Tuesday 28 February – Tornados destroyed Daesh positions north-west of Mosul, and several terrorist positions south-west of Bayji…

Royal Air Force aircraft have continued to provide close air support to Iraqi forces as they methodically clear Daesh positions in western Mosul.

On Tuesday 28 February, a pair of Tornados used two Paveway IV guided bombs to attack a network of trenches and firing points, which a coalition aircraft had identified just to the north-west of the city. The aircraft then headed south, to a remote area south-west of Bayji, where a number of Daesh fighters had been spotted with a truck. The Tornados observed the extremists making preparations to dry out home-made explosives. Apparently becoming aware of the aircraft overhead, the fighters split into two groups and attempted to move away on foot. However the groups were tracked by a Tornado and both were struck by Paveway IVs.

On Feb. 27, Coalition military forces conducted 31 strikes consisting of 99 engagements against ISIS terrorists in Syria and Iraq.

In Syria, Coalition military forces conducted 15 strikes consisting of 18 engagements against ISIS targets.

* Near Ar Raqqah, nine strikes engaged four ISIS tactical units and destroyed two well heads, two fighting positions, an oil storage tank, an ISIS-held building, an ISIS headquarters, a tunnel, a vehicle and a VBIED.

* Near Dayr Az Zawr, four strikes engaged an ISIS tactical unit and destroyed nine oil refinement stills, two barges, a watercraft, a vehicle and an oil tanker truck.

* Near Palmyra, two strikes [1-2 British] destroyed five tanks.

In Iraq, Coalition military forces conducted 16 strikes consisting of 81 engagements coordinated with and in support of the government of Iraq against ISIS targets.

* Near Al Qaim, 10 strikes [1 British] engaged an ISIS tactical unit and destroyed two VBIED factories, two ISIS media facilities, an IED factory, a weapons storage facility, an anti-air artillery system, a vehicle, a fuel storage tank, an ISIS staging facility and an ISIS financial facility.

* Near Baghdad, one strike engaged an ISIS tactical unit and destroyed an ISIS-held building.

* Near Mosul, five strikes [1 British] engaged four ISIS tactical units and an ISIS staging area; destroyed seven mortar systems, four vehicles, four fighting positions, three ISIS-held buildings, two anti-air systems, two rocket-propelled grenade systems, two VBIEDs, a supply cache, a VBIED facility and a UAV control station; damaged six tunnels and six supply routes; and suppressed 21 mortar teams and an ISIS tactical unit.

Monday 27 February – Tornados struck a mortar team in Mosul and a Daesh tank in Palmyra, Syria, while a Reaper supported coalition air strikes at Al Qaim and destroyed an anti-aircraft gun…Tornados saw further action over western Mosul on Monday 27 February, when they struck another terrorist mortar team with a Paveway IV. The Tornado flight then headed west into Syria, where a main battle tank operated by Daesh had been identified at Tadmur, in the ancient city of Palmyra. A Brimstone missile scored a solid hit on the target. Close to Iraq’s border with Syria, a Reaper meanwhile provided surveillance support to coalition air strikes on two Daesh facilities in Al Qaim, manufacturing truck-bombs and other improvised explosive devices. An anti-aircraft gun was spotted, despite efforts to conceal it under cover, and was destroyed by one of the Reaper’s Hellfires.

On Feb. 26, Coalition military forces conducted 24 strikes consisting of 101 engagements against ISIS terrorists in Syria and Iraq.

In Syria, Coalition military forces conducted 14 strikes consisting of 21 engagements against ISIS targets.

* Near Ar Raqqah, eight strikes engaged five ISIS tactical units and an ISIS staging area and destroyed four fighting positions, two ammo caches, a mortar system, a vehicle, a chemical weapons facility and an ISIS headquarters.

* Near Dayr Az Zawr, four strikes destroyed five well heads and an oil manifold.

* Near Palmyra, two strikes destroyed six pump jacks.

In Iraq, Coalition military forces conducted 10 strikes consisting of 80 engagements coordinated with and in support of the government of Iraq against ISIS targets.

* Near Kirkuk, two strikes engaged two ISIS tactical units, destroyed four ISIS-held buildings, and damaged a tunnel.

* Near Mosul, fives strikes [1 British] engaged four ISIS tactical units and two ISIS staging areas; destroyed eight fighting positions, six mortar systems, five vehicles, three VBIEDs, two roadblocks, two ISIS-held buildings, two rocket-propelled grenade systems, two VBIED facilities, two weapons caches, a tactical vehicle, a sniper position, a supply cache, a bulldozer and a tunnel entrance; damaged nine supply routes and a front-end loader; and suppressed 18 mortar teams and five ISIS tactical units.

* Near Rawah, one strike destroyed a weapons cache and a supply cache.

* Near Sinjar, two strikes engaged an ISIS tactical unit and destroyed eight tactical vehicles and two weapons storage facilities.

Sunday 26 February – Tornados attacked a terrorist group a few miles west of Mosul, as well as eliminating seven armoured vehicles to the west of Tall Afar…On Sunday 26 February, two flights of Tornados operated over northern Iraq. One patrolled just to the west of Mosul, where a Paveway IV was employed to kill a small group of terrorists as they manoeuvred in the open. The second pair of Tornados headed to an area some 25 miles south-west of Tall Afar, where a number of Daesh armoured trucks had been spotted. The Tornados found one pair of vehicles on the move across the desert and destroyed both with simultaneous attacks with Brimstone missiles. A convoy of five more armoured trucks was then identified nearby, stationary on a stretch of road. All were destroyed with a combination of Brimstones and Paveway IVs. A series of secondary explosions ensued as the vehicles and their cargoes burned.

On Feb. 25, Coalition military forces conducted 41 strikes consisting of 108 engagements against ISIS terrorists in Syria and Iraq.

In Syria, Coalition military forces conducted 18 strikes consisting of 24 engagements against ISIS targets.

* Near Al Shadaddi, one strike destroyed a VBIED.

* Near Ar Raqqah, three strikes engaged an ISIS tactical unit and destroyed a vehicle, a tactical vehicle and a mortar system.

* Near Dayr Az Zawr, seven strikes destroyed six well heads, an oil tanker truck and a front-end loader.

* Near Palmyra, seven strikes engaged two ISIS staging areas and an ISIS tactical unit; destroyed five storage units, three tanks, two vehicles, an oil storage tank, a pump jack and an ISIS-held building; and damaged two oil storage tanks.

In Iraq, Coalition military forces conducted 23 strikes consisting of 84 engagements coordinated with and in support of the government of Iraq against ISIS targets.

* Near Al Huwayjah, one strike destroyed an ISIS headquarters.

* Near Bayji, seven strikes engaged five ISIS tactical units and destroyed five vehicles, two ISIS compounds and a tunnel entrance.

* Near Kisik, two strikes destroyed an ISIS headquarters and an ISIS-held building.

* Near Mosul, seven strikes engaged four ISIS tactical units; destroyed 15 fighting positions, 11 mortar systems, three vehicles, three weapons caches, two ISIS-held buildings, two VBIEDs, a sniper position, an ISIS headquarters, two heavy machine guns, an artillery system, a UAV staging area, and a supply cache; and suppressed 14 mortar teams, two ISIS tactical units, an artillery team and a rocket-propelled grenade team.

* Near Tal Afar, six strikes destroyed four ISIS headquarters, a vehicle and a tactical vehicle.

On Feb. 24, Coalition military forces conducted 21 strikes consisting of 125 engagements against ISIS terrorists in Syria and Iraq.

In Syria, Coalition military forces conducted 12 strikes consisting of 30 engagements against ISIS targets.

* Near Al Shadaddi, five strikes engaged four ISIS tactical units and destroyed three fighting positions, two vehicles, an ISIS headquarters, a storage facility and a VBIED.

* Near Ar Raqqah, five strikes destroyed an artillery system, a mortar system, a rocket system, a watercraft, a weapons storage facility and a chemical weapons facility.

* Near Dayr Az Zawr, one strike destroyed two oil well heads.

* Near Palmyra, one strike engaged an ISIS tactical unit and destroyed a vehicle and a tactical vehicle.

In Iraq, Coalition military forces conducted nine strikes consisting of 95 engagements coordinated with and in support of the government of Iraq against ISIS targets.

* Near Al Huwayjah, one strike engaged an ISIS tactical unit and destroyed a heavy machine gun and a logistics node.

* Near Al Qaim, one strike destroyed a homemade explosives cache and a VBIED factory.

* Near Bayji, two strikes engaged an ISIS tactical unit and destroyed five ISIS-held buildings, three vehicles, a fighting position and a front-end loader.

* Near Mosul, five strikes [2 British] engaged three ISIS tactical units and an ISIS sniper unit; destroyed nine fighting positions, eight mortar systems, five ISIS-held buildings, four command and control nodes, three VBIED facilities, three tactical vehicles, two vehicles, two artillery systems, two anti-air artillery systems, a rocket-propelled grenade system, a UAV storage facility, a front-end loader, a VBIED staging area and a supply cache; damaged 12 supply routes and four ISIS-held buildings; and suppressed 22 mortars and an artillery system.

Friday 24 February – A Reaper destroyed three truck-bombs, while a Tornado struck a mortar, all in western Mosul…The following day [February 24th], another Tornado mission attacked a further mortar position which was under the cover of some trees in western Mosul, again using a single Paveway IV for the attack. A Reaper remotely piloted aircraft meanwhile flew overwatch for an Iraqi unit as it advanced into the city. The Iraqi troops encountered a bulldozer rigged with explosives which was blocking movement along a street. With the Iraqis taking cover, the Reaper’s crew were able to destroy safely the booby-trapped vehicle with a Hellfire missile. The Reaper then scouted over a group of workshops known to produce improvised armoured vehicles and truck bombs. Two such vehicles were identified, one parked in the open, the other being worked on in a garage, and both were destroyed with direct hits from Hellfires.

On Feb. 23, Coalition military forces conducted 36 strikes consisting of 120 engagements against ISIS terrorists in Syria and Iraq.

In Syria, Coalition military forces conducted 28 strikes consisting of 36 engagements against ISIS targets.

* Near Abu Kamal, two strikes engaged an ISIS tactical unit and destroyed four oil separation tanks.

* Near Al Bab, one strike destroyed a tank.

* Near Al Shadaddi, six strikes engaged four ISIS tactical units; and destroyed three fighting positions, two vehicles, a storage shed, a tactical vehicle and a weapons storage facility.

* Near Ar Raqqah, 17 strikes engaged three ISIS tactical units and an ISIS staging area; and destroyed three pump jacks, a command and control node, a fighting position and a tactical vehicle.

* Near Dayr Az Zawr, one strike destroyed six oil tanker trucks.

* Near Palmyra, one strike engaged an ISIS tactical unit and destroyed a tactical vehicle.

In Iraq, Coalition military forces conducted eight strikes consisting of 84 engagements coordinated with and in support of the government of Iraq against ISIS targets.

* Near Mosul, six strikes [1 British] engaged five ISIS tactical units; destroyed eight mortar systems, six fighting positions, three vehicles, three weapons caches, two supply caches, two VBIEDs, two VBIED facilities, an ISIS-held building, a rocket-propelled grenade system, an anti-air artillery system, a light machine gun, an explosives factory, a UAV factory, and an armoring factory; damaged 18 supply routes and six tunnels; and suppressed 33 mortar teams and an ISIS tactical unit.

* Near Rawah, one strike engaged an ISIS tactical unit.

* Near Sinjar, one strike destroyed a UAV launch site and a VBIED.

Thursday 23 February – Tornados bombed a Daesh mortar team inside western Mosul…

As Iraqi forces liberated Mosul airport and began pushing into the part of the city still held by Daesh, Royal Air Force and other coalition aircraft provided continual close air support.

A flight of RAF Tornados used a Paveway IV guided bomb on Thursday 23 February to attack a Daesh mortar team operating inside western Mosul. The aircrew waited patiently for some unidentified, possibly civilian, traffic to move clear of the target before they delivered a successful strike.

En Syrie, la situation évolue peu, que ce soit dans la région d’Al Bab où de Raqqah ou les forces démocratiques syriennes progresse méthodiquement en poursuivant leur manœuvre d’encerclement de la ville de Raqqah.

En Irak, l’organisation poursuit sa campagne d’attentats terroristes, visant toujours essentiellement la capitale Bagdad, en continuant à faire de nombreux morts parmi la population civile.

L’activité des opérations sur le théâtre du Levant a été marquée en début de semaine par le lancement de l’offensive visant à libérer la partie Ouest de la ville de Mossoul.

Dans une manœuvre cordonnée et planifiée, appuyée par la coalition, les unités irakiennes ont commencé leur progression. Faisant face à la défense de Daech, les forces irakiennes ont progressé sur le flanc sud-ouest de Mossoul. Ils sont parvenus à proximité d’Abu Saïf sur la rive occidentale du Tigre, au sud de l’aéroport de Mossoul, point clef avant d’atteindre les quartiers plus résidentiels de la ville.

Face à la reprise de l’offensive, Daech semble chercher à se réfugier dans la zone urbaine que ses combattants ont fortement fortifiée les semaines passées. Dans le même temps, l’organisation terroriste tente de fragiliser la sécurisation de l’Est de la ville par les FSI en y menant des actions de harcèlement et en en faisant la cible de tirs indirects.

Plus à l’ouest, Daech essaie de maintenir un axe logistique vers Tal Afar, porte de sortie vers la Syrie.

ACTIVITÉS DE LA FORCE CHAMMAL

Cette semaine, les missions aériennes des avions français engagés contre Daech ont ainsi représenté 36 sorties dont 28 de reconnaissance armée ou d’appui au sol, et 8 de recueil de renseignements. Les 3 frappes réalisées ont permis de détruire 3 objectifs.

Dès le lancement de l’offensive pour la libération de Mossoul Ouest, les Rafale de l’armée de l’air sont entrés en action au-dessus de la ville. Le 20 février ils ont réalisé, en appui de l’offensive de Mossoul, deux frappes au Sud-Ouest de la ville, contre des pièces d’artillerie de Daech installées dans le secteur clef de l’aéroport.

Une frappe a par ailleurs été conduite en Syrie dans la région de Der Ez Zawr pour détruire une 1 cache d’armes.

Appui feu – TF Wagram

La reprise de l’offensive dans l’ouest de Mossoul et les opérations de sécurisation dans l’Est a également largement mobilisé la TF Wagram cette semaine. Ce sont en tout 45 missions de tirs en appui des forces irakiennes qui ont été réalisées. Le nombre de missions en augmentation sensible et la proportion croissante de missions de destruction (34) soulignent l’évolution des effets recherchés sur le terrain. Une grande partie des appuis fournis a visé l’arrière des défenses de Daech, afin de désorganiser ses unités, sa logistique et ses communications, et faciliter ainsi la progression des FSI.