Inherent Resolve Airstrikes Continue in Syria

From a U.S. Central Command News Release

TAMPA, Fla., Oct. 16, 2014 - U.S. military forces continued to attack Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant terrorists in Syria yesterday and today, using bomber and fighter aircraft deployed to the U.S. Central Command area of operations to conduct 14 airstrikes, Centcom officials reported.

All 14 airstrikes took place near Kobani. Initial reports indicate the strikes successfully struck 19 ISIL buildings, two ISIL command posts, three ISIL fighting positions, three ISIL sniper positions, one ISIL staging location, and one ISIL heavy machine gun, Centcom officials said, adding that all aircraft departed the strike areas safely.

Interdicting reinforcement and resupply

These airstrikes are designed to interdict ISIL reinforcements and resupply and prevent ISIL from massing combat power on the Kurdish-held portions of Kobani, officials explained. Indications are that airstrikes have continued to slow ISIL advances, they added, but they acknowledged that that the security situation in Kobani remains tenuous.

The U.S. strikes were conducted as part of Operation Inherent Resolve, the operation to eliminate ISIL and the threat the terrorist group poses to Iraq, the region and the wider international community, officials said.