The coalition to combat the Islamic State, Combined Joint Task Force-Operation Inherent Resolve, and its partners increased strikes against Islamic State targets by 123 percent in May, U.S. Central Command announced Friday.
Centcom also said that the U.S.-backed Syrian Democratic Forces have restarted offensive operations in the Middle Euphrates River, which began in May.
In total, the coalition and partner forces completed 225 strikes in May — which represents a 304 percent increase from the 74 strikes carried out in March, and a 123 percent increase in the 183 strikes conducted in April, according to the U.S. Central Command.
Earlier this week, Lt. Gen. Frank McKenzie said that the “final pockets of ISIS” were starting to be removed.
“We wouldn’t want to put a timeline on that, but we’re making progress, and, in concert with our SDF partners, I think that, you know, we’re beginning to clear out the final pockets of ISIS,” McKenzie said.
He admitted that it wouldn’t be possible to eliminate every ISIS fighter, but said “what we want to do is leave behind … security elements that are going to be able to maintain it at the local level.”
