Editorial Note: The following news reports are summaries from original sources. They may also include corrections of Arabic names and political terminology. Comments are in parentheses. Share the link of this article with your facebook friends

 

Genocide Against Syrian Sunni Muslim Arabs Continues by Regime, Kurdish, Russian, NATO, Iranian Forces

August 20, 2016 

Editor's Note:

The coalition which fights the Islamic State and other Sunni groups in Syria consists of US-led NATO forces, Russian forces, Syrian Alewite government forces, Iranian-backed Shi'i militias, and Kurdish peshmerga forces. The coalition's continuous attacks have resulted in the killing of thousands of Iraqi Sunni Muslim Arabs and the eviction of thousands as a result of the destruction of their cities and villages.

Millions of Sunni Muslim Arabs have already left their cities and villages as the fighting intensifies towards an all-attack by the US-led coalition on Raqqa and Mosul, as well as by the Russian-regime attacks on other cities. The end outcome is going to be evicting (ethnic cleansing of) Sunni Muslim Arabs from Syria, particularly the upper Euphrates region of northwestern Iraq and northeastern Syria. 

For a background, read: 

Zionist Creative Destruction of the Middle East for the Benefit of the Apartheid Israeli Regime

 

Airstrikes target Aleppo city and its vicinity and shells at the city cause injuries, August 2016	The destroyed city of Aleppo, August 2016

5 year old Syrian boy, Omran Daqneesh, was rescued from under rubble after an air strike on Aleppo, on August 17, 2016: Why is this happening to him? What's his fault?

 

 

The Little Boy In Aleppo: Can One Photo End A War?

August 19, 20165:39 PM ET

NPR, By Malaka Gharib

A 5-year-old boy, identified in news reports as Omran Daqneesh, sits in an ambulance Wednesday after reportedly being pulled out of a building hit by an airstrike in Aleppo, Syria. Mahmoud Raslan/Anadolu Agency/Getty Images hide caption

toggle caption Mahmoud Raslan/Anadolu Agency/Getty Images

A 5-year-old boy, identified in news reports as Omran Daqneesh, sits in an ambulance Wednesday after reportedly being pulled out of a building hit by an airstrike in Aleppo, Syria.

Mahmoud Raslan/Anadolu Agency/Getty Images

Can one photo help end a war?

That's what people are wondering about the image of a little Syrian boy covered head to toe in a thick layer of dust, his face bloodied, as he sits in a bright orange chair.

His name is Omran Daqneesh and he's 5. On Wednesday, he was rescued from a building in Aleppo hit by an air strike. His bare feet dangling over the edge of his seat, he looks stunned and dazed.

The image was pulled from a YouTube video posted by the Aleppo Media Center and published in news reports that same day. Since then it has made global headlines — bringing new attention to the ongoing agonies of the Syrian conflict.

There's no disputing the power of the photo. "It's heartbreaking, compelling, beautifully composed, scary," says MaryAnne Golon, director of photography of The Washington Post. "Any mother in the world would want to scoop him up and take care of him."

It seems as if many others feel the same way. The video has already been viewed 3.4 million times and has taken on a life of its own. In just 48 hours, Daqneesh's image turned into a social media meme, inspired a cartoon illustrating the tough choices that Syrian children face, and was used to express outrage against the Syrian war.

But the world has seen an image like this before — of Alan Kurdi, a 3-year-old Syrian boy who drowned while fleeing to Greece with his family. His lifeless body was photographed on a Turkish beach in September 2015.

The reaction to Kurdi's image gives some indications of what a photo can do. It galvanized Europeans to urge their governments to open their doors to more refugees, as reported by the BBC, and sparked an outpouring of global giving.

Mercy Corps, an international group that provides humanitarian aid to Syrians, saw $2.3 million in donations in the month after Kurdi's image was first shared, says communications officer Christy Delafield. By comparison, the group raised $4.5 million in the prior four years.

Similar increases were reported by groups like World Vision, UNHCR and Islamic Relief, according to Deutsche Welle, a German broadcasting company.

Unfortunately, Delafield is not seeing the same reaction with Daqneesh's photo. "I'm not sure if it's because of the Olympics or the election, but it seems like the news cycle has moved on quickly," she says.

While Mercy Corps received $50,000 in the first 24 hours after the image was published, Delafield is disappointed that the number has "trickled off" since yesterday.

Greg Ramm, vice president for humanitarian response at Save the Children, thinks the photo has made a difference in other ways: "It's reminded the world of the suffering inside Syria. It has motivated people to help. And it does put pressure on politicians."

Earlier today, for example, political leaders in Scotland called on leaders in the U.K. and the European Union to demand a Russian ceasefire in Aleppo. "I was horrified to see this photo, which lays bare the reality and human cost of the war in Syria," said First Minister Nicola Sturgeon of Scotland, according to The National, a Scottish newspaper.

But Ed Kashi, an American photojournalist who documents social and political issues, is doubtful of the photo's long-term impact. "Maybe it will inspire people to contribute money or be concerned for a day or a week, but ultimately, it's not going to move the needle in any real way," he says.

In the age of viral photos and memes on Instagram, Twitter and Facebook, he says: "The intensity and graphicness of the images that we see now are numbing. We see it every week. Yet we just scroll forward."

The lack of action "makes me want to cry," he adds.

John Hilary is the executive director of War On Want, a global justice organization and an outspoken critic of "poverty porn" — using images of the poor to solicit charitable donations. Like Kashi, he doesn't put too much stock in the photographs of Kurdi or Daqneesh.

"Images on their own can provoke feelings and awareness, but they can't give you the sort of political understanding and analysis that you need to respond properly," he says.

Hilary says it's tough for the public to translate what they're seeing into real solutions.

"It's very unclear to people as to which strings they can pull to make a difference," he says. "That's the most profound difficulty of this image. There isn't an obvious mechanism through which we can turn our anger and compassion into change."

***

International coalition warplanes fly in the sky of Al-Hasakah city and the reinforcements arrive to the US base northwest of the city

19/08/2016

Al-Hasaka Province, The Syrian Observatory for Human Rights:

The Syrian Observatory for Human Rights learned that reinforcements arrived at the US base, located a few kilometers northwest the neighborhood of Al-Hasakah city, while the warplanes of the international coalition flew over the city of Al-Hasakah and its outskirts, also violent clashes renewed hours ago between the NDF and the gunmen loyal to the regime against the Kurdish forces and the internal Kurdish security forces “Asayish”, where the clashes were concentrated at al-Nashweh area and its surrounding and in the east of Ghwyran area northeast of Hasaka city, amid heavy shelling by the regime forces on the Kurdish forces’ controlled areas in the city, and preliminary information about more casualties.

The “Islamic State” shells Deir Ezzor city

20/08/2016

Deir Ezzor Province,:

The Syrian Observatory for Human Rights: The “Islamic state” target areas in al-Jura neighborhood in Deir Ezzor city, while the regime forces targeted an engineering vehicle belongs to the organization at the outskirts of Deir Ezzor city, which damaged it and information about casualties in the ranks of the organization, also a man was killed when the warplanes bombed areas controlled by the “Islamic State” in the city of Deir Ezzor.

Airstrikes target Aleppo city and its vicinity and shells at the city cause injuries

19/08/2016

Aleppo Province:

The Syrian Observatory for Human Rights:

The rebel factions targeted using guided missiles regime forces’ members in the vicinity of Air Force Academy south of Aleppo, which killed and injured several members of them, while warplanes targeted places in the areas of Ramouseh, al-Hikmah, al-Rashedin and the military Academies in south and southwest of Aleppo, and elsewhere in Dahrat Abed Rabbo area west of Aleppo, also warplanes bombed areas in al-Bab city northeast of Aleppo province, while a loud explosion was heard in the southern countryside of Aleppo, it is believed to be caused by the explosion in an ammunition depot belongs to the regime forces in the defense plants at al-Sfireh area.

At least 20 casualties at the northern countryside of Homs, and more than 30 killed and wounded in the city

19/08/2016

Homs Province, The Syrian Observatory for Human Rights:

It rose to 20, including four children, four citizen women and a judge, the number of people who were killed in the northern countryside of Homs, where 13 people were killed, including a boy child, a girl child, four citizen women and a judge in bombing by warplane over areas in the town of Al-Ghantu in the northern countryside of Homs.

Also two persons (one of them is a child) at least were killed by the regime forces’ shelling on areas in the town of Zafarana in the northern countryside of Homs, also five people (including a child, a man and his son) were killed by shelling by the regime forces on areas in the city of Talbiseh north of Homs province, also two people were killed and 29 others wounded (including children and citizen women) when several rocket shells landed on areas in the neighborhoods of al-Arman, al–Iskan, al-Nozha and Wadi al-Dahab in Homs city.

Violent clashes on the outskirts of Darayya city and the regime forces continue the intensive shelling on the city

19/08/2016

Rif Dimashq Province, The Syrian Observatory for Human Rights:

The regime forces continue the violent intensive shelling of areas in the city of Darayya, in conjunction with targeting the city since the morning with tens of explosive barrels, which caused considerable material damage and drove the only field hospital in the city out of work after being targeted this morning, where it rose to about 45, the number of barrel bombs dropped by helicopters over areas in the city of Darayya in the Western Ghouta.

Also violent clashes are taking place between the regime forces and militiamen loyal to them against the rebel and Islamic Factions in the outskirts of Darayya city, amid advancement for the regime forces and restoring control of buildings on the outskirts of the city, while a demonstration of hundreds of citizens was carried out in the city of Arbin in the Eastern Ghouta at the towns and cities of Arbin, Saqba and Hammuriyyeh, and the demonstrations called for the dawn of the regime and freedom, and demanded that factions leaders in the Eastern Ghouta to unite and to opening the battle of Damascus.

Shells fall on Aleppo city’s areas cause casualties and injuries, and airstrikes target the city and its western countryside causing casualties

19/08/2016

Aleppo Province, The Syrian Observatory for Human Rights:

The warplanes carried out raids on areas in the neighborhoods of Salahuddin, al-Mashhad and Seif al-Dawla in Aleppo, which caused injuries, while three citizens were killed and more than 10 others were injured when shells landed on regime forces’ controlled areas at the neighborhoods of Salahuddin and Hamdaniya in Aleppo city, while warplanes targeted areas in Ameriyah neighborhood at Aleppo city, no information about casualties.

Also clashes are still taking place between the rebel and Islamic factions against the “Islamic State” in the vicinity of the strategic town of al-Rai in the northern countryside of Aleppo, in conjunction with detonating a booby trapped vehicle by the organization in the area, and exchange of shelling between both parties, and information about more casualties in the ranks of both parties.

About 40 killed in the shelling and clashes at Al-Hasakah city

19/08/2016 

Al-Hasaka Province, The Syrian Observatory for Human Rights:

The tension is still prevail in Al-Hasakah city, amid continued displacement attempts to areas far from the clashes and shelling areas, now it is quiet in several areas that witnessed clashes between NDF and the gunmen loyal to the regime against Kurdish forces and the internal Kurdish security forces “Asayish.”

Other areas are witnessing clashes, amid hearing the sound of explosions in the city; believed to be caused by shelling by the regime forces on areas controlled by Kurdish forces in the city.

More casualties fell in the city, rising to 23 -including nine children and four citizen women- the number of people who were killed by shelling by the regime forces and the exchange of fire between both parties, while SOHR received information confirming the death of a person when the warplanes bombed areas in the northern part of the city, also it rose to 9, the number of Kurdish forces fighters who were killed in the clashes, while it rose to 7, the number of NDF members and the gunmen loyal to the regime who were killed in this clashes, in addition to the tens of wounded in the ranks of both parties, and the Kurdish forces were able to capture tens of gunmen loyal to the regime in the clashes within the city.

***

Civilians flee Syrian city as Kurdish forces fight government

By Tom Perry

Fri Aug 19, 2016 6:52pm EDT

Reuters, BEIRUT --

Civilians fled a city in northeastern Syria where government warplanes bombed Kurdish-held areas for a second day on Friday, as the Syrian army accused Kurdish forces of igniting the conflict by trying to take over the area.

The fighting this week in Hasaka, which is divided into zones of Kurdish and Syrian government control, marks the most violent confrontation between the Kurdish YPG militia and Damascus in more than five years of civil war.

The YPG is at the heart of a U.S.-led campaign against Islamic State in Syria, and controls swathes of the north where Kurdish groups have set up their own government since the Syrian war began in 2011.

A Pentagon official said U.S.-led coalition aircraft were sent near Hasaka on Thursday to protect coalition special operation ground forces in response to bombing by Syrian jets, and additional combat air patrols were being sent to the area.

The government air strikes on Hasaka mark the first time the Syrian military has deployed its warplanes against Kurdish groups during the war.

Pentagon spokesman Captain Jeff Davis said the incident was not an intercept and the coalition aircraft reached the area by the time the Syrian government warplanes were leaving.

YPG spokesman Redur Xelil told Reuters that Kurdish authorities had evacuated thousands of civilians from their area of control. "Whoever can bear arms is fighting the regime and its gangs," Xelil said. "Our situation is so far defensive but it will change all the while the regime escalates in this way."

In its first comment on the situation, the Syrian army accused a YPG-affiliated security force known as the Asayish of igniting the violence through escalating "provocations" including the bombardment of army positions in Hasaka that had killed a number of soldiers and civilians.

In a statement, the military command said the Asayish were aiming to take control of Hasaka city, and the army had responded appropriately by firing at armed groups' "sources of fire".

The Syrian Observatory for Human Rights, which tracks the war using a network of activists, said civilians were using lulls in the fighting to flee the city. Xelil said dozens of civilians had been killed over the past two days.

The YPG and Syrian government have mostly avoided confrontation during the multi-sided war that has turned Syria into a patchwork of areas held by the state and an array of armed factions.

Assad, backed by Russia and Iran, has focused mostly on fighting Sunni Arab rebels who have been battling to oust him in western Syria with support from countries including Turkey, Saudi Arabia and the United States. The Syrian and Russian air forces are routinely deployed in the war in western Syria.

The YPG, or People's Protection Units, has meanwhile prioritized carving out and safeguarding predominantly Kurdish regions of northern Syria. The group has ties to the Kurdistan Workers Party (PKK) in Turkey.

While the YPG controls most of the northeast, the Syrian government has maintained footholds in the cities of Hasaka and Qamishli at the border with Turkey. The YPG has controlled most of Hasaka city since last year.

It is the second major eruption of fighting between the YPG and Syrian government fighters this year. In April, they fought several days of lethal battles in Qamishli, north of Hasaka city and also mostly YPG-held.

The Observatory said Kurdish forces had gained ground in the southern part of Hasaka.

Rami Abdulrahman, Observatory director, said the fighting began this week after pro-government militiamen detained a number of Kurdish youths, a step that had followed advances by Kurdish security forces towards government-held areas.

(Additional reporting by Idrees Ali in Washington; Editing by Richard Balmforth)

***

Russian cruise missiles target near Aleppo, Syria

Sat Aug 20, 2016 10:26am EDT

Reuters, BEIRUT/MOSCOW --

Russian warships in the Mediterranean Sea fired cruise missiles at targets near Aleppo on Friday, a further sign of Moscow's broadening military effort in Syria days after it began to fly bombing missions from an airbase in Iran.

Russian air power had helped Syrian President Bashar al-Assad make steady advances against rebels seeking to oust him since Moscow's intervention a year ago, but a recent insurgent advance in Aleppo has checked that momentum.

In northeastern Syria, warplanes from a U.S.-led coalition flew patrols on Thursday to protect local ground forces they back against Syrian government airstrikes that are targeting the Kurdish city of Hasaka, the Pentagon said.

"The Syrian regime would be well advised not to interfere with coalition forces or our partners," Pentagon spokesman Captain Jeff Davis said.

Russia's three cruise missile launches were its first against targets in Syria from the Mediterranean, with previous ones made from its Caspian Sea fleet. On Tuesday Russian bombers began flying missions in Syria from Hamedan air base in Iran.

Russia's Defense Ministry said the strikes targeted the Islamist militant group Jabhat Fatah al-Sham, known as the Nusra Front until it broke formal ties with al Qaeda last month before playing a big role in the sudden rebel advances in Aleppo.

The upsurge in fighting and airstrikes in and around the city, split between government-held west and rebel-held eastern sectors, has prompted growing international concern, galvanized by pictures on Thursday of a dazed, bloodied child.

The plight of civilians in Aleppo has been aggravated in besieged areas by dire shortages of basic goods, leading the World Food Programme to warn of a "nightmarish" situation.

In Daraya, a suburb of Damascus, rebels and a war monitor said the Syrian army's helicopters had dropped incendiary barrel bombs early on Friday, putting the opposition-held town's only hospital out of action.

On Thursday Russia, Assad's most powerful military ally, said it supported a proposal for a weekly 48-hour pause in fighting in Aleppo to allow aid to reach the besieged areas and that it was ready to start the first one next week.

On Friday, the main umbrella group for the Syrian opposition also cautiously welcomed the idea provided the U.N. monitored the truce and enforced compliance. During a previous humanitarian pause this year, both sides complained the other had broken the truce as fighting escalated again.

DOZENS KILLED IN HASAKA

On Friday Syrian Kurdish authorities evacuated thousands of civilians from Kurdish areas of Hasaka following government air strikes, a spokesman for the Kurdish YPG militia, an integral part of the U.S.-backed Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF), said.

The SDF is at the heart of Washington's military campaign against Islamic State group and last week seized the town of Manbij from the militant organization, part of a growing swathe of northern Syria it controls.

The U.S.-led coalition aircraft arrived at Hasaka as two Syrian SU-24s, which had carried out the strikes, were leaving. "This is very unusual, we have not seen the regime take this kind of action against YPG before," the Pentagon's Davis said.

Hasaka is divided into zones of Kurdish and Syrian government control and fighting between them has killed dozens of civilians in the past 48 hours, YPG spokesman Redur Xelil said.

The YPG and the government have mostly avoided confrontation during the multi-sided war that has turned Syria into a patchwork of areas held by the state and an array of armed factions.

The Syrian army said on Friday that this week's fighting was caused by Kurdish security forces attempting to take over Hasaka, prompting it to return fire on armed groups.

Assad, backed by Russia and Iran, has focused mostly on fighting Sunni Arab rebels who have been battling to oust him in western Syria with support from countries including Turkey, Saudi Arabia and the United States.

The YPG, or People's Protection Units, has meanwhile prioritized carving out and safeguarding predominantly Kurdish regions of northern Syria. The group has ties to Kurdistan Workers Party (PKK) rebels in Turkey.

While the YPG controls most of the northeast, the Syrian government has maintained footholds in the cities of Hasaka and Qamishli at the border with Turkey.

The SDF seizure of Manbij from Islamic State last week raised the prospect of possible advances towards al-Bab, near Aleppo.

Families of Islamic State fighters in al-Bab and another nearby town, Jarablus, were evacuated to the militant group's stronghold of Raqqa, the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights, a U.K.-based war monitoring group, said.

ALEPPO TRUCE

Rebel groups, including Jabhat Fateh al-Sham, stormed a Syrian army complex in southwest Aleppo two weeks ago, breaking a siege on opposition-held parts of Aleppo and prompting fierce counter-attacks.

A senior rebel commander said there was a "positive atmosphere" surrounding talk of a ceasefire. "But so far there are no details."

Syrian warplanes had carried out 46 sorties in the last 24 hours, including strikes in Aleppo that destroyed a tank, a vehicle loaded with ammunition and three mortar emplacements, and killed dozens of rebel fighters, a military source said.

Continuing clashes between rebels and the Syrian army and allied militias were fiercest in the southwest of city, the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights, a U.K.-based monitor of the five-year-old civil war, said on Friday.

It added that air strikes and shelling in and around Aleppo had killed 422 civilians, including 142 children, this month.

"We need a 48-hour pause, we need it now," WFP spokeswoman Bettina Luescher told a briefing in Geneva on Friday. While the rebel advance this month opened a narrow corridor into opposition-held areas of Aleppo, access remains very limited and dangerous, meaning aid supplies are scarce.

"It's crucially important that we go in there because people are absolutely desperate," Luescher added. "From both sides, these sieges have to stop - it's inhumane, awful, disgusting, nightmarish. Not necessarily U.N. words, but that's what it is."

(Reporting by Angus McDowall and Tom Perry in Beirut, Polina Devitt in Moscow, Stephanie Nebehay in Geneva; editing by Ralph Boulton and Richard Balmforth)

***

The following are news stories from the US Department of Defense website (http://www.defense.gov/News) :

Military Strikes Target ISIL in Syria, Iraq

SOUTHWEST ASIA, Aug. 19, 2016 —

Officials reported details of yesterday’s strikes, noting that assessments of results are based on initial reports.

Strikes in Syria

Bomber, ground-attack, attack and fighter aircraft conducted eight strikes in Syria:

-- Near Abu Kamal, two strikes destroyed two ISIL pump jacks, two ISIL oil tanker trucks, two ISIL oil tanks and two ISIL wellheads.

-- Near Dayr Az Zawr, two strikes destroyed six ISIL oil tanker trucks and two ISIL wellheads.

-- Near Manbij, four strikes struck two ISIL tactical units and destroyed five ISIL fighting positions, an ISIL tactical vehicle and suppressed two ISIL tactical units.

Strikes in Iraq

Bomber and fighter aircraft conducted six strikes in Iraq, coordinated with and in support of Iraq’s government:

-- Near Albu Hayat, a strike destroyed two ISIL communication towers.

-- Near Mosul, three strikes struck an ISIL tactical unit, an ISIL finance storage center, and an ISIL finance distribution center and destroyed three ISIL fighting positions, two ISIL vehicle bombs, two ISIL mortar systems, four ISIL assembly areas and an ISIL tunnel and suppressed an ISIL tactical unit and denied ISIL access to terrain.

-- Near Sinjar, a strike struck an ISIL tactical unit and destroyed an ISIL fighting position.

-- Near Sultan Abdallah, a strike struck an ISIL tactical unit.

Counter-ISIL Strikes in Syria, Iraq

SOUTHWEST ASIA, Aug. 18, 2016 —

Strikes in Syria

Bomber, attack, fighter and remotely piloted aircraft conducted 14 strikes in Syria:

-- Near Abu Kamal, a strike struck an ISIL oil wellhead.

-- Near Raqqah, a strike struck two separate ISIL tactical units and destroyed an ISIL vehicle.

-- Near Dayr Az Zawr, two strikes struck an ISIL tactical unit and destroyed two ISIL oil wellheads and three ISIL vehicles.

-- Near Manbij, three strikes destroyed two ISIL artillery systems and an ISIL vehicle.

-- Near Mara, six strikes struck five separate ISIL tactical units and destroyed two ISIL fighting positions, an ISIL vehicle, an ISIL mortar system and an ISIL command-and-control node.

-- Near Tal Abyad, a strike struck a large ISIL tactical unit and destroyed four ISIL fighting positions and an ISIL propaganda billboard.

Strikes in Iraq

Attack and fighter aircraft conducted five strikes in Iraq, coordinated with and in support of Iraq’s government:

-- Near Mosul, four strikes struck three ISIL tactical units and destroyed 38 ISIL oil tanker trucks, five ISIL vehicles and six ISIL assembly areas and denied ISIL access to terrain.

-- Near Ramadi, a strike destroyed two ISIL vehicles and an ISIL shelter.

Coalition Strikes Target ISIL in Syria, Iraq

SOUTHWEST ASIA, Aug. 16, 2016 —

Strikes in Syria

Attack, bomber, fighter and ground attack aircraft conducted 14 strikes in Syria:

-- Near Raqqah, a strike destroyed 10 ISIL oil tankers.

-- Near Manbij, three strikes struck three separate ISIL tactical units and destroyed six ISIL fighting positions and an ISIL mortar system.

-- Near Mara, 10 strikes struck seven separate ISIL tactical units and an ISIL headquarters and destroyed nine ISIL fighting positions, an ISIL heavy machine gun, an ISIL rocket-propelled grenade system and an ISIL weapons cache.

Strikes in Iraq

Fighter and remotely piloted aircraft and rocket artillery conducted seven strikes in Iraq, coordinated with and in support of Iraq’s government:

-- Near Hit, two strikes struck an ISIL tactical unit and destroyed an ISIL fighting position, an ISIL weapons cache and an ISIL mortar system.

-- Near Mosul, a strike produced inconclusive results.

-- Near Qayyarah, two strikes struck an ISIL tactical unit, destroyed an ISIL mortar system and degraded an ISIL tunnel.

-- Near Ramadi, a strike destroyed an ISIL mortar system and damaged an ISIL fighting position.

-- Near Sultan Abdallah, a strike struck an ISIL tactical unit; destroyed four ISIL assembly areas, two ISIL heavy machine guns, five ISIL fighting positions, three ISIL mortar systems and an ISIL vehicle; and suppressed an ISIL tactical unit.

Military Strikes Continue Against ISIL in Iraq, Syria

SOUTHWEST ASIA, Aug. 15, 2016 —

Officials reported details of the latest strikes, noting that assessments of results are based on initial reports.

Strikes in Syria

Attack, fighter and remotely piloted aircraft conducted seven strikes in Syria:

-- Near Albu Kamal, a strike destroyed an ISIL oil wellhead and ISIL-used oil equipment.

-- Near Ayn Isa, two strikes struck an ISIL staging area and an ISIL weapons storage facility.

-- Near Mara, two strikes destroyed an ISIL fighting position and damaged four separate ISIL fighting positions.

-- Near Tal Abyad, two strikes struck an ISIL tactical unit and destroyed four ISIL vehicles.

Strikes in Iraq

Fighter and remotely piloted aircraft conducted seven strikes in Iraq, coordinated with and in support of Iraq’s government:

-- Near Mosul, three strikes struck two separate ISIL tactical units and an ISIL improvised explosive device assembly area; destroyed an ISIL vehicle, six ISIL assembly areas, two ISIL command and control nodes and one ISIL vehicle bomb; suppressed an ISIL heavy machine gun position; and denied ISIL access to terrain.

-- Near Qayyarah, two strikes struck a large ISIL tactical unit; destroyed two ISIL vehicles, five ISIL fighting positions, an ISIL mortar system, an ISIL rocket rail, four ISIL rocket systems, three ISIL assembly areas, an ISIL command-and-control node and an ISIL heavy machine gun; disabled an ISIL vehicle bomb; and denied ISIL access to terrain.

-- Near Sinjar, a strike struck an ISIL tactical unit and destroyed an ISIL fighting position.

-- Near Sultan Abdallah, a strike destroyed an ISIL headquarters.

Inherent Resolve Strikes Target ISIL in Syria, Iraq

SOUTHWEST ASIA, Aug. 14, 2016 —

Officials reported details of yesterday’s strikes, noting that assessments of results are based on initial reports.

Strikes in Syria

Attack and fighter aircraft conducted five strikes in Syria:

-- Near Dayr Az Zawr, two strikes destroyed eight ISIL oil tankers and two ISIL oil fields.

-- Near Manbij, a strike destroyed an ISIL front-end loader.

-- Near Mara, two strikes damaged three ISIL fighting positions.

Strikes in Iraq

Rocket artillery and bomber and fighter aircraft conducted six strikes in Iraq, coordinated with and in support of the Iraqi government:

-- Near Mosul, three strikes struck an ISIL headquarters and a large ISIL tactical unit and destroyed eight ISIL fighting positions, four ISIL assembly areas, three ISIL command and control nodes, an ISIL-used observation post, an ISIL rocket rail, an ISIL vehicle, an ISIL vehicle-borne bomb and an ISIL supply cache.

-- Near Ramadi, a strike struck an ISIL tactical unit and destroyed two separate ISIL fighting positions and three ISIL vehicles.

-- Sultan Abdallah, two strikes destroyed seven ISIL vehicles and an ISIL fighting position, suppressed two ISIL mortar positions and denied ISIL access to terrain.

Counter-ISIL Strikes Continue in Syria, Iraq

SOUTHWEST ASIA, Aug. 13, 2016 —

Officials reported details of yesterday’s strikes, noting that assessments of results are based on initial reports.

Strikes in Syria

Attack and fighter aircraft conducted four strikes in Syria:

-- Near Abu Kamal, a strike destroyed an ISIL pump jack.

-- Near Dayr Az Zawr, two strikes destroyed 12 ISIL oil tankers and an ISIL oil storage tank.

-- Near Manbij, a strike destroyed an ISIL tactical vehicle.

Strikes in Iraq

Fighter aircraft conducted 10 strikes in Iraq, coordinated with and in support of the Iraqi government:

-- Near Baghdadi, a strike destroyed two ISIL communication towers.

-- Near Mosul, four strikes struck an ISIL vehicle-borne-bomb factory and three separate ISIL tactical units and destroyed six ISIL assembly areas, an ISIL observation post, seven ISIL weapons caches, two ISIL command and control nodes and four ISIL vehicles.

-- Near Qayyarah, two strikes destroyed two ISIL command-and-control nodes and an ISIL vehicle-borne-bomb factory.

-- Near Ramadi, two strikes struck an ISIL tactical unit and destroyed three ISIL fighting positions, two ISIL weapons caches and an ISIL mortar system and denied ISIL access to terrain.

-- Near Sinjar, a strike destroyed an ISIL fighting position and suppressed an ISIL mortar position.

Military Strikes Continue Against ISIL in Syria, Iraq

SOUTHWEST ASIA, Aug. 12, 2016 —

Officials reported details of the latest strikes, noting that assessments of results are based on initial reports.

Strikes in Syria

Attack, bomber and fighter aircraft conducted six strikes in Syria:

-- Near Raqqah, a strike destroyed an ISIL excavator.

-- Near Dayr Az Zawr, two strikes destroyed eight ISIL oil tankers.

-- Near Manbij, two strikes struck an ISIL tactical unit and destroyed an ISIL fighting position.

-- Near Ayn Isa, one strike destroyed an ISIL mortar system.

Strikes in Iraq

Bomber and fighter aircraft and rocket artillery conducted 12 strikes in Iraq, coordinated with and in support of Iraq’s government:

-- Near Hit, a strike struck an ISIL tactical unit and destroyed an ISIL fighting position.

-- Near Mosul, four strikes struck two separate ISIL tactical units and an ISIL headquarters and destroyed two ISIL vehicles and an ISIL assembly area and suppressed an ISIL tactical unit and denied ISIL access to terrain.

-- Near Qayyarah, four strikes struck an ISIL tactical unit and destroyed four ISIL-used solar panels, two ISIL-used roads, an ISIL headquarters, and an ISIL artillery system and damaged a separate ISIL headquarters.

-- Near Ramadi, a strike struck an ISIL tactical unit and destroyed four ISIL vehicles and three ISIL rocket systems.

-- Near Sultan Abdallah, two strikes struck an ISIL improvised weapons cache and destroyed an ISIL vehicle bomb storage facility.

***

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