U.S. to intensify air strikes against IS

President Obama is to expand the bombing campaign against Islamic State militants to assist Iraq’s new government to retake lost territory. Operations could also include IS targets in war-ravaged Syria

U.S. AIR STRIKES ON ISLAMIC STATE, Total: 153 (Aug 8 - Sep 9)

Aug 8: Strikes launched against IS militants near Irbil and around Mount Sinjar

Aug 18: Iraqi troops and Peshmerga fighters retake Mosul Dam

Aug 31: Iraqi andKurdish forces breaktwo-month siege of Amerli

Sep 6: Air strikes target IS militants near Haditha Dam


5
10
15
8
10
12
14
16
18
20
22
24
26
28
30
1
3
5
7
9

AUGUST

SEPTEMBER

U.S. air strikes

Main area of IS operations

General area of IS control

SYRIA

Aleppo

Latakia

Hamah

Homs

Damascus
Deir al Zawr

Raqqa
Hasakah

IRAQ
Haditha Dam, 18

Kirkuk

Samarra

Baqubah

Ramadi

Fallujah
Mosul Dam, 89

Amerli, 4

Sinjar, 13

Kurdish-governed area

Baghdad
Arbil, 29

Mosul

LEB.

TURKEY

JORDAN

IRAN

100km
60 miles


Sources: U.S. Central Command, IHS Jane’s Defence Weekly

Word count: 178