ISIL extremists hit hard by coalition airstrike campaign

American airpower joined allied coalition forces this week to continue the fight against ISIL insurgents in Iraq and Syria with targeted airstrikes aimed at crippling the violent extremist group’s ability to operate.

The week’s airstrikes are part of Joint Task Force Operation Inherent Resolve, which saw 13 allied nations from around the world come together to fight the threat ISIL extremists represent to security in the Middle East and the rest of the world.

U.S. forces were joined by military from Australia, Belgium, Canada, Denmark, France, Jordan, the Netherlands, the U.K., Bahrain, Saudi Arabia, Turkey and the United Arab Emirates in coordinating 24 airstrikes across combat zones in Iraq and Syria.

ISIL fighters in Syria were hit by 13 attacks last week from an array of bombers, fighters, drones, and ground-attack aircraft by the coalition forces. Four strikes were aimed at reducing the violent movement’s fuel reserves, hitting an ISIL-controlled petroleum junction point and three refineries.

Near Hasakah in Syria four airstrikes hit three separate ISIL tactical units, destroying two vehicle-mounted bombs, two ISIL vehicles, an ISIL-controlled building, and eliminating three dug-in fighting positions.

Coalition aircraft flew 11 sorties in Iraq in support of Iraqi government’s operations against ISIL. Those strikes took tactical units, machine guns, mortar positions, vehicles and a weapons cache. A rocket position was destroyed and struck at ISIL’s leadership by hitting two command and control centers.