, who are making slow progress in a campaign to clear areas around Mosul, an IS stronghold.

Cardin's was the second combat death of an American service member in Iraq since the start of the campaign to fight the militant group in 2014.

Warren said five other Islamic State fighters were killed in the air strike.

(Reporting by Stephen Kalin; Editing by Clelia Oziel)