December 17th 2014 – U.S. and partner nation military forces continued to attack ISIL terrorists in Syria Dec. 15-17 using fighter and bomber aircraft to conduct six airstrikes. Separately, U.S. and partner nation military forces conducted 61 airstrikes in Iraq Dec. 15-17 using fighter, bomber, attack, and remotely-piloted aircraft against the ISIL terrorists.

In Syria, five airstrikes near Kobani destroyed an ISIL building, an ISIL staging area, an ISIL bunker, and an ISIL mortar and struck two ISIL tactical units, two additional buildings and two ISIL fighting positions.

Near Abu Kamal, an airstrike destroyed an ISIL tactical vehicle.

In Iraq, eight airstrikes near Mosul [including by French] destroyed two ISIL heavy machine guns, three ISIL buildings, one ISIL mortar position, one ISIL bulldozer and an ISIL bunker and also struck a large ISIL unit and an ISIL tactical unit.

Near Tal-Afar, two airstrikes destroyed an ISIL building and three ISIL bridges and also struck an ISIL tactical unit [British strike reported between Mosul and Tal Afar].

Near Sinjar, two airstrikes destroyed two ISIL vehicles, two ISIL guard towers, three ISIL containers and one ISIL storage container [one strike French].

Near Hit, an airstrike destroyed an ISIL tactical vehicle and an excavator.

Near Rawa, an airstrike destroyed an ISIL building and a storage container [British].Near Irbil, an airstrike destroyed an ISIL vehicle and struck an ISIL tactical unit. Near Ramadi, an airstrike destroyed an ISIL building.

An additional 45 strikes were conducted in support of the Peshmerga (KSF) and Iraqi security forces operating in the region [France defines this as Mount Sinjar while the UK refers to an area between Mosul and Tal Afar]. Precision airstrikes from 15 coalition aircraft destroyed approximately 50 targets, to include bulldozers, vehicles, checkpoints, enemy fighting positions, enemy fighters, and equipment [operation includes France, UK, Canada].

The early hours of Wednesday morning [December 17th 2014] saw UK Tornados join other coalition aircraft as the peshmerga mounted a further offensive. They conducted a carefully coordinated attack, again using Paveway IV bombs, on a line of trenches, bunkers and gun emplacements constructed by ISIL between Mosul and Tal Afar in an attempt to hold up the Kurdish advance.

The same Tornado patrol then flew 150 miles south to provide support for an additional offensive against ISIL in Anbar province. They were tasked to destroy a checkpoint near Rawah, used by the terrorists to deny local people any freedom of movement along a major road.An attack was conducted with a Brimstone missile on a guard room and equipment store used by those manning the checkpoint.

On 17 December, while taking part in coalition missions in support of Iraqi security forces ground operations conducted in an area north-west of Mosul, two CF-188 Hornets successfully struck two ISIL fighting positions with precision-guided munitions.

Le 15 décembre, une patrouille a été sollicitée afin de détruire une cible d’opportunité sur les contreforts du Mont Sinjar dans le Nord-Ouest de l’Irak, où les combattants irakiens, kurdes et yézidis s’unissent pour défendre la zone convoitée par les terroristes du groupe Daech.

Enfin, le 16 décembre, une patrouille a de nouveau été sollicitée par le CAOC afin de détruire un objectif dans la région de Mossoul.

Le 17 décembre, deux chasseurs ont participé à un raid de la coalition dans la région du Mont Sinjar. Ce raid aérien, planifié, regroupait 17 avions de la coalition et visait la destruction d’une ligne de défense de Daech avec la neutralisation de près d’une soixantaine d’objectifs. Au cours de ce vol d’environ 3h20, les deux chasseurs ont porté leurs frappes sur les objectifs qui leur étaient assignés.

December 15th 2014 – U.S. and partner nation military forces continued to attack ISIL terrorists in Syria Dec 13-15 using fighter and bomber aircraft to conduct nine airstrikes. Separately, U.S. and partner nation military forces conducted nine airstrikes in Iraq Dec. 13-15 using fighter, bomber, attack, and remotely-piloted aircraft against the ISIL terrorists.

In Syria, eight airstrikes near Kobani destroyed nine ISIL fighting positions, two ISIL buildings, two ISIL staging positions and also struck another ISIL fighting position.

Near abu-Kamal, an airstrike destroyed an ISIL vehicle.

In Iraq, three airstrikes near Mosul destroyed an ISIL fighting position and struck three tactical ISIL units and suppressed an ISIL heavy machine gun position [includes France Dec 12th].

Near Sinjar, an airstrike destroyed an ISIL compound and struck a second ISIL compound.

Near Hit, an airstrike destroyed an ISIL vehicle, a trailer and an excavator.

Near al-Qaim, an airstrike destroyed an ISIL excavator.

Near Ramadi, an airstrike struck two ISIL vehicles [British].

Near Samarra, an airstrike stuck a tactical ISIL unit.

Near Kirkuk, an airstrike destroyed an ISIL vehicle and bunker and struck an ISIL tactical unit.

December 12th 2014 – A RAF Reaper conducted armed reconnaissance in northern Iraq, where ISIL are facing increasing pressure from the Kurdish peshmerga.The Reaper’s mission focused on engineering equipment being used by the terrorists to construct defensive positions to hold up peshmerga advances.The remotely piloted aircraft was able to locate 2 of these engineer vehicles, and attacked them with Hellfire missiles.

Further south, another Reaper identified an ISIL armed pick-up truck and engaged it with a Hellfire missile.

RAF Tornado GR4s were also providing surveillance for the Iraqi army in Anbar province, and were able to assist Iraqi soldiers engaged in a firefight with terrorists near Ramadi. Paveway precision guided bombs and Brimstone missiles were used to deal with ISIL fighting positions and 3 vehicles, including 2 armoured personnel carriers.

Le 12 décembre, les aéronefs ont porté trois frappes au Nord de l’Irak, dans la région Ouest et Nord-Est de Mossoul, permettant la destruction de caches de munitions ainsi que de groupes de combattants de Daech.