Three Islamic State Camp Sites In Iraq Destroyed

• 06.21.2020, 12:24
•  Near East,  World

Coalition strikes took out three Islamic State camp sites in Iraq’s Kirkuk province on Friday, while a jet "blasted" an ISIS cave in Nineveh province, STARS AND STRIPES informs.

The "summer camp" in rural Kirkuk was located about 16 miles west of the city of Tuz Khurmatu in "densely vegetated austere terrain," the U.S.-led Operation Inherent Resolve said in a statement Saturday. Strike videos described them as ISIS mountain training areas.

Despite losing control of its last territory in Iraq more than two years ago, ISIS continues to wage an insurgency while hiding out in the mountains, deserts and other rural areas of the country.

While Iraqi security forces have "tactical overmatch against ISIS," Army Col. Myles B. Caggins III, a coalition military spokesman, said in the statement that "airstrikes help destroy ISIS targets in terrain difficult to reach by standard vehicles." 

An F-15E Eagle fighter jet carried out the strikes, which killed an estimated five ISIS fighters, Caggins told Stars and Stripes via text message. Iraqi forces were still conducting an assessment of the damage, he said. 

Caggins also posted video of the strike in Nineveh province on Twitter, which he said killed four militants. Recent killing or capture of ISIS leaders has left "their lowly terrorists followers dazed & disillusioned," Caggins tweeted.