On Aug. 14, coalition military forces continued to attack ISIL terrorists in Syria and Iraq. In Syria, coalition military forces conducted five airstrikes using bomber, fighter and remotely piloted aircraft. Separately in Iraq, coalition military forces conducted 15 airstrikes coordinated with the government of Iraq using attack, bomber, fighter, fighter-attack and remotely piloted aircraft against ISIL targets.

The following is a summary of the strikes conducted against ISIL since the last press release:

Syria

• Near Al Hasakah, three airstrikes struck an ISIL tactical unit and destroyed six ISIL excavators, an ISIL heavy machine gun, three ISIL fighting positions and an ISIL bulldozer.

• Near Aleppo, two airstrikes struck an ISIL tactical unit and destroyed four ISIL fighting positions and an ISIL vehicle.

Iraq

• Near Al Baghdadi, one airstrike destroyed three ISIL rocket rails and an ISIL weapons cache.

• Near Bayji, one airstrike struck an ISIL tactical unit and destroyed two ISIL vehicles and an ISIL bunker.

• Near Fallujah, one airstrike had inconclusive results.

• Near Haditha, three airstrikes struck an ISIL command and control facility and two ISIL staging areas.

• Near Kirkuk, one airstrike struck an ISIL mortar firing position.

• Near Makhmur, one airstrike struck an ISIL mortar firing position.

• Near Mosul, one airstrike destroyed six ISIL fighting positions.

• Near Ramadi, five airstrikes struck two large and one small ISIL tactical units and destroyed four ISIL buildings, three ISIL IEDs an ISIL truck, an ISIL vehicle and an ISIL weapons cache.

• Near Sinjar, one airstrike struck an ISIL tactical unit and destroyed an ISIL fighting position and an ISIL heavy machine gun.

Iraqi security forces are very active in western Iraq, where they are conducting successful operations to isolate Ramadi, cutting off ISIL supply routes into the city.

RAF aircraft have helped provide support, and on Friday 14 August an RAF Reaper flew overwatch for Iraqi troops, supported by artillery, as they engaged a number of terrorist positions. The Reaper’s crew were able to use the aircraft’s advanced surveillance capabilities to pinpoint a group of terrorists who were firing on the Iraqi forces from a concealed position in a treeline, allowing coalition fast jets to conduct a successful strike with guided bombs.

The Reaper then identified a heavy machine-gun team and eliminated the threat with an Hellfire missile. It continued to work closely with the coalition fast jets, assisting them in an attack that destroyed two more terrorist positions, then delivered another Hellfire attack of its own, destroying a truck as the ISIL extremists retreated.

Chammal :

Les avions de l’opération Chammal, patrouilleur maritime Atlantique2, Mirage2000 D&N etRafale, ont réalisé cette semaine 17 missions en relation avec le CAOC 1du Qatar et suivi en conduite par le JOC 2Chammal. Certaines de ces missions ont pu être réalisées conjointement avec les autres forces aériennes de l’opérationInherent Resolvedont Chammal est la participation française.

Les missions de reconnaissance armée ont conduit à la destruction de caches d’armes deDaech, de plusieurs véhicules et de positions armées à partir desquelles le groupe terroriste autoproclamé opérait des manœuvres de harcèlement des forces de sécurité irakiennes. Au total, le bilan de ces missions aériennes fait état de 6 objectifs détruits.

En Irak, dans le secteur de Bagdad, le détachement d’instruction opérationnel n°13 poursuit un stage de 8 semaines en techniques commando auprès des militaires de l’ICTS, l’Iraqi Counter-Terrorism Service, et le détachement Advise & Assist continue sa formation au profit des officiers de l’état-major de la 6thInfantry Division.

On Aug. 13, coalition military forces continued to attack ISIL terrorists in Syria and Iraq. In Syria, coalition military forces conducted eight airstrikes using attack, bomber, fighter and remotely piloted aircraft. Separately in Iraq, coalition military forces conducted 23 airstrikes coordinated with the government of Iraq using attack, bomber, fighter, fighter-attack and remotely piloted aircraft against ISIL targets.

“Coalition airstrikes in Ramadi have destroyed many Daesh forces, equipment and fighting positions,” said Col. Mike Indovina, spokesman, CJTF-OIR. “The continued pounding of Daesh defensive positions sets the conditions for ISF as they advance closer to the city in order to completely encircle Ramadi, “tightening the noose” around the city, before commencing clearing operations.”

The following is a summary of the strikes conducted against ISIL since the last press release:

Syria

• Near Al Hasakah, three airstrikes struck an ISIL tactical unit and destroyed five ISIL fighting positions and an ISIL bunker.

• Near Aleppo, two airstrikes struck two ISIL tactical units and destroyed three ISIL recoilless rifles, two ISIL vehicles and an ISIL fighting position.

• Near Ar Raqqah, two airstrikes struck two ISIL tactical units.

• Near Kobani, one airstrike struck an ISIL tactical unit.

Iraq

• Near Al Huwayjah, one airstrike struck an ISIL tactical unit and destroyed two ISIL fighting positions, an ISIL heavy machine gun and an ISIL vehicle.

• Near Bayji, one airstrike struck an ISIL tactical unit and destroyed two ISIL resupply caches.

• Near Fallujah, one airstrike struck an ISIL tactical unit and destroyed an ISIL anti-aircraft artillery piece and an ISIL weapons cache.

• Near Habbaniyah, one airstrike struck an ISIL tactical unit and terrain features denying ISIL a tactical advantage and destroyed three ISIL buildings.

• Near Kirkuk, one airstrike struck an ISIL tactical unit and destroyed four ISIL fighting positions and an ISIL bunker.

• Near Makhmur, one airstrike struck an ISIL mortar firing position.

• Near Mosul, two airstrikes struck two ISIL tactical units and destroyed four ISIL fighting positions.

• Near Ramadi, six airstrikes struck three ISIL tactical units and an ISIL fighting position and destroyed three ISIL buildings, two ISIL IEDs, two ISIL vehicles and an ISIL recoilless rifle.

• Near Sinjar, two airstrikes struck two ISIL tactical units and destroyed four ISIL fighting positions and four ISIL light machine guns.

• Near Tal Afar, six airstrikes struck four ISIL staging areas and destroyed an ISIL anti-aircraft artillery piece and an ISIL VBIED.

• Near Tuz, one airstrike struck an ISIL tactical unit.

Coalition aircraft, including two RAF GR4s, staged a large coordinated air strike on Thursday 13 August against a terrorist strongpoint in northern Iraq, to the east of Tal Afar. This was at a village, the population of which had forced out by ISIL, with the buildings turned into fortified positions in the front line against the advancing Kurdish peshmerga. Very careful surveillance by both the Kurdish troops and aerial reconnaissance allowed a number of key elements of the strong point to be identified, including headquarters, terrorist accommodation, equipment stores and heavy weapon positions. This patient and thorough intelligence analysis allowed a coordinated attack to be mounted by coalition jets against multiple targets, with the GR4s dropping Paveway IV guided bombs.

A second flight of GR4s then provided close air support through the evening to the peshmerga, in the course of which a successful strike was conducted on a terrorist mortar position.