US Coalition Launches Three Anti-Daesh Airstrikes in Syria, 19 in Iraq

The US-led coalition military forces conducted three strikes using attack aircraft in Syria and 19 strikes in Iraq coordinated with Iraq's government, according to the US Central Command.

WASHINGTON (Sputnik) — The US-led coalition launched 22 airstrikes against Islamic State (ISIL or Daesh) positions in Syria and Iraq, the US Central Command (CENTCOM) announced in a press release on Friday.

"In Syria, coalition military forces conducted three strikes using attack aircraft," the release said. "Separately in Iraq, coalition military forces conducted 19 strikes coordinated with and in support of the Government of Iraq."

The coalition forces in Syria conducted three airstrikes on Thursday near the cities of Ayn Isa and Manbij, where they destroyed mortar and fighting positions, the release went on.

Meanwhile in Iraq, the coalition launched 19 airstrikes that blocked off access to the Daesh militants terrain, targeted Daesh staging areas, vehicles, assembly areas and machine guns, the Central Command said.

The US-led coalition of over 60 nations has been carrying out airstrikes against the Islamic State in Iraq since August 2014 and in Syria since September 2014, but without the approval of the Syrian government or the UN Security Council.