Coalition airstrikes targeting ISIS tank and artillery near Palmyra on Thursday. Video source: US Department of Defense
ERBIL, Kurdistan Region – The US-led coalition carried out airstrikes near Palmyra on Thursday, destroying equipment the militant group ISIS captured when they overtook the city last weekend.
“Near Palmyra, 10 strikes engaged an ISIL tactical unit; destroyed 14 tanks, three artillery systems, two ISIL-held buildings, two tactical vehicles, and an air defense artillery system,” reads a statement published by the Combined Joint Task Force.
The head of the US contingent of the global coalition had said on Wednesday that the US was ready to carry out an airstrike if needed but expressed hope that Russia and Syria would take action first after ISIS seized a large quantity of military equipment, including possible air defense equipment.
"Basically anything they seized poses a threat to the coalition but we can manage those threats and we will," Lieutenant General Stephen Townsend told reporters during a press briefing. "I anticipate that we'll have opportunities to strike that equipment and kill the ISIL that's operating it soon."
But he added that it would be best of Russia or Syria acted as they had more knowledge of what was happening on the ground in Palmyra than the coalition did.
"We can't tell one side from the other. So we can't tell if the truck and the armored vehicle is being operated by a regime trooper, a Russian trooper or ISIL fighter."
“We will not allow ISIL to maintain capabilities that threaten Coalition or partner forces,” Dorrian added.
The airstrikes were carried out by 16 aircraft firing 22 munitions Thursday in the area of the Tiyas Military Airfield near Palmyra, the coalition’s statement added.
“Near Palmyra, 10 strikes engaged an ISIL tactical unit; destroyed 14 tanks, three artillery systems, two ISIL-held buildings, two tactical vehicles, and an air defense artillery system,” reads a statement published by the Combined Joint Task Force.
The head of the US contingent of the global coalition had said on Wednesday that the US was ready to carry out an airstrike if needed but expressed hope that Russia and Syria would take action first after ISIS seized a large quantity of military equipment, including possible air defense equipment.
"Basically anything they seized poses a threat to the coalition but we can manage those threats and we will," Lieutenant General Stephen Townsend told reporters during a press briefing. "I anticipate that we'll have opportunities to strike that equipment and kill the ISIL that's operating it soon."
But he added that it would be best of Russia or Syria acted as they had more knowledge of what was happening on the ground in Palmyra than the coalition did.
"We can't tell one side from the other. So we can't tell if the truck and the armored vehicle is being operated by a regime trooper, a Russian trooper or ISIL fighter."
Coalition spokesperson Colonel John Dorrian echoed Townsend’s words in a statement released Friday, saying Townsend had “made it clear during his Dec.14th press conference that we would strike the equipment before it posed a threat to counter-ISIL operations.
“We will not allow ISIL to maintain capabilities that threaten Coalition or partner forces,” Dorrian added.
The airstrikes were carried out by 16 aircraft firing 22 munitions Thursday in the area of the Tiyas Military Airfield near Palmyra, the coalition’s statement added.
Comments
Rudaw moderates all comments submitted on our website. We welcome comments which are relevant to the article and encourage further discussion about the issues that matter to you. We also welcome constructive criticism about Rudaw.
To be approved for publication, however, your comments must meet our community guidelines.
We will not tolerate the following: profanity, threats, personal attacks, vulgarity, abuse (such as sexism, racism, homophobia or xenophobia), or commercial or personal promotion.
Comments that do not meet our guidelines will be rejected. Comments are not edited – they are either approved or rejected.
Post a comment