U.S. continues airstrikes against IS forces in Syria, Iraq

Baghdad (IraqiNews.com) U.S. military forces continued to attack the Islamic State (IS) forces on Thursday, using bomber and attack aircraft to conduct a total of eleven airstrikes in Syria and Iraq.

According to a statement released by the U.S. Central Command, in Syria, six airstrikes south of Kobani destroyed two IS-held buildings, one IS tank and one IS heavy machine gun and damaged an IS fighting position. These strikes also struck one large and two small IS units.

In addition, three airstrikes north of Kobani struck two small IS units and destroyed two IS-held buildings. These strikes were conducted by U.S. bomber aircraft deployed to the U.S. Central Command area of operations. All aircraft exited the strike areas safely.

In Iraq, an airstrike south of Sinjar destroyed an ISIL bunker and ammunition cache and a small IS unit. Another airstrike, south of Sinjar Mountain, destroyed an IS armed vehicle and a small IS unit, the statement said.

The destruction of targets in Syria and Iraq further limits the terrorist group’s ability to lead, control, project power and conduct operations, it added.

So far, U.S. and its partners have conducted hundreds of such airstrikes. But U.S. defense officials acknowledged that airstrikes against IS forces will not be enough to completely degrade and destroy IS forces in Iraq and Syria.

John Kirby, spokesman of U.S. Defense Department, has noted that the department has been very honest about the limits of airpower, pointing out that the key will be the training and equipping of indigenous ground forces.

But it will take time to have the ground forces properly trained and equipped, he said at a DOD press conference on Wednesday.