U.S. and coalition military forces, including aircraft from the San Diego-based USS Carl Vinson, continued to attack ISIL terrorists in Syria and Iraq on the first day of February.
The Defense Department reported a total of 34 airstrikes in the 24-hour period ending at 8 a.m. local time on Feb. 1. The attacks are aimed at defeating forces of the Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant, known as ISIL or ISIS, which is seeking to establish an fundamentalist Islamic state.
On Saturday the terrorist group beheaded Japanese journalist Kenji Goto, the latest in a string of gruesome murders. The group had demanded a $200 million ransom from the Japanese government.
Here are the most recent airstrikes reported by the Defense Department:
Airstrikes in Syria
- Near Kobani, seven airstrikes struck an ISIL staging area and four ISIL tactical units and destroyed five ISIL fighting positions.
- Near Ar Raqqah, an airstrike struck an ISIL tactical unit.
Airstrikes in Iraq
- Near Al Asad, an airstrike struck an ISIL tactical unit.
- Near Al Qaim, an airstrike destroyed an ISIL staging area.
- Near Hit, an airstrike struck an ISIL tactical unit.
- Near Kirkuk, 19 airstrikes struck four large ISIL units and 11 ISIL tactical units and destroyed eight ISIL fighting positions, an ISIL staging position, eight ISIL vehicles, two ISIL armored vehicles, an ISIL building and an ISIL tank.
- Near Mahkmur, an airstrike struck an ISIL tactical unit.
- Near Sinjar, two airstrikes struck an ISIL tactical unit and destroyed two ISIL buildings, an ISIL heavy weapon, an ISIL shipping container and an ISIL modular structure.
- Near Tal Afar, an airstrike destroyed an ISIL fighting position.
The nuclear-powered Vinson arrived in the Arabian Gulf in October, taking over from the USS George H.W. Bush.