Een overzicht van Defensie-operaties van 10 tot en met 16 november.

Nederlandse F-16’s van de Air Task Force Middle East vlogen meer dan 10 missies boven Irak. Ze vernietigden daarbij meerdere doelen van terreurorganisatie ISIS.

Le 14 novembre 2014, la force Chammal a porté trois nouvelles frappes contre des positions de Daech depuis lesquelles ces terroristes menaient des actions offensives contre les forces de sécurité irakiennes dans le nord du pays.

Dans la matinée, alors qu’elle était en mission de reconnaissance armée, une patrouille de deux Rafale a été orientée par le centre opérationnel aérien (CAOC) sur une mission d’opportunité dans la région de Kirkouk, entre Bagdad et Mossoul. Il s’agissait de détruire des positions de combat depuis lesquelles des terroristes du groupe autoproclamé Daech ouvraient le feu sur les forces de sécurité irakiennes.

Au cours de cette mission, la patrouille a délivré plusieurs bombes guidées laser (GBU12) sur des positions de Daech. L’action des avions français a ainsi permis la destruction d’un bunker abritant des combattants terroristes, du matériel servant à la fortification de leur poste, ainsi qu’un second poste de combat.

November 14th: U.S and partner nation military forces continued to attack ISIL terrorists in Syria Nov. 12-14 using bomber, fighter and remotely piloted aircraft to conduct 19 airstrikes against ISIL and one U.S. airstrike against a network of veteran al-Qa’ida operatives, sometimes called the “Khorasan Group.” Separately, U.S. and partner nation military forces conducted 16 airstrikes in Iraq Nov. 12-14 using attack, bomber, fighter, and remotely piloted aircraft against ISIL

terrorists.

In Syria, 17 airstrikes conducted near Kobani struck 10 ISIL units, destroyed ten fighting positions, an ISIL building, two ISIL vehicles, and an ISIL motorcycle.

An airstrike east of Ar Raqqah destroyed an ISIL training camp.

Another airstrike east of Dayr Az Zawr destroyed an ISIL oil collection point.

Finally, in northwest Syria west of Aleppo, a U.S. airstrike struck terrorists associated with a network of veteran Al Qaeda operatives, sometimes called the “Khorasan Group,” who are plotting external attacks against the United States and our allies.

In Iraq, [6] airstrikes south of Kirkuk struck four small ISIL units and an ISIL vehicle [including 3 by France].

Two airstrikes west of Kirkuk struck two small ISIL units, destroyed an ISIL heavy machine gun, an ISIL weapons bunker, and an ISIL vehicle [UK strikes].

One airstrike west of Taji destroyed three ISIL vehicles.

Two airstrikes near Ar Rutbah destroyed 13 ISIL vehicles and two ISIL excavators.

Three airstrikes near Bayji struck two small ISIL units and destroyed one ISIL vehicle.

An airstrike near Fallujah struck a large ISIL unit.

Finally, one airstrike east of Mosul, Iraq, destroyed one small ISIL unit.

Last night [November 13th 2014] a Royal Air Force (RAF) Reaper remotely piloted air system was involved in a coalition air strike in the Kirkuk region. The Reaper had been tasked to conduct reconnaissance in an area where Iraqi forces had encountered ISIL fighters.

The operators were able to use the Reaper’s advanced systems to identify a number of ISIL positions, enabling another Coalition aircraft to attack a command post, bunker, observation post and two armed pick-up trucks. They then identified a further 3 positions, and, having carefully checked the area, conducted attacks using the Reaper’s own Hellfire missiles. Initial analysis indicates that the attacks were successful.

On Thursday evening, Kurdish peshmerga reported coming under fire from a dug-in machine-gun position. An RAF Reaper remotely piloted air system succeeded in locating the ISIL position, and attacked it with a Hellfire missile. The crew operating the Reaper then identified further ISIL positions, allowing another coalition aircraft to conduct an attack.

Before the end of its patrol, the Reaper crew used another Hellfire to engage an ISIL checkpoint set up to control a road.

Elsewhere in Iraq, another Reaper, investigating reported ISIL activity in response to advancing Iraqi forces, identified terrorists boarding a truck. Despite the vehicle moving off at high speed, the Reaper crew were able to hit it with a Hellfire.