April 16: Military airstrikes continue against ISIS terrorists in Syria and Iraq

April 16, 2017
Release # 20170416-01
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

SOUTHWEST ASIA — On April 15, Coalition military forces conducted 29 strikes consisting of 70 engagements against ISIS terrorists in Syria and Iraq.

In Syria, Coalition military forces conducted 20 strikes consisting of 29 engagements against ISIS targets.
* Near Abu Kamal, three strikes destroyed three ISIS well heads and ISIS engineering equipment.
* Near Raqqah, six strikes engaged two ISIS tactical units, destroyed an ISIS bridge, and damaged an ISIS supply route.
* Near Tabqah, 11 strikes engaged nine ISIS tactical units, destroyed seven fighting positions and an ISIS vehicle.

In Iraq, Coalition military forces conducted nine strikes consisting of 41 engagements against ISIS targets.
* Near Al Qaim, one strike destroyed an ISIS oil rig.
* Near Bayji, two strikes engaged an ISIS tactical unit and destroyed three bunkers, two VBIED bunkers, two vehicle storage areas, a command and control node, and an ISIS staging area.
* Near Mosul, six strikes engaged four ISIS tactical units; destroyed five mortar systems, an ISIS storage facility, a fighting position, a command and control node, an ISIS tunnel, a rocket-propelled grenade system; damaged six ISIS supply routes and a fighting position; and suppressed five mortar teams, a fighting position and an ISIS tactical unit.

These strikes were conducted as part of Operation Inherent Resolve, the operation to destroy ISIS in Iraq and Syria. The destruction of ISIS targets in Iraq and Syria also further limits the group's ability to project terror and conduct external operations throughout the region and the rest of the world.

This Coalition strike release contains all strikes conducted by fighter, attack, bomber, rotary-wing, or remotely piloted aircraft, rocket propelled artillery and some ground based tactical artillery when fired on planned targets. Ground-based artillery fired in counter-fire or in fire support to maneuver roles are not classified as a strike as defined by CJTF-OIR.

A strike, as defined in the Coalition release, refers to one or more kinetic engagements that occur in roughly the same geographic location to produce a single, sometimes cumulative effect in that location. For example, a single aircraft delivering a single weapon against a lone ISIS vehicle is one strike, but so is multiple aircraft delivering dozens of weapons against a group of ISIS-held buildings and weapon systems in a compound, having the cumulative effect of making that facility harder or impossible to use. Strike assessments are based on initial reports and may be refined.

CJTF-OIR does 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. The information used to compile the daily strike releases is based on 'Z' or Greenwich Mean Time.