October 14, 2014
Release #20141016
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
TAMPA, Fla., Oct. 14, 2014 -
U.S. and partner nation military forces continued to attack ISIL
terrorists in Syria Monday and today using bomber and fighter aircraft
to conduct 22 airstrikes. Separately, U.S. military forces used attack
aircraft Monday to conduct one airstrike against ISIL in Iraq.
In
Syria, 21 airstrikes near Kobani destroyed two ISIL staging locations
and damaged another, destroyed one ISIL building and damaged two others,
damaged three ISIL compounds, destroyed one ISIL truck, destroyed one
ISIL armed vehicle and one other ISIL vehicle. As part of these strikes,
an additional seven ISIL staging areas, two ISIL mortar positions,
three ISIL occupied buildings and an ISIL artillery storage facility
were struck and initial indications are that these strikes were
successful. One strike near Dayr az Zawr struck a modular oil refinery
and initial indications are that this strike was successful.
These
airstrikes are designed to interdict ISIL reinforcements and resupply
and prevent ISIL from massing combat power on the Kurdish held portions
of Kobani. To conduct these strikes, the U.S. employed U.S. fighter and
bomber aircraft deployed to the U.S. Central Command area of operations.
In addition, fighter aircraft from the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia
participated in these airstrikes. All aircraft departed the strike areas
safely.
U.S. Central Command continues to closely monitor the
situation in Kobani. Indications are that airstrikes have slowed ISIL
advances. However, the security situation on the ground there remains
fluid, with ISIL attempting to gain territory and Kurdish militia
continuing to hold out.
In Iraq, one strike southwest of Kirkuk
destroyed one ISIL armed vehicle and one ISIL vehicle. All aircraft
departed the strike areas safely.
The U.S. strikes were conducted
as part of the President's comprehensive strategy to degrade and destroy
ISIL. The destruction and degradation of ISIL targets in Syria and Iraq
further limits the terrorist group's ability to lead, control, project
power and conduct operations.