On March 6, U.S. and Coalition military forces continued to attack ISIL terrorists in Syria, using attack and fighter aircraft to conduct six airstrikes. Separately, U.S. and Coalition military forces conducted 11 airstrikes in Iraq, using attack, fighter and remotely piloted aircraft against ISIL terrorists. All strikes took place between 8 a.m., March 6, and 8 a.m., March 7, local time. The following is a summary of the strikes conducted since the last press release:

Syria

* Near Kobani, six airstrikes struck three tactical units, destroyed two fighting positions and damaged one heavy machine gun position.

Iraq

* Near Mosul, six airstrikes struck four ISIL tactical units, destroyed two buildings, two check points, two ISIL vehicles, and one mortar, damaged an anti-air defense artillery gun and a weapons cache, and neutralized an excavator.

* Near Tal Afar, two airstrikes destroyed two anti-air defense guns.

* Near Fallujah, two airstrikes struck two tactical units and destroyed one fighting position and one sniper position.

* Near Kirkuk, one airstrike struck one tactical unit and destroyed one vehicle and one weapons cache.

One CJTF-OIR member died and three were wounded in a friendly fire incident with Kurdish Security Forces in Northern Iraq March 6. These servicemembers were conducting an Advise & Assist mission with KSF supporting Operation Inherent Resolve. The four were transported to a coalition medical facility for care where one servicemember died of wounds.

This incident is currently under investigation. It is CJTF-OIR policy to defer casualty identification procedures to the relevant national authorities.

Fighter aircraft of the United Arab Emirates F-16 squadron, stationed in one of the air bases in the Hashemite Kingdom of Jordan, carried out airstrikes overnight against Da’esh terrorist sites, which show to the world horrific violations of all religious and human values.

Aircraft targeted a number of operating and extraction points and crude oil pipelines controlled by the organization, with the aim of depriving Daesh of sources of income and to dry up funding for terrorist operations.

All fighter aircraft returned safely to base.

On March 5, U.S. and Coalition military forces continued to attack ISIL terrorists in Syria, using attack and fighter aircraft to conduct four airstrikes. Separately, U.S. and Coalition military forces conducted 12 airstrikes in Iraq, using attack, fighter and remotely piloted aircraft against ISIL terrorists. All strikes took place between 8 a.m., March 5, and 8 a.m., March 6, local time. The following is a summary of the strikes conducted since the last press release:

Syria

* Near Dayr az Zawr, an airstrike [UAE] struck an ISIL crude oil collection point.

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

* Near Tal Hamis, an airstrike struck an ISIL tactical unit and destroyed an ISIL fighting position.

Iraq

* Near Al Qaim, two airstrikes struck two ISIL tactical units and destroyed an ISIL bulldozer.

* Near Fallujah, four airstrikes struck an ISIL tactical unit, an ISIL headquarters and destroyed two ISIL buildings and an ISIL vehicle.

* Near Haditha, an airstrike struck ISIL tactical unit and destroyed an ISIL fighting position.

* Near Mosul, two airstrikes [1 Canadian] struck an ISIL tactical unit and destroyed an ISIL vehicle and an ISIL anti-aircraft artillery system.

* Near Samarra, an airstrike neutralized an ISIL VBIED.

* Near Taji, an airstrike struck ISIL tactical unit.

* Near Tal Afar, an airstrike struck an ISIL tactical unit.

Combined Joint Task Force-Operation Inherent Resolve delivered precise and effective airstrikes on enemy positions in and around Al Baghdadi, in support of the Iraqi Government’s fight against ISIL. Iraqi Security Forces and Tribal Fighters from the Anbar region have successfully cleared Al Baghdadi of ISIL, retaking both the police station and three Euphrates River bridges. The bridges have been held by ISIL since last September. Furthermore, the Iraqi Security Forces with Coalition support, succeeded in pushing ISIL from seven villages northwest of Al Baghdadi on the road to Hadithah.

From Feb. 22 – March 6, in support of the Government of Iraq’s (GOI) campaign to defeat ISIL, the Coalition executed 26 airstrikes to facilitate the maneuver of the Iraqi Security Forces and their successful attacks. In addition to airstrikes, the Coalition supported the operation with surveillance assets and Advise and Assist teams who provided operational and intelligence assistance to Iraqi Security Force Headquarters Elements, which helped to enable them to successfully conduct the offensive operation.

The CJTF-OIR Coalition will continue supporting efforts on behalf of all Iraqi Security Forces and the GoI, to attack and defeat ISIL. Iraqi Security Forces now hold the gains they have made and are postured to retake additional territory from ISIL in the Anbar region.

On 5 March 2015, while taking part in coalition missions in support of Iraqi security forces (ISF) in an area South-East of Mosul, two CF-188 Hornets successfully struck an ISIL transport vehicle carrying an artillery piece by using precision guided munitions.

The following day [Thursday March 5th], other Reapers continued to provide close air support to Iraqi ground forces in the west of the country. An ISIL vehicle was destroyed during Thursday morning, and then in the evening a series of Hellfire engagements took place. An ISIL vehicle check-point was neutralised, an attempt by terrorists to launch an attack on Iraqi troops was disrupted by three successful missile strikes, and finally an armed pick-up truck was destroyed late that night. The Reapers also provided surveillance support to two further air strikes by coalition fast jets.