On Feb. 17, Coalition military forces conducted 20 strikes consisting of 54 engagements against ISIS terrorists in Syria and Iraq.

In Syria, Coalition military forces conducted 15 strikes consisting of 19 engagements against ISIS targets.

• Near Abu Kamal, one strike destroyed an oil wellhead.

• Near Al Bab, one strike engaged an ISIS tactical unit and destroyed a fighting position.

• Near Al Shadaddi, two strikes engaged two ISIS tactical units and destroyed two fighting positions, a tactical vehicle and a weapons cache.

• Near Ar Raqqah, seven strikes engaged two ISIS tactical units; destroyed 70 oil barrels, three oil storage tanks, three fighting positions, two oil refinement stills and a weapons storage area; and damaged a bridge.

• Near Dayr Az Zawr, four strikes destroyed five oil wellheads.

In Iraq, Coalition military forces conducted five strikes consisting of 35 engagements coordinated with and in support of the government of Iraq against ISIS targets.

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

• Near Kirkuk, one strike [1 British?] engaged an ISIS tactical unit and destroyed an ISIS-held building and a fighting position.

• Near Mosul, three strikes engaged an ISIS tactical unit; destroyed eight front-end loaders, four excavators, three watercraft, an ISIS-held building and a barge; damaged 11 supply routes; and suppressed five mortar teams and an ISIS tactical unit.

Coalition forces strike five-story facility in Mosul

SOUTHWEST ASIA- With the approval of the government of Iraq, Coalition forces struck an ISIS command and control headquarters and propaganda facility in Western Mosul on Feb. 17.

The five-story Bab Sinjar administration facility was located in the Al Jumhuri medical community complex. ISIS continues to ignore the Law of Armed Conflict and uses protected sites such as hospitals, schools, and mosques to try and shield themselves from Coalition airstrikes.

In this instance, the Coalition was able to determine through intelligence, surveillance, and reconnaissance efforts that ISIS did not use the building for any medical purposes and that civilians were no longer accessing the site.

The intelligence showed that its sole function was as a military command and control facility for ISIS to oversee its operations against the people of Iraq.

Coalition forces comply with the Law of Armed Conflict, work diligently to be precise in our airstrikes, and take all feasible precautions during the planning and execution of air strikes to reduce the risk of harm to civilians.

The air strikes conducted against legitimate ISIS military targets are just one of the ways the Coalition continues to work by, with, and through its Iraqi partners to defeat ISIS in Iraq.

Friday 17 February – Tornados destroyed a Daesh strongpoint to the west of Kirkuk…On Friday 17 February, a pair of Tornado GR4s from RAF Akrotiri conducted an armed reconnaissance patrol over northern Iraq. They were directed towards a terrorist strongpoint which had been identified some 17 miles west of Kirkuk. Having carefully checked the surrounding area for any indication of civilians who might be placed at risk, the Tornados released a single Paveway IV guided bomb which destroyed the target with a direct hit.

On Feb. 16, Coalition military forces conducted 41 strikes consisting of 62 engagements against ISIS terrorists in Syria and Iraq.

In Syria, Coalition military forces conducted 34 strikes consisting of 35 engagements against ISIS targets.

* Near Abu Kamal, five strikes destroyed seven oil tanker trucks, three oil refinement stills and two oil wellheads.

* Near Al Bab, one strike destroyed a decoy tactical vehicle.

* Near Ar Raqqah, 17 strikes engaged two ISIS staging areas and an ISIS tactical unit; and destroyed four tunnels, three fighting positions, three ISIS-held buildings, two weapons storage areas, two ISIS headquarters, a VBIED storage facility, a fuel station and a bridge.



* Near Dayr Az Zawr, 11 strikes destroyed 20 oil tanker trucks, six oil wellheads, two artillery systems, an oil storage tank and a crane.

In Iraq, Coalition military forces conducted seven strikes consisting of 27 engagements coordinated with and in support of the government of Iraq against ISIS targets.

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

* Near Mosul, three strikes engaged two ISIS tactical units; destroyed four watercraft, three front-end loaders, two shipping containers, a mortar system, an artillery system, a VBIED facility, a vehicle and an ISIS-held building; damaged 11 supply routes and a tunnel; and suppressed a mortar team and an artillery team.

* Near Tal Afar, three strikes destroyed an IED facility, a weapons storage facility, and a fuel storage area.

On Feb. 15, Coalition military forces conducted 24 strikes consisting of 35 engagements against ISIS terrorists in Syria and Iraq.

In Syria, Coalition military forces conducted 15 strikes consisting of 19 engagements using attack and fighter aircraft against ISIS targets.

• Near Abu Kamal, two strikes destroyed four oil pump jacks.

• Near Al Shadaddi, four strikes engaged an ISIS staging area, destroyed an ISIS headquarters and a weapons facility and damaged four supply routes.

• Near Ar Raqqah, five strikes destroyed three tunnels, an oil pump jack and an oil wellhead.

• Near Dayr Az Zawr, four strikes destroyed four oil refinement stills, two oil tanker trucks, an oil wellhead and an ISIS headquarters.

In Iraq, Coalition military forces conducted nine strikes consisting of 16 engagements coordinated with and in support of the government of Iraq using attack, bomber, fighter and artillery against ISIS targets.

• Near Mosul, eight strikes destroyed four weapons caches, two VBIED facilities, and an IED facility and damaged three supply routes.

• Near Rawah, one strike destroyed a bunker.

Immersion en opération Chammal – Episode 3

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Mise à jour : 15/02/2017

La mission sur l’Est de Mossoul est prête. Les équipages se reposent tandis que pompiers et commandos veillent.

22h00 : Repos physiologique.

Sur la petite terrasse aménagée devant sa chambre en zone vie, « Marco », le chef de patrouille, oublie un instant la mission. Un instant de détente, un moment de décompression après une journée riche en préparation. Un magazine ou un livre entre les mains, une discussion légère, une note d’humour permettent « de recharger les batteries ». Un repos physiologique bien mérité et surtout nécessaire afin d’être prêt à « attaquer » très tôt le lendemain matin. Cependant la mission ne reste jamais bien loin et revient à l’esprit au détour d’une phrase… L’heure tourne, il est temps de quitter ce lieu de convivialité et de se plier au rythme circadien d’une nuit de sommeil.

00h10 : Retour de mission, les pompiers en alerte.

Une équipe de l’ESIS (Escadron de Sécurité, d’Incendie et de Sauvetage) est attentive dans sa zone d’alerte. En liaison permanente avec les contrôleurs aériens de la tour, elle veille. Le Sergent-chef Laury alias « Grump » est d’alerte ce soir-là avec son équipe. Le top est donné : deux Rafale sont de retour après une série de frappes en profondeur sur les positions ennemies. Les pompiers se répartissent en trois camions : l’un de type VMA (véhicule Mousse Aérodrome), le second de type VIRP (Véhicule d’Intervention Rapide Polyvalent), quant au troisième, il s’agit d’un véhicule de désincarcération VSA (Véhicule de Secours Aéronautique). Le type d’avion conditionne le type et le nombre de véhicules d’intervention. Dans le cockpit de leur Rafale, les pilotes passent sur fréquence sol afin d’être en relation directe avec les équipes de pompiers. Attentifs au posés des chasseurs, les séquences se déroulent : regards rivés sur les phares, les « pistards » guident les appareils jusqu’au parking, posent les sécurités, suivent la coupure des moteurs et mettent en place les échelles. Le vol est terminé mais les « soldats du feu » restent vigilants 20 minutes encore après l’arrêt des réacteurs, car un feu reste toujours possible sur des pièces métalliques qui ont largement dépassé les 1000 degrés en vol.

02h45 : Les commandos de l’air veillent.

Une patrouille cynophile arpente le tarmac au plus près des aéronefs. Dans la nuit, seul le vent et le pas des hommes viennent briser le silence. Trois fusiliers commandos de l’air armés de leurs HK 416 scrutent la pénombre, aidés par leur berger malinois « Jax ». Ce dernier, lui, profite de la brise qui lui apporte les odeurs. En triangulation, le trinôme progresse : le caporal-chef Jason, le cynophile, en pointe tandis que les caporaux-chef Joris et Steven sont en retrait en position de couverture. Les flammes des sécurités flottent sous la brise nocturne et les minutes passent. Même si l’obscurité se veut apaisante, il faut savoir rester attentifs et alertes.

Tout est calme pour le moment, mais dans quelques heures, la quiétude du matin sera brisée par le vrombissement des réacteurs. Deux Rafale vont déchirer le ciel, fondre sur l’ennemi, prêt à appuyer l’avancée inexorable des forces de sécurité irakiennes qui reprennent Mossoul, quartier par quartier.