The U.S. Central Command (Centcom) issued that since Thursday, the U.S. military has conducted 10 airstrikes in Iraqi and Syrian locations against the Islamic State of Iraq and Syria (ISIS), an extremist group of militants. Much destruction has been caused by the seven airstrikes west of Baghdad in Kirkuk, including nine destroyed vehicles and a dismantled bunker and command checkpoint.
Three airstrikes hit south of Dayr Az Zawr, Syria, and destroyed four tanks, according to Centcom. The United States’ involvement led to the use of multiple fighter jets and drones to conduct the airstrikes. The airstrikes against ISIS in Syria began early in the week of Sept. 21, when coalition warplanes targeted ISIS’s profit-making oil production warehouse.
“For a moment, they should do only enough that other countries should participate,” said Diondrae Reddice, an undergraduate nursing major. “As far as other enemies, I suspect that there are multiple insurgents in the area and they might take advantage of the resources there.” Many wonder how such an infamous group is able to attain funds. ISIS is believed to be one of the most highly supplied terrorist organizations in history because of its use of seized oil fields on Syrian soil.
“The oil fields should have been protected from the beginning, but since Syria is a third-world country, the fields might not have been getting attention,” Reddick said.
ISIS produces income through the unlawful sale of oil from these fields. According to Pentagon officials, the airstrikes in Syria would be carried out as planned, which target still objects and as “targets of opportunity” often seen when U.S. and affiliated aircrafts are in the sky.
“You’ll see a mix of what we’ve seen in Iraq the last several weeks, the result of active (ISIS militants) that are armed,” Pentagon spokesman Col. Steve Warren said Wednesday, according to ABC News. Both manned and unmanned Intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance aircraft have been hovering over Iraq and Syria.
“We’ll strike targets of opportunity when present. Additionally, ISR (reconnaissance) will allow us to develop more stationary targets we can strike when we choose,” Warren said to ABC News. “Those would be planned missile strikes. I think you’re going to see a mix in coming days of both.”
The purpose of the airstrikes in Syria is to strategically target the ISIS militant group and its bases.
“We are trying to remove the means through which this organization sustains itself. That’s the goal,” Pentagon Press Secretary Rear Admiral John Kirby said at a news conference Thursday, according to ABC News. The Pentagon’s goal is to aid Iraqi Security Forces in taking back territory occupied by ISIS and to prevent attacks against the security forces as well as Iraqi citizens.
“The current involvement is appropriate, but we shouldn’t become more involved because other countries should pitch in equally instead of one nation being the global police for one area,” Reddick said.
