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US to maintain two-carrier force in CENTCOM region

13th March 2020 - 16:30 GMT | by Richard Thomas in London

RSS

The US will maintain two carriers in the Middle East for an undisclosed period of time following retaliatory strikes by its forces on Kata'ib Hezbollah (KH) elements in Iraq, conducted in response to a fatal rocket attack on Camp Taji, Iraq, on 11 March.

Backed by Iran, KH is one of a number of paramilitary groups operating in Iraq as the latter country seeks to counter Tehran's influence and the remnants of IS fighters still at large. The Camp Taji attack resulted in three fatalities, including one serving British Army medic, with dozens more described as suffering ‘blood injuries'.

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