On Oct. 6, coalition military forces continued to attack ISIL terrorists in Syria and Iraq. In Syria, coalition military forces conducted three strikes using fighter aircraft. Separately in Iraq, coalition military forces conducted 20 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 Abu Kamal, three strikes struck two separate ISIL crude oil collection points.

Iraq

• Near Habbaniya, one strike destroyed two ISIL rocket rails.

• Near Kirkuk, two strikes struck two separate ISIL tactical units and destroyed two ISIL heavy machine guns and an ISIL fighting position.

• Near Kisik, three strikes suppressed two ISIL rocket positions, an ISIL mortar position, and an ISIL sniper position.

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

• Near Mosul, three strikes struck an ISIL tactical unit and destroyed three ISIL heavy machine guns and three ISIL fighting positions and suppressed an ISIL rocket position and an ISIL mortar position.

• Near Ramadi, five strikes struck four separate ISIL tactical units and destroyed three ISIL fighting positions, three ISIL weapons caches, two ISIL buildings, an ISIL bunker, and denied ISIL access to terrain.

• Near Sinjar, one strike struck an ISIL tactical unit and destroyed an ISIL heavy machine gun and two ISIL fighting positions.

• Near Sultan Abdallah, one strike suppressed an ISIL rocket position.

• Near Tal Afar, two strikes destroyed an ISIL fighting position, an ISIL trench, and an ISIL berm and suppressed an ISIL mortar position.

• Near Tikrit, one strike destroyed four ISIL obstacles.

Midden-Oosten

De Nederlandse F-16’s in het Midden-Oosten voerden ruim 10 missies uit. Zij zetten wapens in tegen voertuigen, gebouwen en vuurposities van ISIS-strijders.



Mirage

Het commando over het detachement op Forward Support Element (FSE) Mirage wisselde, onder belangstelling van diverse coalitiepartners. Het is inmiddels het veertiende detachement op Mirage. De hoofdtaak van FSE Mirage is het behouden van een kleine maar strategische Nederlandse voet aan de grond in het Midden-Oosten.

Irak

Afgelopen week startte de Infantry Battle Course in de omgeving van Erbil. In Bagdad begon de sniper- en de Medic-opleiding.Afgelopen week zijn in Bagdad de certificaten uitgereikt aan de geslaagde leerlingen van de Commando Instructor Course. Tijdens de 8-weekse opleiding doorliepen de leerlingen 3 modules met succes. De eerste module stond in het teken van verdieping van de individuele militaire vaardigheden. In de tweede werden instructeursvaardigheden en –methodieken aangereikt die terugkomen in de Commando Course. De laatste bestond uit “training on the job”. De nieuwe instructeurs leiden de rekruten van de volgende Commando Course op. De instructeurs van de coalitielanden begeleiden alleen de opleiding.

On Oct. 5, coalition military forces continued to attack ISIL terrorists in Syria and Iraq. In Syria, coalition military forces conducted seven strikes using bomber, fighter, and remotely piloted aircraft. Separately in Iraq, coalition military forces conducted 17 strikes coordinated with and in support of the Government of Iraq using bomber, fighter, attack, fighter-attack, ground-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, five strikes struck four separate ISIL tactical units and destroyed an ISIL vehicle borne improvised explosive device (VBIED), five ISIL buildings, and an ISIL checkpoint.

• Near Dayr Az Zawr, one strike struck an ISIL crude oil collection point.

• Near Manbij, one strike struck an ISIL tactical unit and destroyed an ISIL building.

Iraq

• Near Al Huwayjah, three strikes struck two separate ISIL tactical units and destroyed three ISIL fighting positions and suppressed an ISIL mortar position.

• Near Habbaniyah, one strike destroyed an ISIL weapons cache.

• Near Mosul, one strike destroyed an ISIL tactical vehicle.

• Near Ramadi, nine strikes struck six separate ISIL tactical units and destroyed an ISIL VBIED, four ISIL buildings, ten ISIL fighting positions, an ISIL heavy machine gun, an ISIL excavator, two ISIL mortar positions, an ISIL IED compound, three ISIL homemade explosive (HME) facilities, an ISIL house borne improvised explosive device, an ISIL HME cache, and denied ISIL access to terrain.

• Near Sinjar, two strikes destroyed six ISIL bunkers.

• Near Sultan Abdallah, one strike suppressed an ISIL mortar position.

On Monday 5 October, a Reaper, again operating over the west of the country, identified a terrorist team as they planted an improvised explosive device, and successfully attacked them with a Hellfire.

On Oct. 4, coalition military forces continued to attack ISIL terrorists in Syria and Iraq. In Syria, coalition military forces conducted eight strikes using bomber and remotely piloted aircraft. Separately in Iraq, coalition military forces conducted 13 strikes coordinated with and in support of the Government of Iraq using 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, six strikes struck seven separate ISIL tactical units and destroyed four ISIL fighting positions and three ISIL vehicles.

• Near Al Hawl, one strike struck an ISIL tactical unit and destroyed an ISIL vehicle.

• Near Palmyra, one strike produced inconclusive results.

Iraq

• Near Al Baghdadi, one strike destroyed an ISIL heavy machine gun.

• Near Al Huwayjah, one strike suppressed an ISIL mortar position.

• Near Bayji, one strike struck an ISIL tactical unit and destroyed an ISIL structure.

• Near Fallujah, one strike struck an ISIL tactical unit and destroyed two ISIL buildings.

• Near Habbaniyah, one strike destroyed four ISIL rocket rails.

• Near Hit, one strike destroyed an ISIL weapons storage facility [see video].

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

• Near Mosul, two strikes struck an ISIL tactical unit and destroyed an ISIL vehicle and an ISIL fighting position and wounded one ISIL fighter.

• Near Ramadi, two strikes struck two separate ISIL tactical units and destroyed four ISIL buildings, an ISIL weapons cache, an ISIL vehicle, an ISIL tactical vehicle, an ISIL anti-tank weapon, two ISIL mortar positions, and five ISIL fighting positions.

• Near Sinjar, two strikes [1 Canadian] struck two separate ISIL tactical units and destroyed two ISIL heavy machine guns and four ISIL fighting positions.

Sunday 4 October saw RAF GR4s patrolling over western Iraq, where they destroyed an anti-aircraft gun position with a Paveway IV.

A Reaper was also operating over Anbar province, and it supported coalition air attacks on two Da’ish buildings and a heavy machine-gun.

On 4 October 2015, while taking part in coalition operations in support of Iraqi security forces, two CF-18 Hornets successfully struck an ISIS fighting position west of Sinjar using precision guided munitions.’

On 4 October 2015, while taking part in coalition operations in support of Iraqi security forces, two CF-18 Hornets successfully struck an ISIS fighting position west of Kirkuk using precision guided munitions.

On Oct. 3, coalition military forces continued to attack ISIL terrorists in Syria and Iraq. In Syria, coalition military forces conducted six strikes using fighter, bomber, ground-attack and remotely piloted aircraft. Separately in Iraq, coalition military forces conducted ten strikes coordinated with and in support of the Government of Iraq using bomber, fighter, attack, and fighter-attack 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 strikes struck three separate ISIL tactical units and destroyed three ISIL structures, two ISIL fighting positions, and an ISIL motorcycle.

• Near Ar Raqqah, one strike struck an ISIL tactical unit.

• Near Mar’a, one strike destroyed an ISIL excavator.

• Near Washiyah, one strike damaged an ISIL excavator.

Iraq

• Near Al Baghdadi, one strike struck an ISIL pontoon bridge.

• Near Al Huwayjah, two strikes suppressed ISIL mortar fire and an ISIL mortar position.

• Near Fallujah, one strike struck an ISIL tactical unit and destroyed an ISIL building, an ISIL heavy machine gun, and an ISIL RPG.

• Near Kirkuk, one strike [Canadian] struck an ISIL tactical unit and destroyed an ISIL heavy machine gun and an ISIL fighting position.

• Near Ramadi, three strikes struck two separate ISIL tactical units and destroyed an ISIL VBIED, an ISIL tactical vehicle, six ISIL fighting positions, breached two ISIL obstacles, and denied ISIL access to terrain. [see video]

• Near Sinjar, one strike struck an ISIL tactical unit and destroyed a heavy machine gun and two ISIL fighting positions.

• Near Sultan Abdallah, one strike struck an ISIL tactical unit and two ISIL fighting positions.

On 3 October 2015, while taking part in coalition operations in support of Iraqi security forces, two CF-18 Hornets successfully struck an ISIS fighting position west of Kirkuk using precision guided munitions.

The following day [October 2nd 2015], Tornado GR4s from RAF Akrotiri also provided close air support to the peshmerga, south-west of Kirkuk. ISIL extremists were spotted and were struck by a Paveway IV guided bomb.

Meanwhile, further south and west, a Reaper provided surveillance support to a coalition air strike on an ISIL-held building, then used one of its Hellfires to destroy an armoured truck.

The Reaper then provided targeting support to another coalition aircraft as it engaged a terrorist heavy machine-gun concealed under trees.

Ikke noget der tyder på civile tab ved dansk F-16-angreb i Irak

Koalitionen har i sin undersøgelse af dansk F-16-angreb konkluderet, at der med overvejende sandsynlighed ikke var tale om civile, men personer der udførte en fjendtlig handling på landjorden. 02-10-2015 – kl. 13:09

Af Værnsfælles Forsvarskommando

Der er ikke noget, der tyder på, at Forsvaret har været skyld i civile tab under et F-16-angreb i Irak den 30. august i år.

– Jeg er selvfølgelig tilfreds med, at koalitionens undersøgelse konkluderer, at der ikke er noget, der tyder på, at der har været tale om civile tab, men at der var tale om personer, som var i gang med at udføre en fjendtlig handling på landjorden, siger chefen for Operationsstaben i Værnsfælles Forsvarskommando, generalmajor Flemming Lentfer.

Forsvaret offentliggjorde den 3. september 2015, at de danske F-16-fly, der er indsat i kampen mod ISIL, under et angreb mod godkendte mål den 30. august, muligvis havde forårsaget civile tab. Vurderingen var baseret på videomateriale fra de danske F-16-fly.

I visse dele af videomaterialet, der viser fire personer og et køretøj, bliver der foretaget handlinger, som kan opfattes som ikke værende åbenlyst fjendtlige. Den danske styrke videreformidlede denne vurdering til koalitionens lufthovedkvarter, der igangsatte en undersøgelse af hændelsen. Denne undersøgelse er nu afsluttet.

Vigtigt, at mistanker om civile tab undersøges

Så snart der opstod mistanke om, at de danske F-16-flys angreb kunne have medført civile tab, gik Forsvaret til koalitionen for at få sat en undersøgelse af angrebet i gang.

– Det er klart, at så snart der opstår mistanke om, at et angreb kan have været skyld i civile tab, så ønsker Forsvaret at få det undersøgt grundigt. Det gør vi for at sikre, at de grundige processer, som både vi og koalitionen har før, under og efter et angreb virker efter hensigten og medvirker til at minimere utilsigtede følgevirkninger, herunder civile tab, siger generalmajor Flemming Lentfer.

Koalitionen har i forbindelse med undersøgelsen gennemgået alt tilgængeligt materiale fra angrebet. Det drejer sig blandt andet om de to danske F-16-flys fulde videomateriale fra selve angrebet, piloternes egne observationer samt en række andre efterretningsoplysninger.

Og koalitionens konklusion er klar. Der er med overvejende sandsynlighed ikke tale om civile tab. Koalitionen peger i deres undersøgelse på, at de fire personer var i gang med at placere vejsidebomber.

– Vi har fra dansk side yderligere gennemgået alt materiale og koalitionens konklusioner. Den danske gennemgang af materialet er blevet udført under min ledelse med personel med chef- og militær juridisk erfaring fra blandt andet den danske Mission Target Approvel Authority, som indgår i luftoperationscenteret i Qatar, en uddannet billedanalytiker, der selv tidligere har været udsendt med bidraget samt en F-16-pilot, der ikke har været personligt involveret i den undersøgte mission, siger generalmajoren.

Den endelige danske vurdering er således baseret på en grundig og fagligt velfunderet evaluering foretaget af både kompetent og uvildigt personel.

– Vores tvivl er nu fjernet på baggrund af koalitionens resultat og vores gennemgang af materialet. Det viser med overvejende sandsynlighed, at der var tale om fjendtlige mål. Det er vi tilfredse med, siger Flemming Lentfer.

Koalitionen har ikke efterfølgende modtaget henvendelser om civile tab fra lokalbefolkningen i det område, hvor angrebet skete.

Fakta om angrebet

Selve angrebet blev indledt efter ønske fra koalitionens hovedkvarter og blev godkendt af militære repræsentanter for den irakiske regering samt det danske Red Card Holder-team, inden det blev sat i gang.

Under angrebet rammes tre af de fire personer samt køretøjet. Den fjerde person havde kort forinden forladt området.

Under angrebet blev der anvendt to bomber af typen GBU12.

On Oct. 2, coalition military forces continued to attack ISIL terrorists in Syria and Iraq. In Syria, coalition military forces conducted ten strikes using fighter, bomber, ground-attack and remotely piloted aircraft. Separately in Iraq, coalition military forces conducted 17 strikes coordinated with and in support of the Government of Iraq using bomber, fighter, attack, 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, four strikes struck three separate ISIL tactical units and destroyed two ISIL tactical vehicles, an ISIL headquarters building, an ISIL VBIED, an ISIL fighting position, and wounded an ISIL fighter.

• Near Kobani, one strike struck an ISIL tactical unit and destroyed an ISIL headquarters building and wounded two ISIL fighters.

• Near Abu Kamal, two strikes struck an ISIL crude oil collection point.

• Near Al Hawl, two strikes struck an ISIL tactical unit and destroyed two ISIL vehicles and an ISIL bunker complex.

• Near Dayr Az Zawr, one strike struck an ISIL tactical unit and destroyed two ISIL vehicles and two ISIL tactical vehicles.

Iraq

• Near Al Baghdadi, one strike struck two ISIL rocket rails.

• Near Al Huwayjah, two strikes struck an ISIL tactical unit and destroyed an ISIL vehicle, an ISIL fighting position, suppressed an ISIL mortar position and wounded three ISIL fighters.

• Near Bayji, one strike struck an ISIL tactical unit and destroyed an ISIL weapons cache and an ISIL homemade explosive cache.

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

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

• Near Mosul, three strikes struck three separate ISIL tactical units and destroyed three heavy machine guns and four ISIL fighting positions.

• Near Ramadi, six strikes struck three separate ISIL tactical units and destroyed seven ISIL fighting positions, four ISIL buildings, an ISIL tunnel, an ISIL tactical vehicle, an ISIL sniper position, an ISIL bunker, two ISIL mortar systems, an ISIL vehicle, two ISIL obstacles and wounded two ISIL fighters.

• Near Sinjar, two strikes [1 Canadian] struck two separate ISIL tactical units and destroyed three heavy machine guns and four ISIL fighting positions.

On 2 October 2015, while taking part in coalition operations in support of Iraqi security forces, two CF-18 Hornets successfully struck two ISIS fighting positions in the vicinity of Sinjar using precision guided munitions.