On Thursday 27 August, an RAF Reaper flew an armed reconnaissance mission over northern Iraq, where offensives by the Kurdish peshmerga have forced the ISIL terrorists onto the defensive. The Reaper spotted a pick-up truck and a Hellfire missile scored a direct hit and a very large secondary blast confirmed that it had been loaded with explosives for use as a suicide truck-bomb.

On Aug. 26, coalition military forces continued to attack ISIL terrorists in Syria and Iraq. In Syria, coalition military forces conducted four airstrikes using bomber and remotely piloted aircraft. Separately in Iraq, coalition military forces conducted 21 airstrikes coordinated with the government of Iraq using attack, bomber, 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 Hawl, three airstrikes struck an ISIL tactical unit and destroyed an ISIL bunker complex, three ISIL bunkers and an ISIL excavator.

• Near Kobani, one airstrike struck an ISIL tactical unit and destroyed an ISIL fighting position.

Iraq

• Near Bayji, five airstrikes struck an ISIL large tactical unit, three ISIL small tactical units and denied ISIL an avenue of approach and destroyed 19 ISIL buildings, two ISIL vehicles, an ISIL mortar system and an ISIL weapons cache.

• Near Fallujah, one airstrike destroyed an ISIL mortar tube and an ISIL vehicle.

• Near Kisik, two airstrikes struck two ISIL tactical units and destroyed three ISIL fighting positions.

• Near Mosul, two airstrikes struck an ISIL tactical unit and destroyed two ISIL checkpoints and an ISIL vehicle.

• Near Ramadi, two airstrikes struck an ISIL tactical unit and destroyed two ISIL buildings, two ISIL weapons caches and an ISIL vehicle.

• Near Sinjar, two airstrikes struck two ISIL small tactical units and destroyed an ISIL light machine gun and three ISIL fighting positions.

• Near Sultan Abdallah, one airstrike struck an ISIL tactical unit and destroyed an ISIL fighting position.

• Near Tuz, six airstrikes struck an ISIL large tactical unit, two ISIL small tactical units and three ISIL staging areas and destroyed four ISIL fighting positions and an ISIL vehicle.

The Reapers were particularly active on Wednesday 26 August supporting the Kurdish peshmerga, and conducted a total of five successful strikes on terrorist groups attempting to manoeuvre on foot and in vehicles in the open desert.

On Aug. 25, coalition military forces continued to attack ISIL terrorists in Syria and Iraq. In Syria, coalition military forces conducted two airstrikes using remotely piloted aircraft. Separately in Iraq, coalition military forces conducted 18 airstrikes coordinated with the government of Iraq using attack, bomber, 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 Ayn Isa, one airstrike struck an ISIL tactical unit and destroyed an ISIL vehicle.

• Near Kobani, one airstrike struck an ISIL tactical unit and destroyed an ISIL vehicle.

Iraq

• Near Bayji, two airstrikes struck an ISIL tactical unit and terrain features denying ISIL a tactical advantage.

• Near Fallujah, one airstrike destroyed an ISIL mortar resupply vehicle.

• Near Mosul, three airstrikes struck three ISIL tactical units.

• Near Ramadi, two airstrikes struck two ISIL tactical units and destroyed three ISIL buildings and an ISIL mortar system.

• Near Sinjar, three airstrikes struck two ISIL tactical units and an ISIL mortar firing position and destroyed three ISIL fighting positions and an ISIL anti-aircraft artillery piece.

• Near Tuz, seven airstrikes struck an ISIL tactical unit, multiple ISIL fighting positions and terrain features denying ISIL a tactical advantage and destroyed 12 ISIL fighting positions, two ISIL vehicles an ISIL heavy machine gun and an ISIL weapons cache.

On 25 August 2015, while taking part in coalition operations in support of Iraqi security forces, two CF-18 Hornets successfully struck an ISIS fighting position south of Kirkuk [not listed by Coalition] using precision guided munitions.

On Monday 24 August, a Reaper helped a coalition fast jet to successfully target a well-concealed terrorist sniper who was firing on Iraqi security forces, and the next day [August 25th 2015] saw another Reaper conduct three Hellfire attacks on terrorist positions.

De Nederlandse F-16’s, actief in het Midden-Oosten in de strijd tegen ISIS, vlogen meer dan 10 missies. Daarbij werden wapens ingezet tegen gebouwen, voertuigen en vuurposities van ISIS. In Irak rondden 400 cursisten van de Infantry Battle Course de lessenreeks af. Ze horen bij verschillende Peshmerga-eenheden. Verder begon een train-the-trainercursus waarbij 20 Peshmerga-instructeurs les krijgen in het geven van basisinstructie. In Bagdad zijn commando-, sniper– en medische opleidingen in volle gang.

De danske F-16-fly, der er udsendt som bidrag til Operation Inherent Resolve, har siden seneste opdatering 18. august fløjet 14 missioner og anvendt 23 bomber.

Missionerne, som de danske fly har deltaget i, har været offensive, og de danske fly har i den forløbne periode deltaget i missioner i Ninawa, Salah Al Din, Kirkuk og Al Anbar provinserne. Målene for bomberne har været fjendtlige våbenstillinger, fjendtligt personel, køretøjer og bygninger anvendt af ISIL.

De danske fly har fløjet Close Air Support-missioner (CAS), hvor flyene er indsat som luftstøtte til styrker på landjorden. Her vil flyene patruljere over et bestemt område, hvorefter de vil kunne blive indsat af koalitionen, når der er behov for støtte. Luftstøtten vil variere afhængig af, hvad der er behov for. Det kan både dreje sig om overvågningsopgaver og bombninger af mål.

De danske fly har også gennemført Air Interdiction-missioner. Her gennemføres et specifikt angreb mod et på forhånd defineret mål, hvor flyene flyver direkte til målet, anvender bomber og flyver retur. Ved disse missioner har målene for bomberne været bygninger.

På de missioner, hvor de danske F-16 ikke har anvendt våben, har de bidraget med overvågning og indhentning af efterretninger. På sådanne overvågningsmissioner er flyene dog altid klar til at anvende våben, hvis der er behov for det.

Siden første mission den 16. oktober 2014, har det danske bidrag i alt fløjet 490 missioner og anvendt 448 bomber. Alle de danske bomber er præcisionsstyrede, hvilket vil sige, at de styres mod deres mål ved hjælp af enten laser eller GPS.

Forsvarschef: F-16-bidraget skal have en pause
Forsvarschef, general Peter Bartram, mener, at det danske F-16-bidrag, som er indsat i kampen mod ISIL i Irak, skal have en pause og bør trækkes hjem.
Forsvarschefen er lige nu sammen med forsvarsminister Carl Holst på besøg hos det danske kampflysbidrag på Al-Jaber-base i Kuwait. Og under besøget løftede forsvarschefen sløret for sin militære anbefaling til regeringen angående F-16-bidraget.
– Jeg har i min militære anbefaling til regeringen sagt, at F-16-bidraget bør trækkes hjem, når mandatet udløber 1. oktober, siger forsvarschef, general Peter Bartram, og fortsætter:
– Vi har løst en stor og vigtig opgave, men jeg må også erkende, at støttestrukturen derhjemme er presset. Vi trænger til at få en pause, så vi kan blive klar igen. Der er også et behov for at tage højde for flyenes restlevetid, så de kan anvendes indtil de nye kampfly kan overtage.
Forsvarets støttestruktur er baseret på, at F-16-flyene er udsendt i en periode for derefter at komme hjemme igen og genopbygge.
– Det er klart, der er en masse faktorer, der spiller ind for, hvornår vi kan blive klar igen. Når Forsvarsministeren på et tidspunkt igen beder mig om en militær anbefaling, så vil vi i den konkrete situation analysere de mange variabler og fremlægge en anbefaling med beskrivelse af eventuelle konsekvenser. Og beder regeringen os om at genindsætte flyene, gør vi naturligvis det, siger forsvarschefen.

On Aug. 24, coalition military forces continued to attack ISIL terrorists in Syria and Iraq. In Syria, coalition military forces conducted five airstrikes using fighter and remotely piloted aircraft. Separately in Iraq, coalition military forces conducted 31 airstrikes coordinated with the government of Iraq using attack, bomber, 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, two airstrikes destroyed an ISIL bunker, an ISIL fighting position and an ISIL structure.
• Near Al Hawl, one airstrike destroyed nine ISIL fighting positions.
• Near Ar Raqqah, one airstrike struck an ISIL tactical unit.
• Near Washiyah, one airstrike struck an ISIL tactical unit and destroyed an ISIL vehicle.

Iraq

• Near Al Baghdadi, three airstrikes struck an ISIL large tactical unit and destroyed six ISIL rocket rails, an ISIL artillery piece, an ISIL building, an ISIL heavy machine gun, an ISIL mortar system, an ISIL rocket system, an ISIL weapons cache and an ISIL vehicle.
• Near Bayji, two airstrikes struck one large and one small ISIL tactical units and destroyed an ISIL excavator, an ISIL fighting position and an ISIL vehicle.
• Near Fallujah, one airstrike struck an ISIL tactical unit and destroyed four ISIL rocket systems.
• Near Kisik, two airstrikes struck an ISIL tactical unit and an ISIL sniper firing position and destroyed an ISIL fighting position and an ISIL heavy machine gun.
• Near Mosul, five airstrikes struck five ISIL tactical units and destroyed an ISIL fighting position and an ISIL vehicle.
• Near Sinjar, four airstrikes struck three ISIL tactical units and destroyed two ISIL fighting positions and an ISIL armored vehicle.
• Near Sultan Abdallah, one airstrike struck an ISIL tactical unit and destroyed an ISIL fighting position.
• Near Tal Afar, one airstrike struck and suppressed an ISIL heavy machine gun firing position.
• Near Tuz, 12 airstrikes struck an ISIL tactical unit and six ISIL staging areas and destroyed 57 ISIL fighting positions and three ISIL vehicles.

On Monday 24 August, a Reaper helped a coalition fast jet to successfully target a well-concealed terrorist sniper who was firing on Iraqi security forces, and the next day saw another Reaper conduct three Hellfire attacks on terrorist positions.

On Aug. 23, coalition military forces continued to attack ISIL terrorists in Syria and Iraq. In Syria, coalition military forces conducted eight airstrikes using bomber, fighter and remotely piloted aircraft. Separately in Iraq, coalition military forces conducted 12 airstrikes coordinated with the government of Iraq using attack, bomber, 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, three strikes destroyed three ISIL excavators and an ISIL bunker.

• Near Al Hawl, two airstrikes struck an ISIL crude oil collection point and destroyed three ISIL fighting positions and an ISIL trench.

• Near Ayn Isa, one airstrike struck an ISIL tactical unit and destroyed two ISIL motorcycles and an ISIL fighting position.

• Near Kobani, one airstrike struck an ISIL tactical unit and destroyed an ISIL vehicle.

• Near Washiyah, one airstrike destroyed three ISIL fighting positions, two ISIL bunkers, two ISIL tunnels and an ISIL front end loader.

Iraq

• Near Bayji, one airstrike struck an ISIL large tactical unit and destroyed an ISIL building and an ISIL vehicle.

• Near Fallujah, two airstrikes struck an ISIL tactical unit and destroyed an ISIL mortar system.

• Near Kisik, one airstrike struck and suppressed an ISIL heavy machine gun.

• Near Mosul, one airstrike struck an ISIL tactical unit and destroyed an ISIL fighting position, an ISIL heavy machine gun and an ISIL vehicle.

• Near Qayyarah, two airstrikes struck two ISIL tactical units and destroyed an ISIL vehicle.

• Near Ramadi, one airstrike struck an ISIL tactical unit and destroyed two ISIL buildings and an ISIL vehicle.

• Near Sultan Abdallah, one airstrike struck an ISIL large tactical unit and destroyed three ISIL fighting positions and two ISIL heavy machine guns.

• Near Tuz, three airstrikes destroyed nine ISIL fighting positions, two ISIL vehicles and an ISIL weapons cache.

On Aug. 22, coalition military forces continued to attack ISIL terrorists in Syria and Iraq. In Syria, coalition military forces conducted nine airstrikes using attack bomber, fighter and remotely piloted aircraft. Separately in Iraq, coalition military forces conducted 17 airstrikes coordinated with the government of Iraq using attack, bomber, 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, four airstrikes struck an ISIL tactical unit and destroyed three ISIL structures, an ISIL armored truck and an ISIL bunker.
• Near Al Hawl, one airstrike destroyed an ISIL excavator
• Near Ar Raqqah, two airstrikes destroyed two ISIL excavators.
• Near Ayn Isa, one airstrike struck an ISIL tactical unit and destroyed three ISIL bunkers and an ISIL supply truck.
• Near Washiyah, one airstrike had inconclusive results.

Iraq

• Near Al Baghdadi, one airstrike struck an ISIL tactical unit and destroyed two ISIL buildings, an ISIL bunker, an ISIL excavator and an ISIL heavy machine gun.
• Near Ar Rutbah, one airstrike [British] destroyed two ISIL front end loaders.
• Near Bayji, two airstrikes struck one large and one small ISIL tactical units and destroyed five ISIL buildings, two ISIL heavy machine guns, an ISIL IED and an ISIL recoilless rifle.
• Near Mosul, two airstrikes struck an ISIL tactical unit and an ISIL mortar firing position and destroyed an ISIL fighting position.
• Near Ramadi, two airstrikes struck an ISIL vehicle and destroyed two ISIL buildings.
• Near Sinjar, four airstrikes struck two ISIL tactical units and an ISIL staging area and destroyed six ISIL fighting positions, four ISIL light machine guns and an ISIL building.
• Near Tuz, five airstrikes destroyed 27 ISIL fighting positions, two ISIL vehicles, an ISIL bunker, an ISIL rocket rail and an ISIL weapons cache.

The following day [August 22nd], a Tornado patrol near Ar Rutbah located another pair of engineering vehicles which were being used by the terrorists to construct defences, and these were both destroyed by direct hits from Brimstone missiles.

On 21 August 2015, while taking part in coalition operations in support of Iraqi security forces, two CF-18 Hornets successfully struck an ISIS staging area east of Tal Afar using precision guided munitions.

Reapers continued to provide close air support to the Iraqi troops on Friday 21 August, and Hellfires were used to destroy two ISIL fighting positions, including one heavy machine-gun team that had opened fire on the Iraqi forces.

Today I can inform the House that in an act of self-defence and after meticulous planning Reyaad Khan was killed in a precision air strike carried out on 21 August by an RAF remotely piloted aircraft while he was travelling in a vehicle in the area of Raqqah in Syria.

In addition to Reyaad Khan who was the target of the strike, 2 ISIL associates were also killed, 1 of whom – Ruhul Amin, has been identified as a UK national. They were ISIL fighters and I can confirm there were no civilian casualties.

Mr Speaker, we took this action because there was no alternative. In this area, there is no government we can work with. We have no military on the ground to detain those preparing plots. And there was nothing to suggest that Reyaad Khan would ever leave Syria or desist from his desire to murder us at home. So we had no way of preventing his planned attacks on our country without taking direct action.

The US administration has also confirmed that Junaid Hussain [also British] was killed in an American airstrike on 24 August in Raqqah.

On Aug. 21, coalition military forces continued to attack ISIL terrorists in Syria and Iraq. In Syria, coalition military forces conducted five airstrikes using attack and fighter aircraft. Separately in Iraq, coalition military forces conducted 22 airstrikes coordinated with the government of Iraq using attack, bomber, fighter and 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, one airstrike destroyed four ISIL fighting positions.

• Near Al Hawl, three airstrikes struck an ISIL bunker and destroyed two ISIL excavators.

• Near Kobani, one airstrike struck an ISIL tactical unit and destroyed an ISIL fighting position.

Iraq

• Near Al Baghdadi, one airstrike destroyed an ISIL weapons cache.

• Near Bayji, four airstrikes struck one large and one small ISIL tactical units and terrain features denying ISIL a tactical advantage and destroyed five ISIL buildings, two ISIL heavy machine guns and two ISIL vehicles.

• Near Habbaniyah, one airstrike struck an ISIL tactical unit and destroyed an ISIL vehicle.

• Near Haditha, one airstrike struck an ISIL tactical unit and destroyed two ISIL boats, an ISIL heavy machine gun and an ISIL mortar system.

• Near Kisik, two airstrikes struck two ISIL staging areas.

• Near Mosul, four airstrikes struck an ISIL tactical unit, two ISIL rocket firing positions and an ISIL mortar firing position and destroyed two ISIL fighting positions, an ISIL heavy machine gun and an ISIL vehicle.

• Near Ramadi, two airstrikes struck an ISIL tactical unit and destroyed an ISIL weapons cache.

• Near Sinjar, one airstrike struck an ISIL tactical unit and destroyed two ISIL fighting positions.

• Near Sultan Abdallah, one airstrike struck an ISIL mortar firing position and destroyed an ISIL fighting position.

• Near Tal Afar, two airstrikes [1 Canadian] struck two ISIL mortar firing positions and destroyed an ISIL fighting position and an ISIL heavy machine gun.

• Near Tuz, three airstrikes destroyed 11 ISIL fighting positions, two ISIL vehicles and ISIL engineer equipment.

On Aug. 20, coalition military forces continued to attack ISIL terrorists in Syria and Iraq. In Syria, coalition military forces conducted 10 airstrikes using attack, bomber, fighter and remotely piloted aircraft. Separately in Iraq, coalition military forces conducted 23 airstrikes coordinated with the government of Iraq using attack, bomber, fighter and fighter-attack and remotely piloted aircraft against ISIL targets.

“This week the coalition conducted 15 airstrikes against Daesh terrorists in the vicinity of Mosul,” said Col. Wayne Marotto, CJTF-OIR, public affairs officer. “We eliminated a number of terrorists from the battle field, destroyed equipment and restricted their freedom of movement.”

The following is a summary of the strikes conducted against ISIL since the last press release:

Syria

• Near Al Hasakah, three airstrikes struck three ISIL tactical units and destroyed three ISIL structures and an ISIL sniper firing position.
• Near Al Hawl, three airstrikes destroyed five ISIL fighting positions and an ISIL cache.
• Near Aleppo, two airstrikes struck an ISIL tactical unit and destroyed an ISIL hell cannon.
• Near Kobani, two airstrikes struck an ISIL tactical unit and destroyed two ISIL fighting positions, an ISIL artillery piece and an ISIL heavy machine gun.

Iraq

• Near Ar Rutbah, one airstrike destroyed an ISIL excavator.
• Near Bayji, four airstrikes struck one large and three small ISIL tactical units and destroyed four ISIL buildings and two ISIL VBIEDs.
• Near Habbaniyah, one airstrike destroyed two ISIL mortar systems.
• Near Haditha, one airstrike struck an ISIL weapons cache.
• Near Kirkuk, one airstrike [Canadian] struck an ISIL tactical unit and destroyed two ISIL fighting positions and two ISIL heavy machine guns.
• Near Kisik, two airstrikes struck an ISIL tactical unit and destroyed an ISIL fighting position, an ISIL heavy machine gun and an ISIL rocket firing position.
• Near Mosul, six airstrikes [1 Canadian, 1 British] struck three ISIL tactical units and an ISIL mortar firing position and destroyed three ISIL fighting positions, two ISIL excavators, two ISIL heavy machine guns and an ISIL mortar firing position.
• Near Ramadi, three airstrikes struck two ISIL tactical units and destroyed an ISIL fighting position and an ISIL recoilless rifle.
• Near Sinjar, one airstrike struck an ISIL tactical unit and destroyed an ISIL fighting position.
• Near Tuz, three airstrikes destroyed 17 ISIL fighting positions, an ISIL fuel storage facility, an ISIL vehicle storage facility and two ISIL vehicles.

On 20 August 2015, while taking part in coalition operations in support of Iraqi security forces, two CF-18 Hornets successfully struck two separate ISIS fighting positions, one west of Kirkuk and another west of Mosul, using precision guided munitions.

On Thursday 20 August, a Tornado patrol located two mechanical excavator vehicles near Mosul, which the ISIL terrorists were using to construct fortified positions to defend against the Kurdish peshmerga’s recent successful offensives in the area. Both of the vehicles were destroyed by our aircraft using Brimstone missiles.

Further south, an RAF Reaper was providing support that day to Iraqi army units; a large truck-bomb was spotted, positioned on the central reservation of a major road to threaten any advance by the Iraqi security forces along that route. A Hellfire missile destroyed the vehicle.

The Reaper’s crew then conducted surveillance against a building suspected of being a bomb-making location, where armed terrorists were seen moving a large number of sacks of home-made explosives, and preparing improvised explosive devices. Successful Hellfire attacks were conducted against the facility and the bomb-makers.

On Aug. 19, coalition military forces continued to attack ISIL terrorists in Syria and Iraq. In Syria, coalition military forces conducted eight airstrikes using bomber, fighter and remotely piloted aircraft. Separately in Iraq, coalition military forces conducted 21 airstrikes coordinated with the government of Iraq using attack, bomber, fighter and fighter-attack and remotely piloted aircraft against ISIL targets.

“Coalition airstrikes decimated Daesh fighters last night in the vicinity of the Bayji oil refinery,” said Brig. Gen. Kevin Killea, chief of staff, CJTF-OIR. “A combination of ISF ground maneuver and coalition air support continues to cut down Daesh’s attempts at reinforcing this heated fight.”

The following is a summary of the strikes conducted against ISIL since the last press release:

Syria

• Near Al Hasakah, two airstrikes struck two ISIL tactical units and destroyed an ISIL fighting position, an ISIL heavy machine gun, an ISIL communications repeater and an ISIL staging area.

• Near Aleppo, four airstrikes struck four ISIL tactical units and destroyed three ISIL fighting positions.

• Near Kobani, two airstrikes struck an ISIL tactical unit and destroyed two ISIL heavy machine guns and an ISIL fighting position.

Iraq

• Near Ar Rutbah, three airstrikes struck two ISIL staging areas and an ISIL VBIED facility.

• Near Bayji, two airstrikes struck two ISIL large tactical units and two ISIL buildings and destroyed 22 ISIL buildings and nine ISIL vehicles.

• Near Makhmur, one airstrike struck one ISIL tactical unit and destroyed two ISIL checkpoints.

• Near Mosul, five airstrikes struck three ISIL tactical units and destroyed three ISIL fighting positions, an ISIL bunker, an ISIL heavy machine gun and an ISIL tunnel entrance.

• Near Ramadi, two airstrikes struck an ISIL large tactical unit and destroyed three ISIL buildings and an ISIL armored personnel carrier.

• Near Sinjar, one airstrike struck an ISIL tactical unit and destroyed an ISIL heavy machine gun.

• Near Tuz, seven airstrikes struck an ISIL tactical unit and destroyed three ISIL vehicles, two ISIL fighting positions, two ISIL rocket rails, an ISIL staging area, an ISIL vehicle storage area an ISIL VBIED [see below].

Coalition airstrike, conducted in coordination with the Government of Iraq, destroyed a Daesh vehicle-borne IED facility near Ar Rutbah, Iraq August 19, 2015.

This site was used to produce VBIEDs for ISIL’s terrorist activities in the region and posed a direct threat to both civilians and Iraqi Security Forces.

“Every VBIED taken off the battlefield is one less insidious weapon that can be used by Daesh against the ISF and innocent Iraqis,” said Brig. Gen. Kevin Killea, CJTF-OIR Chief of Staff. “The location of this facility was strategic for Daesh in funneling VBIEDs into Anbar Province.”

Coalition forces will continue to target and destroy ISIL infrastructure in support of the ISF as they clear ISIL fighters from Iraqi cities and countryside.

On Tuesday 18 August, a Reaper, again operating over western Iraq, used a Hellfire to strike an armed pick-up truck, with a second such vehicle destroyed the following day [August 19th] by another Reaper.

Wednesday 19 August also saw a Tornado GR4 patrol providing support to the Kurdish peshmerga in northern Iraq, where our aircraft used Paveways to destroy first a pair of rocket launchers, then an ISIL supply truck.

Alors que dans quelques semaines, l’opération Chammal entrera dans sa deuxième année, les forces aériennes françaises engagées dans l’opération ont franchi une nouvelle étape. Un avion de patrouille maritime Atlantique 2 a procédé à un tir de bombe guidée laser le 19 août 2015.

On Aug. 18, coalition military forces continued to attack ISIL terrorists in Syria and Iraq. In Syria, coalition military forces conducted eight airstrikes using attack, fighter, fighter-attack and remotely piloted aircraft. Separately in Iraq, coalition military forces conducted 18 airstrikes coordinated with the government of Iraq using attack, bomber, fighter and fighter-attack and remotely piloted aircraft against ISIL targets.

“Coalition airstrikes in and around Bayji and Ramadi are consistently putting pressure on the leadership of Daesh,” said Brig. Gen. Kevin Killea, chief of staff, CJTF-OIR. “We are constantly restricting their freedom of maneuver and disrupting their ability to successfully counterattack.”

The following is a summary of the strikes conducted against ISIL since the last press release:

Syria

* Near Al Hasakah, five airstrikes struck four ISIL tactical units and destroyed six ISIL fighting positions and an ISIL motorcycle.

* Near Aleppo, two airstrikes struck an ISIL tactical unit and destroyed an ISIL fighting position and an ISIL vehicle.

* Near Ar Raqqah, one airstrike struck an ISIL tactical unit and destroyed an ISIL checkpoint.

Iraq

* Near Bayji, two airstrikes struck an ISIL tactical unit and destroyed two ISIL vehicles, an ISIL artillery piece and an ISIL VBIED.

* Near Habbaniyah, two airstrikes destroyed two ISIL mortar firing positions and an ISIL vehicle.

* Near Makhmur, five airstrikes struck two ISIL tactical units, two ISIL staging areas and an ISIL rocket firing position and destroyed three ISIL tunnels and an ISIL light machine gun.

* Near Mosul, one airstrike struck an ISIL tactical unit and destroyed an ISIL vehicle.

* Near Ramadi, two airstrikes struck one large and one small ISIL tactical units and destroyed three ISIL vehicles, two ISIL buildings and an ISIL heavy machine gun.

* Near Sinjar, two airstrikes struck two ISIL tactical units and destroyed five ISIL fighting positions, four ISIL heavy machine guns, an ISIL light machine gun and an ISIL vehicle.

* Near Tal Afar, one airstrike struck an ISIL heavy machine gun firing position.

* Near Tuz, three airstrikes destroyed 20 ISIL fighting positions, an ISIL excavator and an ISIL vehicle.

On Tuesday 18 August, a Reaper, again operating over western Iraq, used a Hellfire to strike an armed pick-up truck, with a second such vehicle destroyed the following day by another Reaper.

De danske F-16-fly, der er udsendt som bidrag til Operation Inherent Resolve, har siden seneste opdatering 11. august fløjet 12 missioner og anvendt 14 bomber.

Missionerne, som de danske fly har deltaget i, har været offensive, og de danske fly har i den forløbne periode deltaget i missioner i Ninawa, Salah Al Din og Al Anbar provinserne. Målene for bomberne har været fjendtlige våbenstillinger og bygninger anvendt af ISIL.

De danske fly har fløjet Close Air Support-missioner (CAS), hvor flyene er indsat som luftstøtte til styrker på landjorden. Her vil flyene patruljere over et bestemt område, hvorefter de vil kunne blive indsat af koalitionen, når der er behov for støtte. Luftstøtten vil variere afhængig af, hvad der er behov for. Det kan både dreje sig om overvågningsopgaver og bombninger af mål.

De danske fly har også gennemført Air Interdiction-missioner. Her gennemføres et specifikt angreb mod et på forhånd defineret mål, hvor flyene flyver direkte til målet, anvender bomber og flyver retur. Ved disse missioner har målene for bomberne været bygninger.

På de missioner, hvor de danske F-16 ikke har anvendt våben, har de bidraget med overvågning og indhentning af efterretninger. På sådanne overvågningsmissioner er flyene dog altid klar til at anvende våben, hvis der er behov for det.

Siden første mission den 16. oktober 2014, har det danske bidrag i alt fløjet 476 missioner og anvendt 425 bomber. Alle de danske bomber er præcisionsstyrede, hvilket vil sige, at de styres mod deres mål ved hjælp af enten laser eller GPS.

Nederlandse F-16’s vlogen vanuit het Midden-Oosten meer dan 10 missies boven Irak. Daarbij vielen zij gebouwen, vuurposities en voertuigen van ISIS-strijders aan.

Nederlandse instructeurs zetten in Erbil de infanteriecursus aan Peshmerga voort. Dat gold ook voor de commando-opleiding en de instructeurscursus in Bagdad.

On Aug. 17, coalition military forces continued to attack ISIL terrorists in Syria and Iraq. In Syria, coalition military forces conducted three airstrikes using bomber and fighter aircraft. Separately in Iraq, coalition military forces conducted 17 airstrikes coordinated with the government of Iraq using attack, bomber, fighter and fighter-attack aircraft against ISIL targets.

“Coalition trained Iraqi security forces are in the middle of a deliberate counterattack against Daesh terrorists in Ramadi,” said Brig. Gen. Kevin Killea, chief of staff, CJTF-OIR. “It’s a tough fight with ISF encountering many obstacles and IEDs, but 16 airstrikes in the past few days have eliminated numerous Daesh positions, no doubt paving the way for ISF advances.”

The following is a summary of the strikes conducted against ISIL since the last press release:

Syria

• Near Al Hasakah, two airstrikes struck an ISIL tactical unit and destroyed an ISIL berm and an ISIL fighting position.
• Near Kobani, one airstrike struck an ISIL tactical unit and destroyed two ISIL fighting positions and an ISIL motorcycle.

Iraq

• Near Ar Rutbah, three airstrikes struck an ISIL tactical unit and an ISIL checkpoint and destroyed an ISIL bulldozer and an ISIL excavator.
• Near Bayji, two airstrikes struck an ISIL large tactical unit and destroyed an ISIL artillery piece, an ISIL building and two ISIL vehicles.
• Near Haditha, two airstrikes struck two ISIL tactical units and destroyed an ISIL mortar system and an ISIL fighting position.
• Near Makhmur, three airstrikes struck an ISIL tactical unit and an ISIL staging area and destroyed an ISIL fighting position, an ISIL heavy machine gun and an ISIL light machine gun.
• Near Mosul, one airstrike struck an ISIL tank and destroyed an ISIL trailer.
• Near Ramadi, two airstrikes struck two ISIL large tactical units and destroyed six ISIL buildings, two ISIL fighting positions and an ISIL recoilless rifle.
• Near Sinjar, one airstrike struck an ISIL tactical unit and destroyed an ISIL fighting position and an ISIL light machine gun.
• Near Tal Afar, two airstrikes struck two ISIL tactical units and destroyed an ISIL artillery piece, an ISIL building, an ISIL fighting position and an ISIL weapons cache.
• Near Tuz, one airstrike destroyed 21 ISIL fighting positions and an ISIL tunnel system.