Sunday 6 November – Typhoons and a Reaper attacked five Daesh targets around Mosul, while Tornados destroyed an armoured vehicle inside the city…On Sunday 6 November, Paveway IV-armed Typhoons bombed a terrorist group in the Tigris valley south of Mosul, while Tornados used a Brimstone missile to destroy an armoured personnel carrier inside the city. On the outskirts, a Reaper tracked a terrorist driving a truck-bomb towards Iraqi troops, but the truck exploded prematurely as it drove over rough ground, negating any need for the Reaper to fire at it. The Reaper instead used its Hellfires against a truck being loaded with spare weapons, a recoilless anti-tank gun, a rocket-propelled grenade team and an armed truck.

On Nov. 6, Coalition military forces conducted 30 strikes against ISIL terrorists in Syria and Iraq. In Syria, Coalition military forces conducted 18 strikes using attack, bomber, fighter and remotely piloted aircraft against ISIL targets. Additionally in Iraq, Coalition military forces conducted 12 strikes coordinated with and in support of the Government of Iraq using attack, fighter, rotary, and remotely piloted aircraft and rocket artillery against ISIL targets.

Syria

* Near Abu Kamal, one strike damaged an ISIL supply route.

* Near Ayn Isa, 16 strikes engaged 12 ISIL tactical units and destroyed six fighting positions, five vehicles, two VBIEDs, and a communications node.

* Near Mar’a, one strike destroyed an ISIL vehicle and a heavy machine gun.

Iraq

* Near Mosul, seven strikes [3 British] engaged four ISIL tactical units and three staging areas; destroyed 16 vehicles, seven mortar systems, three weapons caches, two ISIL-held buildings, an ISIL headquarters building, and a training facility; damaged two ISIL supply routes; degraded three ISIL tunnels; and suppressed two ISIL tactical units.

* Near Rawah, three strikes engaged an ISIL tactical unit and destroyed 11 storage containers, a vehicle, and a weapons cache.

* Near Sinjar, one strike engaged an ISIL headquarters building.

* Near Tal Afar, one strike destroyed nine ISIL vehicles.

Lt. Gen. Townsend statement on SDF advance to isolate Raqqah

SOUTHWEST ASIA – The Syrian Democratic Forces announced that they began their advance to isolate Raqqah, Syria, Nov. 6, 2016. The Coalition is supporting the SDF by providing air and advise and assist support. The Arab element of the SDF is indigenous to the area and will help establish regional support for SDF operations. The isolation of Raqqah, when complete, will liberate strategically valuable terrain surrounding Raqqah and enable the liberation of the city. Ultimately, the liberation of Raqqah will free Syrians to return to a life free from Islamic State of Iraq and Levant atrocities and deny ISIL a safe haven to plot external attacks against the West.

The Combined Joint Task Force – Inherent Resolve Commander, Lt. Gen. Stephen J. Townsend, provided the following statement on the SDF advance:

“‎The Syrian Democratic Forces have begun their operation to isolate the city of Raqqah and other ISIL-held territory in Syria. In addition to setting conditions for the ultimate liberation of Raqqah, ISIL’s self-proclaimed capital, the operation will also cut off militants from ISIL in Mosul, Iraq. Throughout each phase of the campaign to liberate Raqqah, the Coalition will continually consult with allies and partners as we plan for the city’s ultimate seizure and governance once ISIL is defeated. We are confident that this next phase will continue the momentum that the Coalition and our partners have achieved, and that together we will deliver ISIL a lasting defeat.”

On Nov. 5, Coalition military forces conducted 24 strikes against ISIL terrorists in Syria and Iraq. In Syria, Coalition military forces conducted 15 strikes using attack, bomber, fighter and remotely piloted aircraft against ISIL targets. Additionally in Iraq, Coalition military forces conducted 9 strikes coordinated with and in support of the Government of Iraq using attack, bomber, fighter, rotary, and remotely piloted aircraft and rocket artillery against ISIL targets.

Syria

* Near Ar Raqqah, one strike engaged oil processing equipment.

* Near Ayn Isa, seven strikes engaged five ISIL tactical units and destroyed a vehicle and four fighting positions.

* Near Mar’a, seven strikes engaged seven ISIL tactical units and destroyed three vehicles, an artillery system, and a fighting position.

Iraq

* Near Bayji, one strike destroyed two rocket systems and a front-end loader, and engaged two fighting positions.

* Near Haditha, one strike engaged an ISIL tactical unit and destroyed two vehicles.

* Near Kirkuk, one strike engaged two ISIL tactical units and two staging areas and destroyed a weapons cache and an observation post.

* Near Mosul, four strikes [1 British] engaged four ISIL tactical units, a mortar system and a fighting position; destroyed four vehicles, three mortar systems, a VBIED, a command and control node, an artillery system, and a weapons cache; and damaged three tunnel systems and a vehicle.

* Near Rawah, one strike engaged an ISIL-held building.

* Near Tal Afar, one strike engaged an ISIL VBIED facility.

Saturday 5 November – A Reaper destroyed three Daesh targets near Mosul…Three Hellfire attacks were launched by a Reaper on Saturday 5 November near Mosul, against a truck-bomb, a mortar and a rocket-propelled grenade team. The Reaper also assisted in a coalition strike against a second mortar.

Cette semaine, l’activité aérienne est restée soutenue. Le bilan air se chiffre à 86 sorties (5 sorties dédiées de reconnaissance, 4 sorties de commandement et de contrôle aéroporté, 5 sorties de ravitaillement et 72 sorties de bombardement pour les Rafale marine et air). Ces sorties ont permis la réalisation de 20 frappes détruisant 25 objectifs. Parmi celles-ci, 17 frappes de reconnaissance armées en Irak, 2 en Syrie, et une frappe planifiée conduite le 05 novembre au Nord de la ville d’Al Qa’im pour détruire un site de stockage de munitions.

On Nov. 4, Coalition military forces conducted 23 strikes against ISIL terrorists in Syria and Iraq. In Syria, Coalition military forces conducted eight strikes using attack and remotely piloted aircraft against ISIL targets. Additionally in Iraq, Coalition military forces conducted 15 strikes coordinated with and in support of the Government of Iraq using attack, bomber, fighter, rotary, and remotely piloted aircraft and rocket artillery against ISIL targets.

Syria

* Near Ayn Isa, three strikes engaged two ISIL tactical units and destroyed three vehicles and an unmanned aerial vehicle.

* Near Mar’a, five strikes engaged five ISIL tactical units and destroyed three fighting positions.

Iraq

* Near Bayji, one strike [1 British?] destroyed an ISIL generator.

* Near Mosul, nine strikes [3 British] engaged five ISIL tactical units and four staging areas; destroyed five vehicles, three weapons caches, three mortar systems, a storage facility, a VBIED, and an ISIL-held building; and damaged an ISIL supply route, a bridge, and a tunnel.

* Near Tal Afar, five strikes engaged an ISIL vehicle depot, a headquarters building, and a weapons production facility, and destroyed a mortar system.

Friday 4 November – A Reaper again operated south-east of Mosul, while Tornados attacked three targets inside Mosul itself, and also bombed two Daesh positions near Bayji…On Friday 4 November, Reaper operations continued south-east of Mosul, with our aircraft directing a successful coalition air attack onto its target, a weapons dump, and using one of its own Hellfires to engage a group of terrorists on foot. Two Tornados struck close air support targets inside eastern Mosul itself, using Brimstone missiles to destroy an armed vehicle and a large truck-bomb. A Paveway also hit a group of terrorists which another coalition aircraft had been carefully tracking as they manoeuvred towards Iraqi troops. A second Tornado flight supported Iraqi operations elsewhere in the country, and north-east of Mosul used Paveway IV and Enhanced Paveway II bombs to destroy a cave occupied by Daesh in the hills above Bayji, as well as a nearby stock of equipment.