Army Colonel Steve Warren, the spokesman for Operation Inherent Resolve (OIR), the U.S.-led military operation against IS in Syria and Iraq, is giving a press briefing.
Here are some of the main points:
Warren responded to a question about a "friendly fire" strike on Friday when coalition air forces inadvertently struck Iraqi forces near Fallujah.
-- Initial reports indicated that one of many strikes called in by ISF near Fallujah may have killed Iraqi soldiers, investigation team is looking into it.
Army Colonel Steve Warren, the spokesman for Operation Inherent Resolve (OIR), the U.S.-led military operation against IS in Syria and Iraq, is giving a press briefing.
Here are some of the main points:
Warren answered a question: Is there an estimate of the size of the IS force in Ramadi and are they using human shields including children?
-- Rough estimate is 250-250 IS militants in Ramadi city center, several hundred outside that perimeter.
-- No reports yet of IS using human shields but would not put it past them.
Army Colonel Steve Warren, the spokesman for Operation Inherent Resolve (OIR), the U.S.-led military operation against IS in Syria and Iraq, has tweeted a copy in Arabic and a translation into English of a leaflet thought to have been provided to IS militants containing instructions for how they should withdraw from Fallujah.
The leaflet instructs militants to carry out attacks against various civilian targets including mosques.
Army Colonel Steve Warren, the spokesman for Operation Inherent Resolve (OIR), the U.S.-led military operation against IS in Syria and Iraq, is giving a press briefing.
Here are some of the main points:
Question about French Defense Minister's visit to Russia and agreement to share operational information about what is happening in Syria. Will this help?
-- Too soon to tell if it will be any help. We are not concerned. We are confident that French will protect information appropriately.
Army Colonel Steve Warren, the spokesman for Operation Inherent Resolve (OIR), the U.S.-led military operation against IS in Syria and Iraq, is giving a press briefing.
Here are some of the main points:
- "The fall of Ramadi is inevitable but it is going to be a tough fight"
- The force [taking Ramadi] is largely Sunni tribal fighters. There are no Shi'ites. There are Anbar police trained by Italian Carabinieri police. There will be some ISF involved.
Here is a copy of the leaflet dropped by Iraqi forces for civilians in Ramadi to help them leave the city.
Army Colonel Steve Warren, the spokesman for Operation Inherent Resolve (OIR), the U.S.-led military operation against IS in Syria and Iraq, is giving a press briefing.
Here are some of the main answers to questions:
Question about civilians in Ramadi and how confident is U.S. that they can get out.
- Ability to target with precision is breathtaking, take great care with every strike we make, we won't strike if we think strike will cause significant civilian harm, that's why we have ground forces who can move around civilians.
- It's going to be hard for civilians (to get out of Ramadi). As the tide begins to turn in Ramadi and there is only a limited number of IS fighters there, it will be increasingly difficult for those fighters to control the civilian population. So it will be easier for civilians to break and go. IS is able to hold civilians through fear.
Army Colonel Steve Warren, the spokesman for Operation Inherent Resolve (OIR), the U.S.-led military operation against IS in Syria and Iraq, is giving a press briefing.
Here are some of the main answers to questions:
Question about why U.S. started to describe air strikes in terms of how many munitions dropped and whehter this is in reaction to how Russians describe theirs?
-- Warren says he has decided to incorporate this in order to give "a little more color" following a fight near Mosul last week where U.S. released over 100 munitions but in one air strike. Not really in response to the Russians.
Army Colonel Steve Warren, the spokesman for Operation Inherent Resolve (OIR), the U.S.-led military operation against IS in Syria and Iraq, is giving a press briefing.
Here are some of the main answers to questions:
Among ISF forces in Ramadi, are there any Shi'ite militias? Did that come after a request from U.S. government not to include them?
-- There are not any Shi'ite forces participating but this is decision that Iraqi government makes.
Army Colonel Steve Warren, the spokesman for Operation Inherent Resolve (OIR), the U.S.-led military operation against IS in Syria and Iraq, is giving a press briefing.
Here are some of the main answers to questions:
Question about leaflet found regarding how IS should behave if they have to retreat from Fallujah.
-- Easy to believe that this is a legitimate document.
-- No examples of IS posing as ISF and committing atrocities yet.