US air attacks at Mosul Dam repel ISIL assault

Wall Street Journal:

The U.S. and its allies carried out a series of airstrikes near Iraq’s Mosul Dam on Tuesday and Wednesday to help fend off a fresh advance there from armed Islamic State forces, after taking part in operations to seize control of the critical facilityfrom extremists in August.

The U.S. conducted 12 strikes near Mosul Dam, destroying a large Islamic State unit, a mortar launching position, three vehicles and multiple fighting positions, according to U.S. Central Command, which oversees American forces in the Middle East.

“There was an offensive action by the enemy in the vicinity of Mosul Dam,” said Col. Steve Warren, a Pentagon spokesman. “A combination of U.S. airstrikes and Iraqi forces were able to repel that.”

Mosul Dam, located on the Tigris River in a valley north of Mosul, controls the water and power supply in northern Iraq. When militants first seized the site in August, U.S. and Iraqi officials said it could lead to deadly flooding if its foundation, which requires daily cement injections, wasn’t properly maintained.
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 It looks like ISIL is pivoting from Kobani to Iaq and is focused on strategic targets like this huge dam.  If they expect to take control of Anbar and other parts of Iraq they will need the power from the dam to sustain the population they hope to rule.  If they take a nihilistic turn they may try to destroy the dam.