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Press Release | Aug. 17, 2017

August 17: Military airstrikes continue against ISIS terrorists in Syria and Iraq

CJTFOIR

August 17, 2017
Release # 20170817-01
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

SOUTHWEST ASIA - On Aug. 16, Coalition military forces conducted 29 strikes consisting of 38 engagements against ISIS terrorists in Syria and Iraq.

In Syria, Coalition military forces conducted 23 strikes consisting of 23 engagements against ISIS targets.
*Near Abu Kamal, two strikes destroyed six ISIS oil stills, three pieces of oil equipment and two oil tankers.
*Near Dayr Az Zawr, one strike destroyed six ISIS oil stills.
*Near Raqqah, 20 strikes engaged 16 ISIS tactical units and destroyed 17 fighting positions, a logistics node, an IED, a command and control node, an ISIS UAS and a vehicle.

In Iraq, Coalition military forces conducted six strikes consisting of 15 engagements against ISIS targets.
*Near Kisik, two strikes engaged an ISIS tactical unit and destroyed six ISIS-held buildings, three mortar systems and a staging area.
*Near Rawah, two strikes engaged an ISIS tactical unit and destroyed a vehicle and a staging area.
*Near Tal Afar, one strike destroyed two ISIS headquarters; and damaged a bridge.
*Near Tuz, one strike engaged an ISIS tactical unit.

Additionally, 41 strikes consisting of 63 engagements were conducted in Syria and Iraq on Aug. 15 that closed within the last 24 hours.
*On Aug. 15, near Raqqah, Syria, 37 strikes engaged 27 ISIS tactical units and destroyed 36 fighting positions, four IEDs, three ISIS communication lines, two command and control nodes, an IED factory, a heavy machine gun, and a vehicle.
*On Aug. 15, near Al Qaim, Iraq, two strikes destroyed two ISIS headquarters.
*On Aug. 15, near Tal Afar, Iraq, two strikes engaged an ISIS tactical unit, destroyed an ISIS headquarters, and damaged a bridge.

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 ground-based tactical artillery.

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.

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