Coalition forces complete airstrikes against enemy targets in Syria, Iraq

Coalition forces have conducted 7,603 airstrikes since operations began against Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant (ISIL) targets, U.S. Army Col. Steve Warren told Pentagon reporters yesterday.

He added that 4,933 strikes have taken place in Iraq, and 2,670 in Syria.

During a recent videoconference Warren provided more details about its war progress in Iraq and Syria.

“The ability of the Iraqi air force to fly close air support missions and support their own ground forces marks a key milestone … in the capability we are helping the Iraqi security forces develop,” Warren said.

In Ramadi, Iraq is consolidating and reorganizing its security forces in preparation for continued offensive operations, Warren added. Iraqi forces on the northern, southern and western axes are clearing improvised explosive devices in populated areas.

“Aided by coalition airstrikes, Iraqi security forces fought off these attacks, and in the process destroyed a command-and-control node, struck a [vehicle bomb] before the enemy was able to use it, and killed several enemy [fighters],” Warren said.

And in northern Syria, the coalition conducted 15 airstrikes over the past eight days, focused mainly in Raqqa, Manjeb and Aleppo, the colonel said.

“Yesterday we signed a memorandum of understanding with Russia regarding measures to minimize the risk of in-flight incidents” in the airspace over Syria, Warren added. The memorandum includes only safety protocols for air crews, he said.

“We continue to believe that Russia's strategy in Syria is counterproductive and will exacerbate the instability there,” he added.

Warren said the coalition estimates that the Russians have conducted about 140 airstrikes clustered around Hama, Homs and Latakia.

“According to open-source reports, these strikes have displaced about 7,000 households, or 35,000 people,” he said. "Most of these people are believed to be moving to areas where humanitarian support is already strained due to overwhelming numbers.”