Harman Patil (Editor)

Combined Joint Task Force – Operation Inherent Resolve

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Size
  
6,350

Headquarters
  
Kuwait

Combined Joint Task Force – Operation Inherent Resolve

Active
  
10 October 2014 – present (2 years, 4 months, 3 weeks and 6 days)

Country
  
Iraq  Syria Contributing nations:  United States  United Kingdom  France  Canada  Jordan  Australia  Denmark  Netherlands  Belgium  Lebanon  Morocco  Saudi Arabia  Turkey  United Arab Emirates  Qatar  Bahrain  Italy  Germany  Spain  Portugal  Poland  Georgia  Japan  Taiwan  South Korea  New Zealand  Hungary  Austria  Albania  Greece  Bulgaria  Slovakia  Slovenia  Serbia  Romania  Kosovo  Bosnia and Herzegovina  Luxembourg  Latvia  Lithuania  Iceland  Ireland  Macedonia  Moldova  Montenegro  Ukraine  Croatia  Czech Republic  Cyprus  Finland  Norway  Sweden  Estonia  Somalia  Kuwait  Oman  Tunisia  Singapore  Malaysia

Part of
  
United States Central Command

Engagements
  
International campaign against ISIL Iraqi Theater Syrian Theater

Combined Joint Task Force – Operation Inherent Resolve (CJTF–OIR) is the Joint Task Force established by the international (US-led) coalition against the Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant (ISIL), set up by the US Central Command to coordinate military efforts against ISIL, and is composed of US military forces and personnel from over 30 countries. The aim of CJTF–OIR is reportedly to "degrade and destroy" ISIL. Its establishment by US Central Command was announced in December 2014, after it was set up to replace the ad hoc arrangements that had previously been established to coordinate operations following the rapid gains made by ISIL in Iraq in June. Formed in October 2014, its first "coalition integration conference" was held the first week of December 2014. Current operations are named Operation Inherent Resolve by the United States Department of Defense. The current coalition commander has expressed his intent to root out ISIL (Da’esh) from the major cities of Syria by the end of his rotation as commander.

Structure

As of August 2016 US Lieutenant General Stephen J. Townsend commands CJTF-OIR in an appointment which consolidates three commander's tasks. Lieutenant General Townsend has two deputies, a British Army officer, Major General Rupert Jones, who is currently serving as CJTF-OIR Deputy Commander-Strategy and Sustainment, and a US Air Force officer, Major General Scott A. Kindsvater, who is currently serving as CJTF-OIR Deputy Commander-Operations and Intelligence. CJTF-OIRs headquarters is based at Camp Arifjan in Kuwait and includes approximately 500 personnel from 15 nations who are involved in coordinating operations in Iraq.

As part of CJTF-OIR, countries which have conducted airstrikes in Iraq include the United States, Australia, Canada, Denmark, France, Jordan, the Netherlands and the United Kingdom. Those who have conducted airstrikes in Syria include the United States, Australia, Bahrain, Canada, France, the Netherlands, Jordan, Saudi Arabia, Turkey, the United Arab Emirates and the United Kingdom.

A dozen countries are also involved in the Capacity Building Mission Iraq effort in Iraq. Those who have announced their participation in the program that trains Iraqi forces include Australia, Canada, Denmark, France, Germany, Italy, the Netherlands, New Zealand, Norway, Slovenia, Spain, the United Kingdom and the United States. As a result of the BPC program, nearly 6,500 Iraqi forces have completed the training, with approximately 4,500 currently in training.

As of August 2015 coalition aircraft had reportedly flown a total 45,259 sorties in the previous 12 months of operations, with the US Air Force flying the majority, accounting for 67 percent and dropping more than 5,600 bombs in the campaign to date. Meanwhile, The Guardian reported that a team of independent journalists have published details of some 52 airstrikes which have killed more than 450 civilians. The US-led coalition acknowledges only 2 non-combatant deaths.

In October 2015, Tunisia announced it would join the CJTF–OIR.

References

Combined Joint Task Force – Operation Inherent Resolve Wikipedia