The United States and partner nations conducted airstrikes against ISIS-held oil refineries on Saturday and Sunday, as part of a series of twelve strikes in Syria and Iraq, according to U.S. Central Command. Four modular oil refineries in Ar Raqqah, Syria, were targeted, Central Command said in a statement. 'Although we continue to assess the outcome of these attacks, initial indications are that they were successful,' the statement said.
'Our building was shaking and we saw fire, some 60 meters (65 yards) high, coming from the refinery,' a local businessman, Mehmet Ozer, told The Associated Press. Strikes on the oil refineries aim at degrading ISIS' finances. The terror group earns an estimated $3 million a day from the refineries, according to the AP.
The weekend airstrikes also destroyed ISIS armed vehicles and Humvees in Syria, and an ISIS safe house and checkpoints in Iraq, according to Central Command. 'All aircraft departed the strike areas safely,' Central Command said. Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates also participated in the strikes, according to Central Command. Three other Arab allies are also taking part in aerial campaigns against ISIS, and some European countries - including France, the Netherlands, Denmark, Belgium and Britain - are also assisting to combat the terror group.
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- Courtney Kube and Elisha Fieldstadt, with The Associated PressFirst published September 28 2014, 7:32 AM
Entities 0 Name: Central Command Count: 3 1 Name: Syria Count: 3 2 Name: ISIS Count: 2 3 Name: Iraq Count: 2 4 Name: Courtney Kube Count: 1 5 Name: France Count: 1 6 Name: Elisha Fieldstadt Count: 1 7 Name: European Count: 1 8 Name: Saudi Arabia Count: 1 9 Name: Mehmet Ozer Count: 1 10 Name: Associated Press First Count: 1 11 Name: Arab Count: 1 12 Name: Belgium Count: 1 13 Name: Netherlands Count: 1 14 Name: Denmark Count: 1 15 Name: U.S. Count: 1 16 Name: United States Count: 1 17 Name: AP Count: 1 18 Name: The Associated Press Count: 1 19 Name: United Arab Emirates Count: 1 20 Name: Britain Count: 1 21 Name: Ar Raqqah Count: 1 Related 0 Url: http://ift.tt/1vfnHnO Title: Airstrikes reported in northern Syria Description: In this photo released by the U.S. Air Force, fighter jets fly over northern Iraq as part of coalition airstrikes in Syria on Tuesday, September 23. The United States and several Arab nations have started bombing ISIS targets in Syria to take out the militant group's ability to command, train and resupply its fighters.
