On Monday 16 November, two successive Tornado patrols extended the support to the Kurdish offensive. The first flight used a Paveway bomb to destroy a mortar position which had opened fire on the Kurds.

The following mission destroyed a heavy machine-gun near Mosul with a Paveway IV, then proceeded west towards Sinjar. There was heavy cloud, which may have encouraged the terrorists to assume that they were safe from air attack, but working very closely with the Kurdish forces, the GR4s were able to guide a Paveway onto a large group of over 30 Da’ish terrorists who were massing for a counter-attack; the Kurdish unit subsequently reported that the air strike had been highly effective.

The Tornado patrol then destroyed another ISIL mortar position south-west of Sinjar.

On Nov. 16, coalition military forces continued to attack ISIL terrorists in Syria and Iraq. In Syria, coalition military forces conducted six strikes using attack, fighter, and bomber aircraft. Separately in Iraq, coalition military forces conducted 17 strikes coordinated with and in support of the Government of Iraq using bomber, attack, and fighter aircraft against ISIL targets. The following is a summary of the strikes conducted against ISIL since the last press release:

Syria

* Near Al Hasakah, two strikes struck an ISIL tactical unit and destroyed two ISIL buildings, one ISIL sniper position, an ISIL machine gun position, and four ISIL fighting positions.

* Near Abu Kamal, one strike struck an ISIL gas and oil separation point.

* Near Dayr Az Zawr, three strikes struck three ISIL controlled oil facilities.

Iraq

* Near Kirkuk, one strike suppressed an ISIL machine gun position.

* Near Kisik, five strikes struck three separate tactical units and destroyed three ISIL fighting positions, an ISIL light machine gun, and suppressed three ISIL machine gun positions.

* Near Mosul, one strike struck an ISIL weapons cache.

* Near Ramadi, five strikes struck an ISIL tactical unit and destroyed six ISIL fighting positions, two ISIL sniper positions, four ISIL heavy machine guns, an ISIL mortar position, an ISIL artillery position, two ISIL- used roads, and denied ISIL access to terrain.

* Near Sinjar, three strikes struck an ISIL tactical unit and destroyed an ISIL headquarters, two ISIL fighting positions, and suppressed an ISIL mortar position.

* Near Sultan Abdallah, two strikes struck an ISIL tactical unit and suppressed an ISIL machine gun position.

Dans la nuit du 16 au 17 novembre 2015 à 1h30 (heure française), l’armée française a de nouveau mené un raid contre Daech – à Raqqah en Syrie. La force Chammal a détruit deux sites opérationnels de combattants terroristes.

Le raid était constitué de dix avions. Les équipages ont décollé à partir des bases situées en Jordanie et dans le Golfe arabo-persique (GAP) pour se rejoindre au-dessus de la Syrie. Réalisé en coordination avec la coalition, le raid aérien composé de six Mirage 2000 et quatre Rafale a frappé simultanément un centre de commandement qui abrite l’un des quartiers généraux de Daech, et un centre d’entraînement. Au total 16 bombes ont été délivrées.

Au bilan, depuis le dimanche 15 novembre, quatre objectifs préalablement identifiés par des missions de renseignement ont été frappés en 24 heures.

On Monday 16 November, two successive Tornado patrols extended the support to the Kurdish offensive. The first flight used a Paveway bomb to destroy a mortar position which had opened fire on the Kurds.

The following mission destroyed a heavy machine-gun near Mosul with a Paveway IV, then proceeded west towards Sinjar. There was heavy cloud, which may have encouraged the terrorists to assume that they were safe from air attack, but working very closely with the Kurdish forces, the GR4s were able to guide a Paveway onto a large group of over 30 Da’ish terrorists who were massing for a counter-attack; the Kurdish unit subsequently reported that the air strike had been highly effective.

The Tornado patrol then destroyed another ISIL mortar position south-west of Sinjar.

On Nov. 15, coalition military forces continued to attack ISIL terrorists in Syria and Iraq. In Syria, coalition military forces conducted 10 strikes using attack, fighter, and remotely piloted aircraft. Separately in Iraq, coalition military forces conducted 13 strikes coordinated with and in support of the Government of Iraq using bomber, fighter, remotely piloted aircraft, and rocket artillery against ISIL targets. The following is a summary of the strikes conducted against ISIL since the last press release:

Syria

* Near Abu Kamal, one strike destroyed 116 ISIL fuel trucks.
* Near Al Hasakah, one strike struck an ISIL tactical unit and destroyed two ISIL fighting positions.
* Near Al Hawl, two strikes struck two separate ISIL tactical units and destroyed five ISIL buildings and an ISIL vehicle.
* Ar Raqqah, one strike struck an ISIL storage depot [updated on November 18th to 2 strikes – see note below]
* Near Ayn Isa, three strikes struck three separate ISIL tactical units and destroyed an ISIL tactical vehicle, an ISIL vehicle, two ISIL fighting positions, and wounded an ISIL fighter.
* Near Mar’a, one strike struck an ISIL tactical unit and destroyed two ISIL fighting positions.
* Near Palmyra, one strike struck an ISIL staging area.

Iraq

* Near Al Baghdadi, two strikes struck an ISIL tactical unit and destroyed an ISIL heavy machine gun and an ISIL home-made explosives cache.
* Near Albu Hayat, one strike struck an ISIL tactical unit.
* Near Fallujah, one strike destroyed an ISIL building.
* Near Kisik, one strike struck an ISIL tactical unit and destroyed an ISIL fighting position.
* Near Qayyarah, one strike struck an ISIL tactical unit and destroyed an ISIL weapons cache.
* Near Ramadi, five strikes destroyed six separate ISIL command and control nodes, damaged an ISIL building, and denied ISIL access to terrain. [see video below]
* Near Sinjar, two strikes struck a large ISIL tactical unit and destroyed four ISIL vehicles.

On 15 November, while taking part in coalition airstrikes in support of Iraqi security forces offensive operations, two CF-18 Hornets successfully struck an ISIS fighting position southeast of Haditha using precision guided munitions.

As Kurdish troops continued on Sunday 15 November their successful offensive in northern Iraq, an RAF Reaper flew overwatch, destroying a terrorist vehicle with a Hellfire missile.
The Reaper then crossed into Syrian airspace where it conducted routine intelligence collection against ISIL and provided surveillance support to the major French air strike on a large terrorist facility near Raqqa.

Le 15 novembre 2015 à 19h50 et 20h25, la force Chammal a frappé des infrastructures tenues par Daech à Raqqah en Syrie. Les deux objectifs visés par les frappes ont été détruits.

Chammal : Raid aérien français sur Raqqah en Syrie, 1 centre de commandement et 1 camp d’entraînement de Daech détruits.

Le raid était constitué de 12 aéronefs dont 10 chasseurs – 6 Rafale, 4 Mirage 2000 (2 M2000D et 2 M2000N). Les aéronefs français ont été engagés simultanément à partir des bases du golfe arabo-persique (GAP) et de Jordanie. Les équipages se sont rejoints au-dessus de la Syrie pour attaquer les deux objectifs occupés par Daech. Planifiée sur des sites préalablement identifiés lors des missions de reconnaissance réalisées par la France, cette opération a été conduite en coordination avec la Coalition.

Situé à 6 km au Sud de Raqqah, le premier objectif a été frappé par une patrouille de 2 Mirage 2000D. Le site était utilisée par Daech comme poste de commandement, centre de recrutement djihadiste et dépôt d’armes et de munitions. L’objectif est nécessaire au fonctionnement de Daech et l’un des lieux à partir duquel des attaques contre notre pays sont susceptibles d’être organisées. Une patrouille de 4 Rafale et 2 Mirage 2000D a détruit le deuxième objectif localisé à l’Ouest de Raqqah. Infrastructure industrielle inachevée, l’objectif abritait un camp d’entraînement terroriste et des cellules de recrutement. Les deux sites ont fait l’objet d’une longue observation préalable.

Ces opérations aériennes permettent d’affaiblir et de réduire les 2 principaux piliers sur lesquels s’appuie le groupe terroriste pour mener des attentats : les capacités de commandement et de recrutement. Le raid a pu être conduit grâce aux vols de renseignement réalisés au-dessus des zones contrôlées par Daech en Syrie depuis 8 septembre 2015.

On Nov. 14, coalition military forces continued to attack ISIL terrorists in Syria and Iraq. In Syria, coalition military forces conducted six strikes using fighter and remotely piloted aircraft. Separately in Iraq, coalition military forces conducted 12 strikes coordinated with and in support of the Government of Iraq using attack, bomber, fighter 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, two strikes struck two separate ISIL tactical units and destroyed an ISIL vehicle.

• Near Ar Raqqah, one strike produced inconclusive results.

• Near Mar’a, one strike destroyed an ISIL improvised explosive device cluster, an ISIL fighting position and two ISIL defensive berms.

• Near Al Hawl, one strike struck an ISIL tactical unit and destroyed an ISIL checkpoint and wounded an ISIL fighter.

• Near Dayr Az Zawr, one strike struck an ISIL cash distribution site.

Iraq

• Near Kisik, three strikes struck two separate ISIL tactical units and destroyed an ISIL vehicle, an ISIL mortar system, suppressed an ISIL light machine gun, and wounded an ISIL fighter.

• Near Mosul, one strike suppressed an ISIL heavy machine gun.

• Near Qayyarah, one strike struck an ISIL tactical unit and destroyed an ISIL fighting position.

• Near Ramadi, three strikes struck an ISIL tactical unit and destroyed 10 ISIL fighting positions, an ISIL cache, two ISIL buildings, an ISIL vehicle borne improvised explosive device, an ISIL command and control node, and denied ISIL access to terrain.

• Near Sinjar, four strikes struck three separate ISIL tactical units and destroyed three ISIL vehicles, an ISIL fighting position, and wounded an ISIL fighter.

On Nov. 13, coalition military forces continued to attack ISIL terrorists in Syria and Iraq. In Syria, coalition military forces conducted seven strikes using bomber, attack, and remotely piloted aircraft. Separately in Iraq, coalition military forces conducted 20 strikes coordinated with and in support of the Government of Iraq using attack, ground-attack, bomber, fighter 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 Hawl, four strikes struck four separate ISIL tactical units and destroyed five ISIL fighting positions and wounded an ISIL fighter.

• Near Ar Raqqah, two strikes destroyed an ISIL building.

• Near Mar’a, one strike struck an ISIL tactical unit and destroyed an ISIL vehicle.

Iraq

• Near Bayji, two strikes struck two separate ISIL tactical units.

• Near Kisik, one strike suppressed an ISIL heavy machine gun position.

• Near Ramadi, nine strikes [1 Canadian, 4 British] struck two separate ISIL tactical units and destroyed 16 ISIL buildings, two ISIL weapons caches, two ISIL tunnels, six ISIL fighting positions, two ISIL light machine guns, an ISIL rocket rail, two ISIL sniper positions, five ISIL vehicle borne improvised explosive devices (VBIED), an ISIL staging area, two ISIL heavy machine guns, two ISIL command and control nodes, an ISIL supply cache, an ISIL tactical vehicle, three ISIL bed down locations, suppressed an ISIL fighting position, cratered three ISIL controlled roads, denied ISIL access to terrain, and wounded an ISIL fighter.

• Near Sinjar, six strikes struck five separate ISIL tactical units and destroyed two ISIL fighting positions, an ISIL light machine gun, seven ISIL vehicles, and wounded an ISIL fighter.

• Near Sultan Abdallah, one strike struck a large ISIL tactical unit.

• Near Tal Afar, one strike destroyed four ISIL weapons caches.

On 13 November 2015, while taking part in coalition airstrikes in support of Iraqi security forces operations to clear ISIS from Ramadi, two CF-18 Hornets successfully struck an ISIS compound and two separate ISIS fighting positions in the vicinity of Ramadi using precision guided munitions.

On Friday 13 November, Tornado GR4s from RAF Akrotiri, supported by a Voyager air tanker, provided close air support to Iraqi troops fighting in the area around Ramadi. Our aircraft conducted four successful attacks on a set of Da’ish terrorist positions, using a combination of Paveway IV guided bombs and Brimstone missiles.

A second Tornado patrol continued to support the Iraqi forces during the night, and destroyed a terrorist armoured personnel carrier with a direct hits from a Brimstone missile.

Meanwhile, further north an RAF Reaper assisted an Iraqi unit which reported that, following a firefight, a group of Da’ish terrorists had taken shelter in a derelict industrial site, hiding under an oil tank. Despite the close proximity of the Iraqi soldiers, the Reaper’s crew were able to direct a GBU-12 guided bomb onto the terrorist position and destroy it, without risk to the friendly forces.

On 12 November 2015, while taking part in coalition airstrikes in support of Iraqi security forces operations to clear ISIS from Sinjar and seize portions of a significant ISIS supply route between Ar Raqqah, Syria, and Mosul, Iraq, two CF-18 Hornets successfully struck an ISIS ammunition cache in the vicinity of Sinjar and an ISIS fighting position in the vicinity of Tal Afar using precision guided munitions.

Royal Air Force aircraft provided continued close air support to the successful Kurdish offensive around Sinjar city on 12 November, as well as to Iraqi operations in Ramadi.

An RAF Reaper worked closely with other coalition aircraft to ensure that the Kurdish soldiers fighting to retake Sinjar received constant and immediate support from the air. The advanced surveillance sensors on the Reaper allowed it to search ahead of the advancing peshmerga and identify ISIL terrorist activity. In addition to this invaluable intelligence support, the Reaper’s controllers were also able to conduct two successful strikes with Hellfire missiles on groups of terrorists as they attempted to react to the Kurdish advance.

Although Sinjar was the focus for much coalition air activity, patrols were maintained over other areas of Iraq where the fight against ISIL continues, and RAF Tornado GR4s provided close air support to the Iraqi units closing in on the terrorist positions in Ramadi. Just north of the city, a terrorist supply truck was identified at the mouth of an underpass, and destroyed by a direct hit from a Brimstone missile.

En Irak, la semaine a été marquée par l’intensification des frappes aériennes de la coalition, notamment dans les régions de Sinjar au nord du pays et de Ramadi à l’ouest de Bagdad, où les unités irakiennes maintiennent leurs efforts pour reprendre le contrôle de la ville.

Cette semaine, les équipages de l’armée de l’air française ont réalisé 11 frappes en Irak et 3 frappes en Syrie. Au total, 285 frappes ont ainsi été réalisées depuis le début de l’opération le 19 septembre 2014.

En Syrie, les Mirage 2000 basés en Jordanie ont frappé à trois reprises des sites pétroliers, site de distribution et stations de pompage. Menées sur la base des renseignements collectés ces dernières semaines lors des vols de reconnaissance, ces frappes ont pour objectif d’affaiblir les capacités financières de Daech en perturbant l’exploitation des ressources pétrolières dans les zones sous le contrôle de ce groupe terroriste.

À Bagdad, les opérations de relève du détachement français sont terminées. Désormais, la 3e brigade légère blindée assure aux côtés de 13e demi-brigade de Légion étrangère les missions de formation réalisées au profit des forces irakiennes.

Le 5 novembre 2015, le Président de la République a annoncé que le groupe aéronaval constitué autour du porte-avions Charles-de-Gaulle participerait à l’opération Chammal dans les prochaines semaines.

On Nov. 12, coalition military forces continued to attack ISIL terrorists in Syria and Iraq. In Syria, coalition military forces conducted eight strikes using fighter, attack, and remotely piloted aircraft. Separately in Iraq, coalition military forces conducted 18 strikes coordinated with and in support of the Government of Iraq using bomber, fighter 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 Hawl, seven strikes struck six separate ISIL tactical units and destroyed four ISIL fighting positions, two ISIL vehicles, and an ISIL mortar position.

* Near Ar Raqqah, one strike struck an ISIL tactical unit [likely killing of “Jihadi John”]

Iraq

* Near Albu Hayat, one strike struck a large ISIL tactical unit and destroyed two ISIL vehicles and an ISIL fighting position.

* Near Ramadi, two strikes struck two separate ISIL tactical units and destroyed an ISIL tunnel, an ISIL building, an ISIL vehicle, an ISIL mortar position, and an ISIL fighting position.

* Near Sinjar, twelve strikes [1 Canadian] struck five separate ISIL tactical units and destroyed 27 ISIL fighting positions, three ISIL heavy machine guns, five ISIL vehicles, an ISIL vehicle borne improvised explosive device (VBIED), 11 ISIL staging areas, and denied ISIL access to terrain. [see videos below]

* Near Tal Afar, one strike [Canadian] struck a large ISIL tactical unit and destroyed an ISIL light machine gun, an ISIL vehicle, an ISIL VBIED, and an ISIL fighting position.

* Near Kisik, one strike struck an ISIL tactical unit and destroyed an ISIL light machine gun and an ISIL fighting position.

* Near Mosul, one strike struck an ISIL tactical unit.