The United States has led airstrikes against ISIS in Iraq since 8 August
2014. Operations were extended into Syria toward the end of
September 2014.
With a view to building the capacity of local forces on the ground,
offensive military action in Iraq has so far been restricted to air
operations in support of Iraqi and Kurdish security forces, providing
reconnaissance, surveillance and attack capabilities. Along with the US,
the United Kingdom, France, the Netherlands, Belgium, Australia,
Jordan, Canada and Denmark have all conducted air strikes in Iraq,
although Belgium and Denmark have recently withdrawn their combat
aircraft.
The first US- led airstrikes in Syria were assisted by aircraft from five
Arab countries: Jordan, the United Arab Emirates, Bahrain and Saudi
Arabia, with Qatar in a supporting role. Since then Turkey, Canada,
France and Australia have joined the air campaign in Syria; while the UK
is conducting surveillance reconnaissance operations over Syria.
The new Canadian government has announced its intention to end its
combat mission in Iraq and Syria, although the timetable for doing do is
currently unclear. At the same time, and in the aftermath of the terrorist
attacks in Paris on 13 November 2015, the French government has
increasingly called on its broader coalition partners to support the
military campaign against ISIS.
The other element of the campaign is the training of Iraqi and Kurdish
security forces as a means of enabling them to take responsibility for
operations against ISIS on the ground.
The United States, the UK and a number of other coalition countries
have also deployed military personnel on the ground in Iraq to train Iraqi
and Kurdish security forces. These are not combat troops and are not
deployed in an offensive role.
Until recently the US had a programme of training in place for moderate
opposition forces in Syria. However, that programme has been beset
with difficulties and on 9 October the US announced that it would
pursue a new strategy with respect to supporting opposition forces in
Syria. The US has also announced that “less than 50” Special Forces
personnel will deploy on the ground in northern Syria to provide
logistical and planning assistance to Kurdish and other local forces in
the fight against ISIS.
2.1 Air strikes
As of 19 November 2015 Coalition aircraft have flown an estimated
57,301 sorties in support of operations in Iraq and Syria. Of those,
Number 06995, 1 December 2015 10
8,289 were airstrikes (Iraq – 5,432 and Syria – 2,857), with
approximately 78% conducted by US aircraft.4
According to US Department of Defense assessments, ISIS targets either
damaged or destroyed totalled 16,075 as of 13 November 2015. Those
assets included 129 tanks, 356 armoured vehicles, 4,942 fighting
positions and 260 elements of oil infrastructure.5 The UK Government
has also suggested that 30% of the territory that ISIS gained in Iraq
after its advance in the summer of 2014, has now been regained.6
US Central Command provides updates on operations. Estimates
released by the Department of Defense on 31 October 2015 state that
the US has spent $5 billion, or $11 million per day on operations related
to ISIS since August 2014. Airstrikes are estimated to make up 51% of
those costs, excluding munitions, which account for a further 22% of
costs.7
Coalition partners conducting operations in Iraq
and Syria
The countries currently conducting air strikes in both Iraq and Syria are:
• The United States
• France
• Australia
• Jordan
• Canada
United States
US Air Force and Navy aircraft, including F-15, F/A-18 aircraft and MQ-1
Predator drones have been conducting air strikes in Iraq since 8 August
2014. Operations were expanded into Syria towards the end of
September 2014. US aircraft participating in those sorties have included
F-15, F-16, F/A-18, F-228 fighter aircraft and B-1 bombers. Tomahawk
missiles deployed aboard US naval vessels deployed in the Red Sea and
North Arabian Gulf were also utilised in the initial stage of offensive
operations in Syria. Intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance
missions have continued using a mixture of manned and unmanned
systems.
Until mid-October 2015 the US also had a carrier strike group deployed
in the Gulf. The USS Harry S. Truman carrier strike group is due to enter
theatre towards the end of the year in order to fill that gap. In the
intervening period the US has had to rely on US aircraft deployed
around the region. In mid-November a number of naval combat aircraft
(AV-8B Harriers), deployed as part of the USS Kearsarge Amphibious
Ready Group, also began combat missions against ISIS targets.9
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