New footage shows US-led coalition strikes against ISIS in Iraq

By MORGAN WHITAKER

U.S. Central Command released a series of video clips Thursday that depict some of the latest battles in the fight against the Islamic State militant group in Iraq, including some of the first colorized footage yet.

In two especially fiery clips, huge blasts can be seen as coalition forces drop explosives on a tunnel used by ISIS in the vicinity of Kirkuk, a key oil city in the region. Three other newly released videos show comparably impressive explosions on nearby bunkers and a building.

Many of the strikes featured in the new videos occurred on Wednesday, the same day the French Defense Ministry said Rafale jets had joined the coalition planes at Kirkuk to help breach the ISIS frontlines, according to Reuters.

The latest strikes only a few days after General Martin Dempsey, chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, made a surprise visit to Iraq Saturday where he said that the battle against ISIS was starting to turn in the U.S.-led coalitions favor. The following day, ISIS responded by releasing a new video showing the beheading of American Peter Kassig.

A new ISIS video posted Friday showed British hostage John Cantlie revealing he believes he may be the next victim to be executed.

See more videos from U.S. Central Command and other images of the battle against ISIS below.