Strikes Continue Against Terrorists in Syria, Iraq

U.S. and coalition military forces continued to attack Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant terrorists in Syria and Iraq yesterday, Combined Joint Task Force Operation Inherent Resolve officials reported today.

Strikes in Syria

Attack, fighter, and remotely piloted aircraft conducted 14 strikes in Syria:

  • Near Abu Kamal, a strike destroyed an ISIL vehicle.
  • Near Manbij, nine strikes struck seven separate ISIL tactical units and destroyed nine ISIL fighting positions, an ISIL vehicle and an ISIL tactical vehicle.
  • Near Mar’a, four strikes struck four separate ISIL tactical units and destroyed eight ISIL fighting positions.

Strikes in Iraq

Bomber, attack, fighter, and remotely piloted aircraft conducted 11 strikes in Iraq, coordinated with and in support of Iraq’s government:

  • Near Baghdadi, a strike destroyed two ISIL mortar systems.
  • Near Huwayjah, a strike destroyed an ISIL safe house.
  • Near Fallujah, a strike struck an ISIL tactical unit and destroyed an ISIL fighting position.
  • Near Hit, two strikes struck an ISIL tactical unit and destroyed an ISIL antenna, an ISIL unmanned aerial vehicle, 25 ISIL rocket rails, two ISIL mortar systems, an ISIL rocket, two ISIL rocket systems and an ISIL fighting position.
  • Near Kisik, a strike struck an ISIL tactical unit and destroyed an ISIL assembly area and three ISIL vehicles.
  • Near Mosul, a strike destroyed an ISIL excavator.
  • Near Qayyarah, a strike struck an ISIL tactical unit and destroyed an ISIL vehicle.
  • Near Ramadi, a strike struck an ISIL tactical unit and destroyed an ISIL fighting position.
  • Near Rawah, a strike struck an ISIL bomb-making factory.
  • Near Sultan Abdallah, a strike destroyed an ISIL tactical vehicle and an ISIL assembly area.

Task force officials define a strike as one or more kinetic events that occur in roughly the same geographic location to produce a single, sometimes cumulative, effect. Therefore, officials explained, a single aircraft delivering a single weapon against a lone ISIL vehicle is one strike, but so is multiple aircraft delivering dozens of weapons against buildings, vehicles and weapon systems in a compound, for example, having the cumulative effect of making those targets harder or impossible for ISIL to use. Accordingly, officials said, they do not report the number or type of aircraft employed in a strike, the number of munitions dropped in each strike, or the number of individual munition impact points against a target. Ground-based artillery fired in counterfire or in fire support to maneuver roles is not classified as a strike.

Part of Operation Inherent Resolve

The strikes were conducted as part of Operation Inherent Resolve, the operation to eliminate the ISIL terrorist group and the threat they pose to Iraq, Syria, and the wider international community. The destruction of ISIL targets in Syria and Iraq further limits the terrorist group's ability to project terror and conduct operations, officials said.

Coalition nations that have conducted strikes in Iraq include the United States, Australia, Belgium, Canada, Denmark, France, Jordan, the Netherlands and the United Kingdom. Coalition nations that have conducted strikes in Syria include the United States, Australia, Bahrain, Canada, France, Jordan, the Netherlands, Saudi Arabia, Turkey, the United Arab Emirates and the United Kingdom.

(Source: US Dept of Defense)

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