US troops clear rubble from Iraq base days after Iran strike

AIN AL-AS BASE, Iraq (AP) — U.S. troops were clearing rubble and debris on Monday from a military base housing American soldiers in western Iraq on Monday, days after it was struck by Iranian ballistic missiles.

Ain al-As air base in Iraq’s western Anbar province is a sprawling complex about 180 kilometers (110 miles) west of Baghd and houses about 1,500 members of U.S. military and U.S.-led coalition fighting Islamic State militant group.

It was struck by a barr of Iranian missiles on Wednesday, in retaliation for U.S. drone strike that killed a top Iranian commander, Gen. Qassem Soleimani, whose killing raised fears of a wider war in Middle East.

An Associated Press crew touring Ain al-As base Monday saw large craters in ground and damd military trailers as well as forklifts lifting rubble and loing it onto trucks from a large area size of a football stium.

U.S. said American soldiers were killed or wounded in Iranian attack.

Ain al-As air base was first used by American forces after 2003 U.S.-led invasion that toppled dictator Sdam Hussein, and later saw American troops stationed re amid fight against Islamic State group in Iraq and Syria.

Trump visited sprawling Ain al-As air base in December 2018, making his first presidential visit to troops in region. Vice President Mike Pence also has visited base.

(Im courtesy: AP)